SEARED HANGER STEAK WITH CHARRED SCALLION SALSA
There was a time not that long ago when you’d walk into certain butcher shops, ask for a hanger steak, and get a quizzical look. Perhaps that’s because, for some time, the secondary cut was also known as a “Hanging Tender,” hailing from inside the ribcage (in fact, it’s part of the diaphragm), as well as “the Butcher’s Steak,” with those cunning meatmongers often keeping this deeply flavorful, textured specimen for themselves. “But the gig is up,” says Texas chef Jess Pryles, who shares her pan-seared version with us, featuring wagyu, no less, and a bright salsa to boot.
Serves two.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 full-blood wagyu hanger steak
- 1 bunch scallion, roots removed
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped
- 2 Tbsps. mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tsps. agave nectar
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
METHOD
Place a cast-iron skillet on your stovetop over high heat. Pat the hanger steak dry with a paper towel, cutting into more manageable sections if necessary. Season the pieces well on both sides with kosher salt. Place the steaks into the pan and cook, flipping every minute for about 5-7 minutes total, or until the internal temperature reads 135 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer. Remove steaks from the pan, then rest under foil. Lay the scallions into the pan with the rendered wagyu fat, and char for a minute or two on each side until they soften and blister. Remove the scallions from the pan, roughly chop, then place in a bowl. Add the peanuts, olive oil, mint, agave, lime juice, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Taste, and add more salt if needed. Slice hanger steak against the grain, then place the pieces onto the serving plate. Drizzle with the charred scallion salsa and serve.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Jess Pryles.
SEAFOOD FRITTERS
The Eastern Shore of Virginia is, for all intents and purposes, clam country. In fact, the Old Dominion State has the largest clam fishery in the United States, hauling in hundreds of millions of both farm-raised and wild varieties, from little necks, cherrystones, and razors along the coastal peninsula’s Chesapeake Bay shorelines to quahogs off the banks of the Atlantic Ocean. And if you’re not eating them raw or roasted, there are few ways better to indulge than the local delicacy of a pan-fried fritter.
CHESAPEAKE OYSTER STUFFING
A round of oysters is always cause for celebration, and this time of year on the Chesapeake Bay, that shows up in the form of oyster stuffing. Whether stuffed into a bird or cooked in a cast-iron pan, it’s a time-honored tradition during the holiday season. Or, as Harris’s book reports The Baltimore Sun putting it in 1914, “Inside the oyster belt at Thanksgiving time, it is nothing short of heresy to fail to serve turkey with good old-fashioned oyster stuffing.” Throw it into a Joan and consider it tradition.
SEARED HANGER STEAK WITH CHARRED SCALLION SALSA
There was a time not that long ago when you’d walk into certain butcher shops, ask for a hanger steak, and get a quizzical look. Perhaps that’s because, for some time, the secondary cut was also known as a “Hanging Tender,” hailing from inside the ribcage (in fact, it’s part of the diaphragm), as well as “the Butcher’s Steak,” with those cunning meatmongers often keeping this deeply flavorful, textured specimen for themselves. “But the gig is up,” says Pryles, who shares her pan-cooked version with us, featuring wagyu, no less, and a bright salsa to boot.
Shop All Cookware
Got this recipe from a friend? Sign up below so you never miss a recipe.
