Here is a great appetizer to whet Dad’s appetite this Father’s Day. Perfectly cooked mid-rare hanger steak on a crostini slathered with soft goat cheese and topped with a tangy herbaceous chimichurri sauce. Of course you could always forego the appetizer route and slice up some of this teak, often referred to as “the butcher’s filet mignon” and serve it with the chimichurri and a hearty pile of goat cheese mashed potatoes!
Hanger steak is by far one of my favorite cuts of meat as I tell you in a post aptly titled Hanger Steak Is Awesome. This particular steak is so tender and big on beefy flavor, plus it’s loose grain makes it ideally suited to marinades. A so easy! Just remove the meat the marinade, salt it and let it sit at room temp to take the chill off. Then 5 minutes on each over a hot grill and you have the beautifully mid-rare steak you see pictured above. One word of caution if you are a person that likes his beef cooked past medium, this may not be the steak for you.
- For chimichurri:
- 2 cups chopped parsley
- ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
- ¼ red wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- -
- 1½ to 2 pounds hanger steak trimmed and separated
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- -
- For serving on crostini (optional):
- 1 baguette, sliced diagonally ¼ inch thick
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces goat cheese, softened
- For the chimichurri: Place parsley, oregano, garlic, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the motor running, add oil in a steady stream. Measure out ¾ cup of sauce and transfer the remaining sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 day to allow the flavors to meld. (The chimichurri will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
- For the crostini: Lightly brush both sides of the baguette slices and toast on grill over medium high heat until toasty golden on both sides. (You can do this ahead of time and store in an air-tight container until ready to serve.)
- For the steak: Place the hanger steaks in a large ziptop bag and pour in the remaining chimichurri. Massage to make sure everything is coated and place in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 6 hours).
- Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt and pepper the let come to room temperature for about 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat grill to high. Brush and oil grates before cooking. Lay steaks on the grill at a 45° angle to the grates and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flip and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more for medium-rare. Hanger steak is at it’s best when cooked medium-rare to medium. Use a digital thermometer and pull it somewhere between 125°F and 130°F. Remove and let rest 10 minutes tented with aluminum foil before slicing across the grain of the meat.
- For serving: Slice steaks across the grain of the meat right before building appetizers. Spread crostini with softened goat cheese. Top with a slice of hanger steak and a small spoonful of chimichurri.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~Jeff
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