If you’ve never tried hanger steak before, you need to try one now! This Easy Marinated Hanger Steak recipe is hands-down my new favorite steak!
Easy Marinated Hanger Steak
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Ribeyes and T-bones are great… but grilling the same steak the same way all the time can get boring. Sometimes it’s just nice to try something different. The hanger steak is a relatively new cut, and it is absolutely amazing! Hanger steak does need to be handled a little bit carefully, but I know you can do it!
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Hanger steak usually comes in one larger piece (weighing 1-2 pounds). There is a strip of tough connective tissue that runs down the center of the steak. You should trim this out, so you end up with two long, thin steaks. (This article will show you how to trim out that connective tissue.)
Hanger steak has a lot of grain to it – it is more “textured” than a filet mignon or a ribeye. That’s why you need to be a little careful cooking it. If you overcook hanger steak, or if it gets too dry, it will be very tough and chewy. And you’ll wonder why in the world I ever recommended it.
How to Cook Hanger Steak
To manage the texture of a hanger steak, your best bet is to marinate it for a few hours before you cook it. This marinade is easy to whip up – 4 simple ingredients – toss the steaks and the marinade in a Ziploc bag, and let it soak in the refrigerator for a few hours. Take the steaks out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you’re ready to put them on the grill. Then take them right out of the marinade and drop them on your hot grill.
Grilling hot and fast is the key here… but not too long. Hanger steaks are best served rare (internal temperature 130-135 degrees F) or medium-rare (140-145 degrees F). You can go all the way up to medium (155-160 degrees F), but don’t cook it any longer than that. Cooking a hanger steak too long will leave it dry and tough, like leather. You can’t salvage it from there, no matter what you do. If you aren’t sure how to get the perfectly cooked steak, check out these tips.
Take the steak off the grill, and let it rest for a few minutes loosely covered with aluminum foil. Then slice it thinly against the grain, and enjoy! It’s good hot off the grill, or serve it cold over a salad. The leftovers even reheat wonderfully for tomorrow’s lunch.
The steak has so much flavor, you’ll want to serve it with a side dish that has a little less punch. Try this Easy Marinated Hanger Steak with Classic Homemade Macaroni & Cheese, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or this Green Tomato Pasta Salad.
Enjoy!
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Printable Recipe Card for Easy Marinated Hanger Steak
- 1.5-2 pounds hanger steak, trimmed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Combine olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Place steaks in a large Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over steaks. Seal bag, getting as much air out as possible. Gently massage the bag to distribute the marinade.
- Marinate steaks in the refrigerator for 6 hours (up to overnight).
- Preheat grill to high.
- Grill steaks over high heat, for 3-7 minutes per side, turning once. (Time will depend on the thickness of the steak, and how done you prefer your steak. Check out these tips to get the perfect steak, every time.)
- Hanger steaks should be cooked to rare (130-135 degrees F), medium-rare (140-145 degrees F), or medium (155-160 degrees F). Do not cook past medium, or the steaks will become very dry and chewy.
- Let steak rest, loosely covered, for 3-5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
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I do not have a grill. Can I do marinated hangar steak in the oven?
I haven’t tried cooking a hangar steak in the oven. My friend at Beyer Beware has some tips for cooking a steak on the stove, you can check those out here: https://www.beyerbeware.net/2017/01/how-to-make-a-steak-on-the-stove.html