Roasting hanging tender

[mtigges]

Due to a local chef, I generated a sufficient interest to go out and find a hanging tender to cook for myself. The first day we had steak. I cut two 1 inch thick steaks, trimmed, marinated, grilled and we enjoyed. I should have trimmed a bit more though. But great beef flavour. The second go round, I braised two steaks. Two hours, since it doesn't seem to have quite as much connective tissue as other traditionally braised cuts. VERY delicious. It may just be my new favourite braising cut. Short ribs are great, but I have a hard time not enjoying all their fat, and I feel a bit gross after a meal of braised short ribs.

So, the next try I thought I would roast. First off, is this a bad idea? I thought about searing over really high heat, all over, then into a 290 deg oven until med/med-rare. Does hanging tender hold up to roasting? I was looking for some advice, since I will be mightily dissappointed (given how great I know it is when braised) if it turns out poorly.

Thanks.

Mark.

[Mallet]

I think it's generally safe to say that things good for braising aren't the best choices for roasting. For hanging tender, I'd stick to either steaks (cooked fast it stays relatively) or braises (nice and slow, to melt the connective tissue).

[mtigges]

I think it's generally safe to say that things good for braising aren't the best choices for roasting.

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But isn't also generally true that cuts good as steaks are also good as roasted? But I have to admit, I enjoyed the steaks braised more than grilled.

[peppyre]

Honestly, I can't think of ever eating hanger cooked beyond med-rare. Plus, it's not a very thick piece of meat, so the chances of it over-cooking are much higher. Whenever I have a whole hanger, I trim it, then cut it into 3rds. When I'm ready for it, I marinade it in some garlic, red wine, a little olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and pepper. Let it sit for however long I have then it gets grilled. That's it. I can see it being very good braised and I think this winter I will probably use if for a stew of some sort.

[Mallet]

The reason that the prime steaks are good for roasting is that they have a lot of internal marbling (and even then, they are best roasted to approximately the same internal temperature as their steak equivalents). Hanger steak, coming from the flank area, has very little marbling and so might not be the greatest for roasting. If you do choose to go that route though, I would suggest not cooking beyond medium-rare. It might actually make a pretty good roast provided it's not overcooked. Let us know how it works out!

edited: peppyre beat me to it

Edited July 28, 2005 by Mallet (log)

[ejebud]

  Whenever I have a whole hanger, I trim it, then cut it into 3rds. 

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Great timing!! I have what I believe to be a whole Hanger in that I usually see them butterflied; this one is not. when you say you cut it into thirds, is that lengthwise like a skirt steak, or widthwise like mini filets?

PS. Kosher salt + Fresh ground Black Pepper+ high heat on the grill= good eats

[BarbaraY]

I have prepared these by marinating in a spicy soy marinade and then charbroiling to medium rare. They have a nice beefy flavor that I really like.

[budrichard]

If cooking the whole cut, sear on the grill and cook until an internal temp of about 100F and let REST at least 15 minutes to get a nice rare. If cooked to medium rare, by the time you get it to the table and slice you will have an over done cut of meat. -Dick