Forget marinades and complicated recipes – the hanger steak is perfect for fast, easy, and flavorful grilling. This cut is known for its rich, beefy flavor and tender texture when cooked hot and fast over high heat to medium-rare. Grill up the perfect hanger steak in minutes with just a few simple steps for seasoning, and don’t overcook it – we’re showing you how.
This is a special cut of steak, with only one per animal and only cut by skilled butchers; it’s worth seeking out. This is a steak recipe best cooked hot and fast, whether on the grill or in a cast iron skillet. It packs a ton of flavor that we find wonderful paired with the bite of a garlicky homemade chimichurri.
🥩 The Cut: What is Hanger Steak?
Cut from the plate area of the cow, directly below the rib primal, the hanger steak is known as a ‘Butcher’s cut,’ a cut reserved for the butcher who did the work. It’s named for the way the cut “hangs” from the diaphragm and is also known as the hanging tender steak, which means exactly like what it sounds.
Hanger steaks are small, around one and a half pounds total, but always rich in flavor and an incredibly tender cut of beef. At first glance, a hanger steak looks similar to a skirt steak in grain but has a signature line of silverskin running down the center of it. You may find it already trimmed, with the silverskin removed from the center of the steak and cut into two or kept whole.
Oftentimes times it is suggested to use a steak marinade recipe to help the bold rich flavor this delicious steak has, but we find it enjoyable without one when sliced thin and cooked to a steak temperature of medium. Although this isn’t a lean cut, it’s best not cooked past medium and, just like flank steak with a heavy grain, cut into thin slices against the grain for a tender chew.
Chances are, you are not finding this cut at your local grocery store, as most of the time, it’s used for making ground beef. Order it from a local butcher or check out our favorite places to buy meat online, and treat yourself to something unique.
Ingredients
Unless you want to use a marinade, like our flank steak marinade, which is great for grilling, keep it simple with the ingredient list. We like to skip the olive oil and use a dry rub because we’re cooking this steak over high heat and want to avoid additional flare-ups. If using a marinade, be sure to pat the steak very dry of any excess marinade with paper towels before grilling.
- Hanger steak
- Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, cumin (or your favorite fajita seasoning)
How to Grill Hanger Steak
Prep your charcoal grill for indirect heat, a two-zone fire, by lighting your coals in a charcoal chimney starter. When the coals are about 70% ashed over, carefully pour them on only one side of the grill. Add the grill grates and clean them; cover the grill with the lid. Then, adjust the vents for airflow to preheat the grill to high heat, around 450-500°F. If you want to use smoking wood for additional flavor, add it now. We love adding Jack Daniel’s bourbon barrel wood chips for a mild oak flavor when grilling steaks.
Meanwhile, remove the steak from the package and pat it dry with paper towels. Liberally coat the steak in salt, pepper, and cumin and let it sit at room temperature while the grill preheats.
When the grill is hot, add the hanger steak to the hot side of the grill, sear the meat, for 90 seconds, rotate, and continue to sear for another 90 seconds. Then flip the steak with long tongs and transfer it to the cooler side of the grill. Grill the hanger steak until it reaches your personal preference for its internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer, about 7 to 10 minutes longer for medium-rare.
Don’t be afraid to flip this steak often. Maneuvering it over the hot coals to evenly cook it on all sides and get a good crust on the top of the steaks.
When cooked, transfer the steak to a clean cutting board and tent with foil. Use our favorite trick and top the steak with a dollop of compound butter, like our chimichurri butter, while the steak rests for 10 minutes. Then, using a sharp knife, separate the steak at the seam (if needed) and slice thinly against the grain for juicy bites.
What to serve with Grilled hanger steak
We pair this easy grilled hanger steak recipe with easy side dishes like grilled peppers and onions. We toss them on the grill while the steak is cooking and rotate them as needed to get a good char. From there, we slice the steak thin and serve it as tacos drizzled with chimichurri sauce.
It’s also great with duck-fat french fries as epic steak frites or over a bed of leafy greens as a salad.
