A fun fact about cooking is exploring different tastes and experimenting with different ways of cooking. Steak is one of those foods with varieties, so you can choose the different options of your choice; one of these popular steaks is Hanger steak.
Hang steak is a juicy, tender, flavored beef cut that is mostly found in restaurants, most grocery stores don’t even sell in large quantities, so it’s kind of difficult to find. Apart from its scarcity, Hanger steak is also expensive and contains a high-fat content.
With the hurdles that come with hanger steak, many people tend to look for other options. So if you want to try a new steak because of taste or you want to minimize your fat intake, you might even want to go for steaks with cheaper prices, and if it is solely because it is hard to find, stick around as we show you some of the best substitutes.
Hanger Steak
Hanger steak, also known as Butcher’s Steak, is a tasty and Delicious food gotten from the cow’s diaphragm along with the plate or lower body. This part of the cow does a little work, Making it packed with a lot of beef flavor and very tender. This steak contains full-fat beef content and can be made in different ways.
While some people prefer to marinate the steak, it’s actually unnecessary as it is already tendered and does not require much energy to prepare. There are two different ways to prepare your hanger steak: grilling and pan searing.
When grilling hanger steak, stay about 3 to 4 minutes on each side and make sure you put the steak at the hottest part of the grill but be sure it is not consumed by fire. If you are pan-searing your hanger steak, you’d need a cast-iron skillet. With preheated oil in the skillet, allow the steak to cook for about 3-4 minutes in each part, always allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking.
Hanger steak is best cooked at an internal temperature of 145°F. You can enjoy your hanger steak with salad or any sauce of your choice; remember not to slice any steak with the grains. Hanger steak is a good source of vitamin B12, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc; it also contains protein, fat, and calories.
Hanger Steak Substitutes
Shoulder Steak
Just as its name implies, shoulder steak is a part of the shoulder clod that is not really used by the animal as the other part of the shoulder. Shoulder steak has a strong flavor and meaty texture.
Like hanger steak, shoulder steak is juicy, delicate, and rich in fat. Shoulder steak can be used in different recipe options, and it is a bit coarse and tender in texture but doesn’t have that “melt in your mouth” kind of feeling.
Shoulder steak is best used in slow -cook recipes with stir-fries and diced beef. It is an excellent cut to cook whole in a stew or casserole as it holds together well with its interconnectivity tissues making it a nice choice for stew and saucy dishes.
Shoulder steak is readily available in grocery stores, and it is not as scarce or expensive as hanger steak, making it the best option for people who want something cheaper. Shoulder steak can either be grilled or smoked; either way, it should be cooked for 3-4 minutes on each side and allowed to rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking.
Shoulder steak is a good source of niacin, vitamin B6 and B12, zinc, selenium, iron, riboflavin, phosphorus, and choline. And it also contains calories, saturated fat, sodium, and protein.
Flank Steak
Flank steak is gotten from the lower chest area and abdominal muscles of the cow, and it is the best option for you if you are bothered about your fat intake as it is very lean. It takes a while to marinade, making sure it marinades well; it is one of the healthiest beef cuts.
Flank steak is very easy to work with; it is simple to cook and delicious. Flank steak contains only a few calories and more protein than other steaks. Even though it is tough, it is tasty and tender when prepared properly. Flank steak can also be gotten easily in grocery stores.
Because of its low-fat content, flank steak does not need trimming. It is either cooked. You either cook it hot and fast or long and slow by braising. You need to cut it into lines to break down the connective tissues. Fast grilling makes it tender while braising gives it a great flavor. Remember to allow it to rest at least 5 minutes after cooking.
Skirt Steak
This steak is similar to hanger steak with the same beefy flavor and rich grain, and it is gotten from cow’s diaphragm muscle; it is a fibrous cut that separates the abdomen from the chest, skirt’s grain runs across the meat’s width. There are two parts in skirts steak: the outside skirt and the inside skirt.
The outside skirt has a finer grain and is more tender in texture, while the inside is tougher and coarse. You can decide on the one you want, but I think the former is much better. Skirt steaks are best when marinated, grilled, or pan-fried, or cook a skirt steak in a cast-iron skillet. Under no circumstances should skirt steak be cooked past medium-rare; it will be way too tough.
Skirt steak contains saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, and protein, and it’s also a good source of cobalamin, iron, vitamin B6, and magnesium.
Always slice steaks against the grains; this slicing mistake is very common when preparing steaks. Not slicing against the grains makes the steak tough and stringy. And do not forget to allow all steaks to rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I preserve cooked steak?
Since way back, freezing has been a way of preservation and can also be used to preserve your steak. As much as steak is not a common leftover, you don’t need to waste it in case you make too much, so freezing is the best option.
Is flat iron steak the same as hanger steak?
Flat iron steak is known by many names, like flank steak, hanger steak, or skirt steak, but those are actually separate cuts of beef.
What is the difference between hanger steak and skirt steak?
Even though they both come from the same part of the cow, Hanger steaks are thicker than skirt steaks, while skirt steaks are thinner and longer than hanger steaks.
Is hanger steak lean?
Hanger steaks contain quite an amount of fat, so they can never be lean.
Conclusion
There might be a reason or reasons you want to try a different steak that is not hanger steak, either because of fat content or because it’s not readily available, but you still want something that can still give you that nice delicious taste. These Substitutes will be your best option to choose from.