For me, Monday night was beef-topia: I taught The Other Side of Beef at the Institute of Culinary Education. This class focused on lesser known cuts like Flat Iron, Skirt and Top Round and gave tips and recipes to make them shine. Along with vegetable sides and a dessert, we grilled, broiled and sautéed our way to beefy bliss.
One recipe was for Hanger Steak with an Asian-inspired marinade. Hanger Steak comes from the short loin, an area that includes the expensive, tender cuts like Porterhouse, Filet Mignon and Strip Steak. Hanger gets more exercise which makes it chewier (and therefore cheaper), but more flavorful.
As we learned in the class, the chewiness can be minimized two ways: marinating and slicing.
The primary purpose of a marinade is to add flavor, but if a marinade contains acid (like vinegar, citrus, yogurt, etc.) it will help tenderize the meat. It won’t turn stew meat into filet mignon, but even 1-2 hours of marinating individual steaks will add a significant amount of flavor and help tenderize the meat.
The second is to slice the steak correctly before serving. All cuts have a grain: lines of connective tissue running through them. It’s these lines that can make the meat seem tough. If your slicing follows the grain, you’ll have long, stringy pieces of meat. Position your knife across these lines when slicing, this breaks up this connective tissue and the meat will be less chewy. This may seem like a small detail, but it makes a big difference when eating.
Finally, as with any steak, don’t forget to let your meat rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before slicing. The temperature will even out inside the steak and it will be juicier.
Hanger Steak with Scallion-Ginger Marinade
Makes 4 to 6 servings
2 pounds hanger steak, trimmed
Marinade:
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons peeled, grated ginger
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons hoisin
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6 scallions, thinly sliced, green ends reserved for garnish
Garnish:
thinnly sliced green parts of scallions (from above)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and add the hanger steaks. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
2. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry. Reserve the marinade. Grill the steaks over medium heat, cooking on each side for 6-7 minutes for medium rare (or the steaks can be sauteed in a small amount of canola oil for the same amount of time). Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. Bring the reserved marinade to a boil and simmer briefly. Add the reserved green scallion slices and sesame seeds. Slice the steaks on a bias and serve with the heated marinade.
