Chimichurri Hanger Steak Recipe

One of the most flavorful steaks you can enjoy is a beef hanger steak, and this chimichurri hanger steak recipe is one of the most delicious ways to prepare this hard-to-find cut of meat!

This is not a familiar recipe, but it’s super yummy, and if you share it with friends and family, they’ll soon be requesting your “famous chimichurri hanger steak” each time they come over. We promise.

There are a few unique points about making a chimichurri hanger steak – like how to cut the steak, how to grill the steak, and what to put in the sauce – so we’re answering those questions below. If you just want to get cooking, scroll down to the ingredients!

What is a hanger steak?

A raw beef hanger steak.

A beef hanger steak is a flavorful and tender cut of meat that comes from near the belly of a beef animal. This unique cut gets its name because it “hangs” from the diaphragm of the cow and is also sometimes known as a “butcher’s steak,” a “bistro steak,” or even an “onglet” if you want to sound fancy.

Hanger steak has a robust, beefy flavor with a distinct grain and a slight chewiness. They are generally v-shaped and have a long, indelible membrane of fat running down the middle that you’ll want to trim away before eating.

While it may be less well-known than popular cuts like ribeye, hanger steak’s exceptional taste makes it a hidden gem for beef lovers to enjoy!

How do I slice this chimichurri hanger steak?

This is a bit of an odd steak, so here are our tips on slicing your hanger steak to ensure you get the most tender bites possible!

1. Locate the membrane in the middle and cut on either side of that, separating the steak into two pieces. If you see more membrane on the inside of the steak, cut that out as well. Discard the membrane.
2. Determine which way the grain of the steak is running – it should be running perpendicular to the length of the hanger steak.
3. First, cut the steak with the grain into short sections, about 3 sections for the entire steak.
4. Next, rotate the steak so that you are cutting across the grain and slice it into thin strips for serving.

Following this technique and adding the sauce on top means your chimichurri hanger steak will be texturally and flavorfully (is that a word?) amazing!

Where do I buy hanger steaks?

Hanger steaks are hard to find; there is no denying that. Generally, you will need to go to a butcher shop that harvests beef animals to get one of these steaks, as they must be taken off animals that have been recently harvested before they dry out.

At Lake Geneva Country Meats, we still harvest beef almost every Tuesday. If you call and give us a week’s notice, we can generally get you hanger steak to enjoy at home!

Why does this chimichurri hanger steak recipe taste good?

Hanger steak has a deep, rich, beefy flavor. It’s intense; that’s the best way I can describe it. Adding a vibrant chimichurri sauce on top brings fresh herb and zingy vinegar flavors to the richness of the beef.

The bold sauce matches perfectly with the beef and will make you feel like you’re enjoying something a little exotic, even though making this meal is so easy!

How do I cook this chimichurri hanger steak?

We are grilling this steak using a two-zone grilling setup. You can use a two-zone method on both gas or charcoal grills, but the basic ideas is to have one side of your grill with direct heat, and one side with indirect heat.

If you’re using a gas grill, turn on the burners only on one side of the grill. The lit burner side is your direct heat side, and the unlit burner side is your indirect heat side.

If you’re using a charcoal grill, pile all of your coals on one side of the grill. The hot coal side is your direct heat side, and the no coal side is your indirect heat side.

You could also pan sear, smoke, or sous vide cook then sear your hanger steak for this recipe, but we think a bit of grill flavor makes the chimichurri hanger steak flavor even better!

What is chimichurri sauce?

Now that we talked about hanger steaks, let’s talk about the chimichurri sauce portion of our chimichurri hanger steak recipe!

Chimichurri sauce is a vibrant and flavorful condiment originating from Argentina and Uruguay. It is typically used as a marinade or sauce for grilled meats, particularly steak. In fact, we have many recipes that use chimichurri for you to discover!

The base ingredients of chimichurri include fresh parsley, garlic, vinegar (usually red wine vinegar), olive oil, and red pepper flakes. These ingredients are combined and finely chopped or blended to create a bright green sauce with a tangy, herbaceous, and slightly spicy taste.

You can customize your sauce with additional ingredients, and the chimichurri sauce in this recipe is my personal version of chimichurri, so it does include cilantro, red onion, lemon juice, and some oregano flakes. Feel free to tweak the sauce to your own taste!

What do serve with this chimichurri hanger steak?

This chimichurri hanger steak is coming hot off the grill and would be great with a multitude of side dishes. Here are some ideas:

1. Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Chimichurri Sauce – we love this recipe from Cooking on the Ranch for the way it rounds out the Argentinian feel of the chimichurri hanger steak recipe. Just be sure to make extra sauce!
2. Grilled vegetables – grille vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, or zucchini drizzled in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper would also be terrific with this recipe.
3. Mixed green salad – balance off the richness of this chimichurri hanger steak with a crisp and light mixed green salad!
4. Freshly baked bread or rolls – you’re going to get some hanger steak juices and leftover chimichurri on your plate. Having freshly baked bread to sop that all up is an excellent idea!

Do you have other hanger steak recipes?

We sure do! We especially love making tacos with hanger steaks, so here is our Hanger Steak Taco recipe!

Now, onwards to the ingredients and directions! We hope we answered all of the questions you may have about this chimichurri hanger steak, but if you have feedback, or more questions, just drop us a note below, and we’ll be sure to help.