What Is Hanger Steak: A Guide for Curious Cooks
What Is Hanger Steak: A Guide for Curious Cooks
This website is independent and not affiliated with Miller & Carter. It is a steak cut guide for home cooks in the United Kingdom.
Hanger steak is a tender, intensely beefy cut that hangs from the diaphragm of the cow, between the ribs and the loin. There is only one hanger steak per animal, which is why butchers used to keep it for themselves and why it is sometimes called the butcher’s steak. In France it is a bistro favourite known as onglet. It is thicker and more tender than skirt steak, with a deep flavour that stands up to bold marinades and sauces.
Where Hanger Steak Comes From
The name tells you exactly where it comes from: the muscle hangs from the underside of the diaphragm, in the plate primal below the ribs. It is a V shaped muscle with a tough membrane running down the centre. That membrane is inedible and needs to be trimmed out before or after cooking, which splits the steak into two long, tender strips.
Because the muscle does very little work, the meat is surprisingly tender for such a flavoursome cut, and it carries good marbling. There is genuinely only one per cow, so you will rarely see it in supermarkets. In the UK it is still less common than in the US, and your best bet is a good butcher or a specialist online meat seller. It is sometimes labelled as hanging tender or onglet.
What Hanger Steak Tastes Like
Hanger steak has a deep, rich, beefy flavour, slightly mineral and more intense than a standard sirloin. Several butchery guides describe it as having an almost organ like depth of flavour, which sounds odd but is a compliment: it tastes more of beef than most cuts. It is more tender than flank or skirt steak, with a coarse grain that takes on salt, pepper, marinades and sauces very well. Steak frites with a hanger steak is a French bistro classic for a reason.
Hanger Steak vs Skirt Steak
These two are often mixed up because both come from the same region of the cow, but they are quite different cuts:
| Point of comparison | Hanger steak | Skirt steak |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Single muscle hanging from the diaphragm | Diaphragm itself, or the plate muscle below it |
| Yield per animal | One | Two (inside and outside skirt) |
| Shape | Thick and V shaped | Long and thin |
| Tenderness | Very tender when cooked to medium rare | Less tender; relies on thin slicing |
| Classic use | Steak frites, chimichurri steak | Fajitas, carne asada |
Our guide to skirt steak goes deeper on the thinner cut (note: this page is published alongside this one and the link will resolve once both are live).
How to Trim, Cook and Slice Hanger Steak
Hanger steak rewards a simple, confident method. Here is the approach most butchery guides recommend:
- Trim the central sinew. Run a sharp knife along the tough membrane down the centre and remove it, separating the steak into two clean strips. Your butcher may have done this already.
- Bring it to room temperature. Take the steak out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before cooking so it cooks evenly.
- Season simply. Salt and pepper are enough, though it takes a marinade well if you have time. Avoid sugary marinades, which burn over high heat.
- Sear hot and fast. Cook over high direct heat for 2 to 4 minutes per side, and pull the steak at medium rare, around 52°C to 57°C. Our guide to grilling steak covers the method in detail (note: this page goes live on 16 October 2026 and the link will resolve then).
- Rest, then slice against the grain. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes and cut thin strips across the coarse grain. This is the step that makes all the difference with this cut.
Do not cook hanger steak past medium. Like other lean, hard working cuts, it turns tough and dry when well done. If a steak goes chewy in the pan, our rump steak cooking guide explains how resting and slicing fix the texture for similar cuts.
Where to Buy Hanger Steak in the UK
Expect to hunt a little. High street supermarkets rarely stock it because of the single cut per animal, but many independent butchers will order one in if you ask. Specialist online butchers are another reliable option. When you buy it, ask whether the central sinew has been removed; if it has, you are paying for fully usable meat and the steak will cook faster.
FAQs
Why is hanger steak called the butcher’s steak?
Because there is only one per animal and it is too tasty to waste, butchers traditionally kept it for themselves rather than putting it on sale.
Is hanger steak the same as onglet?
Yes. Onglet is simply the French name for hanger steak, and it is the classic steak frites cut in French bistros.
Can you cook hanger steak well done?
It is not recommended. The cut turns tough and loses its juiciness past medium, so cook it to medium rare for the best result.
Is hanger steak on the Miller and Carter menu?
We could not find hanger steak on the published Miller & Carter menus, which focus on rump, sirloin, ribeye and fillet. If you fancy trying it at a restaurant, our Miller and Carter main menu guide shows the cuts they do serve, or ask your local branch.
Cut guidance checked against published butchery guides on 13 October 2026. Availability and naming vary by butcher. This website is independent and not affiliated with Miller & Carter.
