Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (2024)

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Tender juicy hanger steak! Quickly sear this steak in a hot pan and then serve with a sauce of shallots and butter in a wine reduction. This makes an easy, yet impressive, home cooked meal.

By

Elise Bauer

Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (1)

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Updated March 16, 2022

Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (2)

Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (3)

Have you ever tried hanger steak? One of the best things about having a butcher close by who knows a thing or two about meat is that we are often inspired to try cuts that would otherwise be unfamiliar to us.

Hanger steak is one of those cuts.

What Is Hanger Steak?

Also known as a "butcher's steak", the hanger steak "hangs" down from a steer's diaphragm, the plate, between the brisket and the flank (according to the Wikipedia). It's one of the most flavorful cuts of beef.

Shopping for Hanger Steak

Hanger steak is sold either whole, looking somewhat like a "V", or trimmed of the center gristle, in which case they resemble a tenderloin. If you get a whole piece, make sure to cut away and discard the center main gristle that connects the two tenderloin-ish pieces.

If hanger steak isn't available where you are, you might want to try this recipe with a flank or skirt steak.

Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (4)

How to Cook Hanger Steak

Hanger steak is highly flavorful but isn't perfectly tender, so it responds well to quick cooking with searing heat. Simply heat a skillet with oil over high heat, sear the steaks on all sides, and cook until done to your preference.

Hanger steak is best served sliced thinly across the grain.

What to Serve With Hanger Steak

This recipe calls for a delicious shallot sauce drizzled on top of the sliced steak. We picked up the recipe from our local butcher at Corti Brothers who in turn got it from Chef Daniel Boulud. According to Chef Boulud, French bistros traditionally serve this hanger steak along with pommes frites (French fries).

We passed on the fries and went with broccoli and boiled potatoes. Outstanding! And very easy to make.

More Great Steak Recipes

  • Quick and Easy Pan-Fried Flank Steak
  • Peppercorn Steak
  • How to Grill the Best Steak
  • Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri
  • Sous Vide Steak

Hanger Steak with Shallots

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Servings4 servings

If hanger steak isn't available where you are, you might want to try this recipe with a flank or skirt steak.

Hanger steak is sold either whole, looking somewhat like a "V", or trimmed of the center gristle, in which case they resemble a tenderloin. If you get a whole piece, make sure to cut away and discard the center main gristle that connects the 2 tenderloin-ish pieces.

Recipe adapted from Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud Cookbook: French-American Recipes for the Home Cook.Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (5)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oilor extra virgin olive oil

  • 4 hanger steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each (trimmed of main gristle running through center)

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 6 medium shallots, thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1/2 cup red wine

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

Method

  1. Sear the steaks on all sides:

    Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season them with salt and pepper.

    When the pan is hot, place the steaks into the pan, and brown them on all sides. (Do not move the steak pieces until they have browned on one side, if you move them, they won't brown easily.)

    Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (6)

    Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (7)

  2. Cook until done to your preference, remove from pan:

    Continue to turn them until they are cooked to your preference, 6 minutes total for medium-rare (the steaks will continue to cook as they rest), a few minutes longer for more well done.

    Transfer the steaks to a warm dish and cover them with foil and let them rest while you prepare the sauce.

  3. Make the sauce:

    Reduce the heat to medium, add a tablespoon of butter and the shallots. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until the shallots are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

    Add the vinegar and cook until it boils away, then add the wine.

    Bring the wine to a boil and let reduce to about half. Remove pan from heat, stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the chopped parsley.

  4. Slice steaks across the grain to serve:

    To serve, cut each steak across the grain into thin slices. Fan the slices out on a warm dinner plate. Drizzle the warm shallot sauce over the meat and serve immediately.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
668Calories
35g Fat
13g Carbs
71g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories668
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g44%
Saturated Fat 12g61%
Cholesterol 222mg74%
Sodium 227mg10%
Total Carbohydrate 13g5%
Dietary Fiber 2g9%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 71g
Vitamin C 9mg43%
Calcium 51mg4%
Iron 7mg36%
Potassium 1009mg21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Hanger Steak with Shallots Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook hanger steak? ›

The best way to cook hanger steak is on the grill, which adds to its flavor. However, there's no wrong way to learn how to cook hanger steak. You can also pan-sear it, sous vide it, or cook it in the oven or smoker.

What is the best doneness for hanger steak? ›

Since this unique cut is coarse and has a strong grain, it really shine when cooked to medium-rare to medium or about 125° to 130° F when doneness is measured with a meat thermometer.

Does hanger steak need to be soaked? ›

Allowing the beef to sit in a marinade of your choice will really help increase the flavor and tenderness of the meat. You can let a hanger steak marinate for up to 24 hours for maximum flavor, but any amount of seasoning will boost the flavor of this cut of beef.

How many hanger steaks per cow? ›

They did this not only because it is one of the most flavorful cuts in the animal, but also because there is only one hanger steak per cow and butchers could not market and sell a cut that they had very little of to begin with.

Why is my hanger steak chewy? ›

Because of the coarse texture and amount of grain, hanger steak becomes tough and chewy when overcooked. Ideally, use a meat thermometer and cook the meat to approximately 60-65°C. Because these steaks are quite thin, they require high heat in order to develop a nice char/sear without overcooking.

What is hanger steak and how do you cook it? ›

Cook It Over High Heat: Hanger steak does best with short, intense heat, so think high-heat grilling, pan-searing or broiling. 3. Cook to Medium-Rare: Cook it to no more than medium-rare (130 to 135 degrees F). Hanger steak cooks quickly since it's relatively thin, so watch carefully and don't overcook it.

Is hanger steak good or bad? ›

hanger steak available in each 800+ lb. animal, this cut is as rare as it is delicious. Considered by many butchers to be one of the tenderest cuts of meat, it features deep intramuscular fat, or marbling, that, once prepared, provides a rich flavor that's undeniably juicy.

Which is better hanger steak or filet mignon? ›

Hanger steak is much less talked about than filet mignon, but it's surprisingly similar in texture. Filet mignon is well-known for being tender to the point of requiring minimal chewing to enjoy each bite. But, hanger steak is in a close second place for that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

What is hanger steak called in grocery store? ›

A hanger steak (US), also known as butcher's steak, hanging tenderloin, skirt (UK), or onglet, is a cut of beef steak prized for its flavor and tenderness. This cut is taken from the plate, which is the upper belly of the animal.

How do you tenderize hanger steak? ›

Before grilling or broiling a hanger steak, use a marinade with a strong acid component (such as citrus juice, vinegar, or wine) for added moisture and to help tenderize. Then cook the steak hot and fast to 125 to 130 F; it will continue cooking once you pull it off the heat.

Can you eat hanger steak rare? ›

Rare hanger steak is simply not the same as rare tenderloin, ribeye, or strip. Use a thermometer, and cook it to the sweet spot between 125° and 130° degrees (this gives it some leeway to rise in temperature was it rests). Very high heat is essential as well.

Is hanger steak a cheap cut? ›

For those who want the joys of steak but lack the budget for cuts like filet mignon and ribeye, there is, as Rachel Ray suggests in a list of five cheap steaks, hanger steak.

What's another name for hanger steak? ›

I went to the farmers market and picked up a Hanger Steak which is also called Butcher's cut. I had never heard of it before so I decided to try it. If you also come across one and try it make sure to watch a video on trimming as there is center piece of gristle that needs to be trimmed out.

Which is better skirt steak or hanger steak? ›

Each offers unique flavors and textures. While the hanger steak is more expensive and harder to come by, it has a tender texture and rich, meaty flavor. The skirt steak is less expensive and more widely available, with a chewy texture and rich, beefy flavor.

How many pounds of hanger steak per person? ›

The golden rule: Eight ounces (or half a pound) of meat per person.

Is hanger steak as tender as filet mignon? ›

Hanger steak is much less talked about than filet mignon, but it's surprisingly similar in texture. Filet mignon is well-known for being tender to the point of requiring minimal chewing to enjoy each bite. But, hanger steak is in a close second place for that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

Is hanger steak tough or tender? ›

Hanger steak, one of flat steaks along with flank and skirt, is the most tender of the three. It has nice marbling and rivals the rib eye in flavor.

Is a hanger steak a good cut of meat? ›

hanger steak available in each 800+ lb. animal, this cut is as rare as it is delicious. Considered by many butchers to be one of the tenderest cuts of meat, it features deep intramuscular fat, or marbling, that, once prepared, provides a rich flavor that's undeniably juicy.

Is hanger steak the same as butcher steak? ›

The hanger steak is a cut of beef that's similar to skirt steak but taken from the diaphragm of a cow, or plate. It is also known as the “butcher's steak” because butchers would often keep it for themselves.

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