This recipe has just six ingredients, but two of them are not readily available. Not only that, but chances are you’ll have to go to two different stores to find them. Plus, the meat should be marinated for four hours, which pretty much rules out making it for a weeknight, after-work meal.
No matter. It’s worth the trouble.
The key flavor in the marinade is mushroom soy sauce. The dark, smoky-flavored soy sauce contains molasses and the essence of straw mushrooms. It’s one of the two hard-to-find ingredients; once you find it, though – it’s available in Asian specialty stores – it’s pretty inexpensive and it can also be used as a condiment in other dishes.
The other ingredient that can be difficult to find is hanger steak.
Also known as onglet@ in France, where it is popular, it comes from the part of the cow’s diaphragm that hangs between the last rib and the loin. Like skirt steak, which typically is used in beef fajitas and may be substituted for it in the following recipe, hanger steak is streaked with fat and has an intense flavor. Not for nothing is it also known as butcher’s steak – it’s the cut butchers take home with them.
Hanger, however, is not considered a tender cut of meat. That’s where the marinade comes in. The melding of the mushroom soy sauce, grated garlic, black pepper, sugar and just a touch of oil transforms the steak into a tender, delicious, memorable meal.
Garlic-Pepper Marinated Hanger Steak
6 to 8 servings
Hanger steak is best served medium-rare; overcooked, it becomes tough. Serve with jasmine rice and stir-fried vegetables. Adapted from “The Asian Grill,” by Corinne Trang (Chronicle Books, 2006).
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the garlic, pepper and oil, stirring to combine.
Place the hanger steaks in a resealable plastic food storage bag and pour the soy sauce mixture over them. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag, shaking it to coat the pieces evenly. Refrigerate for 4 hours, turning the bag periodically to redistribute the marinade.
When ready to cook, prepare the grill. If using a gas grill, preheat the grill to high (500 degrees). If using a charcoal grill, start the charcoal or wood briquettes. When the briquettes are ready, distribute them evenly under the cooking area for direct heat. Oil the grate. Remove the steaks from the marinade (discard) and grill, turning frequently to prevent burning, until crisp and medium-rare, 6 to 8 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve immediately.
Per serving (based on 8): 238 calories, 27g protein, 3g carbohydrates, 12g fat, 73mg cholesterol, 4g saturated fat, 339mg sodium, 0g dietary fiber
