Hanger Steak, you may hear this name more and more recently. It was an underrated steak cut in the past but now it’s getting more famous. As a beef lover, you must learn it. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
◈ What Is a Hanger Steak?
Hanger Steak is a new star of beef cuts. It was usually kept by the butchers themselves instead of selling on the market. This is because this cut was generally considered as a crude cut of meat but actually unbeatable. Therefore, Hanger Steak has other names called “butcher’s steak” and “butcher’s secret”. Luckily, more and more beef aficionados explored and realized how good this steak cut is. So we can find this cut much easier now from some professional butcher shop.
► Read More: 11 Secret Beef Cuts that True Beef Lovers Should Know!
Hanger is derived from the muscle for supporting the diaphragm of the cow in the plate primal. It literally hangs from the diaphragm and does no work. That’s why it is extremely tender and thus the name.
Each cow only produces one Hanger. It’s incredibly tender like Filet Mignon and rich in flavor. A whole Hanger is vaguely V-shaped with beautiful grains and a long membrane in the middle. Before cooking, you should remove the membrane since it’s inedible.
► Read More: 5 Most Tender Steak Cuts Ranked and How to Cook
◈ Quick Facts of Hanger
1. Is Hanger Steak Tender?
Definitely! As mentioned in the above, Hanger is a cut near the diaphragm which does not move frequently. Hence, it’s very tender as Filet yet with robust flavor.
2. Where Is Hanger Steak On a Cow?
Hanger Steak is located on the plate primal, or diaphragm.
3. Is Hanger Steak Lean?
Fairly yes.
A 4 oz serving of Hanger has about 171 calories, 23 g of protein, 8 g of fat and 35 mg of cholesterol. It is quite lean. Here comes the nutrition facts:
| Whole Hanger (1.25 lbs) | One serving (4 oz) | |
| Calories | 853 | 171 |
| Protein | 115 g | 23 g |
| Fat | 40.1 g | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 176mg | 35 mg |
► Read More: 8 Leanest / Healthiest Steak Cuts Best Fit For Weight Loss
4. Is Hanger Steak the Same as Flank Steak?
No, they are different steak cuts but share similar features.
Hanger Steak is sourced from the plate primal while Flank Steak comes from the flank primal. In terms of texture, Hanger is far more tender while Flank is much leaner. So Flank does well with a marinade which helps tenderizing; Hanger works well with marinade as well but it is not necessary.
► Read More: 8 Primal Cuts of Beef to Learn Before Ordering Steaks
5. Hanger Steak vs Skirt Steak
Other than Flank, Skirt Steak is another cut that is always compared with Hanger.
They are adjacent cuts from the plate. However, they have totally different characteristics. Skirt is a hard working piece of meat and so it’s fibrous and chewy while Hanger is remarkably tender.
Same as Flank Steak, Skirt Steak is nice to marinate for tenderizing.
► Read More: 20 Best Steak Cuts Ranked (A Complete Guide to Know Your Cuts)
6. Is Hanger Steak Expensive?
Hanger Steak is rather cheap when compared to those famous steak cuts like Ribeye and Filet Mignon. For a whole Hanger (1-1.5 lbs), it costs only $39 while 0.5 lb of Filet Mignon costs $29.
Hanger has a great value for money. It is lesser-known thus cheap, but tender and flavourful.
► Read More: 5 Best Cheap Cuts of Steak (spend you <$30) that are Yummy!
7. Where to Buy Hanger Steak?
We recommend you to buy Hanger Steak from Porter Road. It is a butcher shop that works with select farms and hand-cuts expertly on every piece of meat.
◈ How to Cook Hanger?
Many cooking methods are suitable for Hanger. But no matter what method, removing the inedible middle membrane is a must-do step before cooking.
Apart from that, bear in mind to serve medium rare. Since Hanger is fairly delicate, undercooking will be slimy while slightly overcooking will result in tough texture but not the desirable tender and juicy mouthfeel.
This steak cut loves being cooked in high heat quickly such as grilling and searing. Before cooking, please season them with simply salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can marinate them with your favorite marinade for a few hours. Next, fire up the grill or cast iron pan and cook them over high heat, this is the keypoint. Brown all sides of the steak and cook until it reaches 125-130°F (52-54°C). Then, remove it from the grill or pan and rest for 5-10 minutes.
Summary
Hanger Steak was a hidden gem in the past. Fortunately, more and more people know its advantages. Try this tender but cheap steak cut and you will be surprised!
