As someone like me who has grilled a lot of steaks in her life, I still discover new cuts of meat all the time as there are some cuts, like the hanger steak, that are delicious AND economical, but may be hard to find in the grocery store. Which is what may prompt you to ask, “What is Hanger Steak?”
Hanger Steak is the best cut you’ve never heard of! Often called the “butcher’s cut” because this is the cut the butcher often brings home to their family, the Hanger cut is from the area that “hangs” between the rib and loin, supporting the diaphragm. The hanger steak belongs to the “FLATS” category of beef which also includes flank and skirt steaks. It tastes very similar to these steaks but in my opinion, is much more tender, especially if you buy Wagyu so you get all that amazing marbling!
Hanger Steak is the best, most tender cut you’ve never heard of. Give it a try the next time you visit your butcher! The graphic at the top came from my cookbook, Healthy Electric Smoker. You can buy an autographed copy here.
Marinade for Hanger Steak
Because the Hanger steak comes from the FLATS category of meat, which also includes the Flank and Skirt Steak, it is usually recommended to use a marinade to help tenderize the meat. However, if it is a good quality Hanger steak, such as the Waygu Hanger Steak pictured here that I got from Click Akaushi Beef, then the steak shouldn’t need much more than a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. If you aren’t using Wagyu or Prime Grade Hanger, you can give my Cilantro Lime Marinade or my Chile Lime marinade a try. I still think the best way to do a steak is start with high quality (Prime or Wagyu) and then just a touch of salt and pepper are all that is needed.
Sometimes I like to enjoy my steaks with a nice touch of creamy Blue cheese and pair with a nice Pinot Noir.
Hanger Steak on the Grill
Keep in mind that this cut is best medium rare, a higher internal temp over that and it will be chewy.
The best way to grill hanger steak is by first searing it at a high temp, approximately 400 degrees or higher, on both sides for about a 1 ½ minutes or until a nice crust has formed, and then letting it continue to cook on indirect heat until the internal temp has reached 125 degrees as measured with an instant read thermometer – I recommend the Thermapen (affiliate link).
Keep in mind that this cut of meat will cook quickly so you may not to need to cook it very long on indirect.
If cooking in cast iron, you would essentially sear the steak on both sides and then pull it off the heat so it doesn’t continue to cook.
Want more steak grilling inspiration? Check out my other steak recipes, such as my Better Than Sex Smoked Tri Tip, or my Reverse Sear Ribeye with Cowboy Butter recipe.
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Cilantro Lime Hanger Steak
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 steaks 1x
Description
Note, for high quality Wagyu or Prime Hanger steak, I don't recommend using a marinade, just freshly ground pepper and high quality sea salt will do. For Choice Hanger steak, definitely use a marinade. This Cilantro lime marinade is great on hanger steak, skirt steak or flank steak and makes for great fajitas, tacos or sliced and put into a pita. Hanger steak is great served on its own served as a steak. I often pair mine with blue cheese before serving.
Ingredients
- 2 hanger steaks
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lime juice (the juice of one medium sized lime)
- 4 tsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
Instructions
Puree all marinade ingredients (soy sauce, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, oil, sugar and garlic) with a hand mixer or food processor until it forms a paste.
Combine marinade and beef in a non-reactive container and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Prepare a grill for 2 zone grilling- direct and indirect zones. Sear on high heat (400 degrees plus) for a minute and a half and then temp the meat. If the meat has not reached 125 degrees yet, let it continue to roast/cook on indirect until it reads 125 degrees with an internal read thermometer such as the Thermapen. Tent under foil for 10 minutes and slice against the grain before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: steaks, hanger steak recipe, hanger steak marinade
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Want more grilled beef recipes? Check out these posts!
