hanger steak

I've got some hanger steak, but every time I cook that stuff I seem to screw it up.

What's the best way?

Unless you plan on grilling it outdoors, use my foolproof stove top to oven method.
Hot pan, sear on all sides, and then into a 400 oven. Cook to desired doneness, which for me is the bloody side of medium rare.

I like to marinate it, slice it thin (across the grain) then stir fry it and serve with chimichurri.

John's method sounds great as well.

Is "hanger" different than "skirt"? I see skirt more than hanger, but perhaps those are regional terms?

Is "hanger" different than "skirt"? I see skirt more than hanger, but perhaps those are regional terms?

Both are from diaphragm, but separate cuts. Skirt is more distinctly grained, hanger/onglet is a bit more like a regular steak.

I like to just season, sear quickly on each side, then a couple minutes on cooler part of grill. You really don't want it cooked more than medium rare. Slice against grain.

Is "hanger" different than "skirt"? I see skirt more than hanger, but perhaps those are regional terms?

Both are from diaphragm, but separate cuts. Skirt is more distinctly grained, hanger/onglet is a bit more like a regular steak.

Thanks Dale.

john - how many sides does it have typically?

I did John's method--it was great, even though I missed the third side.

john - how many sides does it have typically?

It's not a typical two sided steak, if that's what you mean - here's what a raw hanger looks like:

john - how many sides does it have typically?

It's not a typical two sided steak, if that's what you mean - here's what a raw hanger looks like:

John,

For edification: I marinated the steak in buttermilk for a few hours; then, about an hour before cooking, I washed off the milk and stewed the steak in tamari, pressed garlic, and crushed white pepper; then, cooked it.

Had it with a nice medium-bodied Merlot from the Dolimiti.

[Jenise]

For edification: I marinated the steak in buttermilk for a few hours; then, about an hour before cooking, I washed off the milk and stewed the steak in tamari, pressed garlic, and crushed white pepper; then, cooked it.

A buttermilk pre-marinade? New one to me. This accomplishes....?

For edification: I marinated the steak in buttermilk for a few hours; then, about an hour before cooking, I washed off the milk and stewed the steak in tamari, pressed garlic, and crushed white pepper; then, cooked it.

A buttermilk pre-marinade? New one to me. This accomplishes....?

It's a tenderizer.

Works best on chicken, pork, because it adds a little zing to the taste as well as to tenderize the meats.

If you save the buttermilk and use it the following morning to make pancakes, you can forgo bacon for breakfast--just kidding.

JUst pointing out, that whichever terms you use, as in some parts of the country, flank steak, hanger steak, skirt steak and even tri-tip are used synomymously, what applies to all of these cuts is that that they can be tough
What I do that helps these cuts is to use a meat mallet on them, at least enough to break up the tough fibers and connective tissue.

JUst pointing out, that whichever terms you use, as in some parts of the country, flank steak, hanger steak, skirt steak and even tri-tip are used synomymously, what applies to all of these cuts is that that they can be tough
What I do that helps these cuts is to use a meat mallet on them, at least enough to break up the tough fibers and connective tissue.

Marinating is for tenderizing and it doesn't beat up the food. But I agree, the meat mallet also does the trick, however, I use that only when I have a vision of someone in my head who I'd like to clobber a few times; it's a great release valve.

[Jenise]

It's a tenderizer.

Okay, sure, like southern fried chicken (where IMO, it's biggest favor is that zing and the way the dry coatings stick to it). Just never thought of using it with red meat.

john - how many sides does it have typically?

It's not a typical two sided steak, if that's what you mean - here's what a raw hanger looks like:

I think I've seen that picture in an Operation Rescue ad.

You don't want to cook that bilobar "whole" hanger steak. You want to cut it into two long "bananas" of meat (hmm, a meat banana!?) and remove as much of the gristly "vein" as you can. Then there are various ways you can go. Some people marinate in soy, ginger, garlic, lemon and scorch it up and serve it as the meat in a "Salade Onglet." Tony Bourdain has a great recipe for this in the "Les Halles" cookbook.

I feel it is easy to overdo the Soy and I generally trim it down and season with Chicago Seasoning from Penzeys, let it sit for a couple of hours at room temp and then scorch on the grill. The last hanger we had was on Monday night, bought at the Amish market near Princeton, and it was beautifully tender and beefy-flavored. Perfection!

What you want from hanger steak is 1) you want to CHEW IT, it is the opposite of filet mignon. And 2) you want to TASTE BEEF, which come to think of it is also the opposite of filet mignon.

Frank

...in some parts of the country, flank steak, hanger steak, skirt steak and even tri-tip are used synomymously...

Some parts of the country are wacky. Flank is not the least like hanger or skirt.

Some parts of the country are wacky. Flank is not the least like hanger or skirt.

Agreed (nor is tri tip, not that it's a common cut around here). As hanger and skirt are both part of the diaphragm, I can see them being mixed up (or I guess a butcher could cut something that included both). Skirt steak here tonight, I do think that skirt really needs a marinade, while hanger doesn't neccesarily.

Grilling skirt steak (and boneless leg of lamb) here, too!

I've also seen skirt steak called "beef plate", but I don't really know what that means.

I think plate is the whole belly area (at least on those old beef charts). So source of skirt and hanger.