Hanger Steak
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My hanger steak recipe transforms an underrated cut into a satisfying, steak-house quality dinner. It’s so juicy and tender and cooks FAST.
Love juicy steaks? Try my bavette steak, flat iron steak, Denver steak, or chimichurri steak next.
Serving steak for dinner never gets old in my house. It’s definitely the most requested family meal, and I try and cook it once a week, or whenever my wallet allows me to!
My hanger steak recipe is always a good standby. It’s an affordable and, quite frankly, underrated cut of beef. It needs very little to make it shine, and it tastes absolutely incredible.
What is hanger steak?
Hanger steak (or butcher’s steak) is a flavorful and tender cut of beef taken from the diaphragm muscle near the rib and loin area. This well-exercised muscle gives this steak its signature beefy flavor and natural tenderness. Despite this tenderness, hanger steak should still remind you of flank and skirt steak because it’s best when it’s marinated and seared over high heat.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Inexpensive, yet elegant. Hanger steak is a great alternative to my filet mignon for holidays and special occasions because it’s more affordable but is equally as tender and flavorful.
- Make it ahead. Let the steaks marinate overnight, then grill the next day!
- Great for grilling. As the steaks grill, the marbled fat melts into the meat, making every bite extra moist and flavorful. Don’t fret though- I’ve included my trusted stovetop method too.
- PERFECT for tacos. I love slicing this steak into thin strips and making steak tacos or steak fajitas with them.
Ingredients needed
- Hanger steaks. This exceptionally flavorful cut of beef is best when the excess fat has been trimmed from the edges, so try and get it from a butcher if possible.
- Olive oil. This is the base of the marinade. It helps infuse flavor into the meat and acts as a natural tenderizer.
- Soy sauce. For a rich, umami element in the marinade. It also enhances the depth of beefy flavors.
- Lemon juice. The acidity helps break down the beef and brighten the flavors.
- Worcestershire. This creates an intensely flavorful, well-rounded steak marinade.
- Garlic. To intensify the overall savory flavor profile of the beef.
- Sea salt and pepper. To taste.
How to cook hanger steak
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Marinate. Whisk the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then add the steaks to it. Marinate for at least 10 minutes or overnight.
Step 2- Cook the marinated steaks on a hot grill until they’re cooked to your desired temperature (see the steak temperature guide below). Rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Hanger steak temperature guide
Use an instant-read thermometer and this general guide to grill the hanger steaks to your preferred level of doneness. Remember that the steaks will continue to come up to temperature as they rest, so remove them when they’re 5 degrees away from your desired temperature:
- Rare. 125°F to 130°F (52°C to 54°C).
- Medium-rare. 135°F to 140°F (57°C to 60°C)
- Medium. 145°F to 150°F (63°C to 66°C)
- Medium-well. 150°F to 155°F (66°C to 68°C)
- Well done. 160°F to 165°F (71°C to 74°C)
I recommend cooking hanger steak to medium-rare or medium. Anything higher and the steak may become chewy or dried out.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t marinate for too long. For the best results, let the steaks soak for a minimum of 20 minutes or a maximum of 8 hours. Any longer, and the meat fibers may become mealy or mushy.
- No grill? No problem! I often cook this steak on the stovetop either in a hot skillet (pictured) or grill pan.
- Bring to room temperature. Let the steaks rest on the kitchen counter for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking to help them grill evenly.
- The steak should sizzle when it touches the grill grates, so make sure the grill is preheated between 450°F and 500°F. If you’re using a grill pan or stovetop, use the highest heat possible. This gives it a nice crust.
- Always let the steaks rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This allows the natural juices to be redistributed, producing extra tender meat with rich flavor.
- Slice against the grain. This way, the integrity of the steak’s texture and flavor isn’t affected.
Hanger vs. skirt vs. flank steak
While hanger, skirt, and flank steak share many of the same qualities, they are three distinctly different cuts of steak:
- Hanger steak comes from the tender diaphragm area and has a rich, beefy flavor.
- Skirt steak is a long, thin, and fibrous cut taken from the plate section, so it has a more robust, meaty taste.
- Flank steak is a long, flat, and significantly grainy cut from the abdominal muscles. It’s lean and has a slightly chewy texture with a bold beefy flavor.
Storage instructions
To store: Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat: To reheat leftover steak without drying it out, heat it in a baking dish at 250ºF (or until the internal temperature reaches 110ºF). Heating in a covered pan on the stove also works well.
To freeze: Let cool, then freeze the leftover steak in a container or ziplock bag for 2 to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
In grocery stores, you may find hanger steak labeled and sold as “butcher’s steak” or “onglet,” which is the French term for hanger steak.
Experiment with the flavors in this dish by soaking the steak in another sauce or marinade, like my 3-ingredient steak marinade, bulgogi sauce, and teriyaki sauce.
More delicious beef dinners
- Picanha steak
- Tomahawk steak
- New York Steak
- London Broil in Oven
- Beef barbacoa
- Instant Pot Brisket
- Cowboy steak
- Or any of these beef recipes
Hanger Steak
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds hanger steaks 2 large steaks
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Season the steaks with salt and pepper and place them in a bowl. Pour the marinade all over it, cover, and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or overnight.
- Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
- Preheat a grill to high heat or use the stovetop and cook the steaks in a skillet. Once the grill is heated to high, remove the steaks from the marinade and grill for 4 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 135F.
- Remove from the grill and let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing across the grain.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published June 2023, updated and republished July 2024
Where is the measurement for lemon juice?
1/2 teaspoon sorry!
Hello! I don’t have much experience grilling and Illinois’ winters aren’t conducive to the grill method, so how else would you recommend this dish be prepared?
Thank you!
Added new cooking methods we tested 🙂
I used less meat but adjusted and added extra garlic (minced) and a little steak sauce in addition to the other ingredients for a quick 1 1/2 hr marinate and pan fried it in olive oil and finished with butter. It was delicious!!!
No lemon added.
DELICIOUS!!! MY FAMILY LOVED THE TASTE! KEEPER