The hanger steak is a unique cut that features the rich beefy flavor of higher tier cuts like the ribeye and New York at a better price point. It cooks up beautifully when seared on a hot grill or skillet and is fantastic for steak frites, carne asada or simply served on its own. Each package contains two hanger steaks.
The American Wagyu hanger steak is a coarse-grained cut that’s rich with beefy flavor. Called the onglet in French bistros, it’s also known as hanging tender, pillar, hanger and hanging tenderloin pillar. Of all the “butcher’s cuts” the hanger steak is the most difficult to find. The hanger is high in value since it has the richness of more famous steaks, like the ribeye and NY strip, but isn’t in the same price category.
There is just one hanging tender per animal, which explains why it’s less common. We trim our hanger steaks of excess connective fibers and silver skin, leaving two pieces or columns. Each Snake River Farms package contains these two pieces, both ready for the skillet or grill. The distinctive grain holds any seasoning or marinade well. To achieve the most tender bite, it’s important to cut against the large grain. This is a steak that loves high, dry heat for a nice sear and to maintain tenderness. We recommend cooking to an internal temp of 125 to 130.
Beef Grading 101
This steak is American Wagyu Black Grade, rated 6 to 8 on the Japanese Beef Marbling Score (BMS)
Beef sold in the U.S. is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are eight total grades and the top grade is USDA Prime.
All Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef grades above Prime. Special breeds of cattle like Japanese Wagyu are capable of producing marbling beyond their American counterparts. To grade this high level of marbling, we adopted the Japanese Beef Marbling Score.
Using BMS, beef marbling is measured on a scale from 1 to 12, with a 1 being Select beef and a 12 being the highest level of marbling possible.
BMS 4 to 5 USDA Prime
BMS 6 to 8 SRF Black Grade
BMS 9+ SRF Gold Grade
Meatology
The hanger steak, or hanging tender, is a soft, grainy-textured elliptical shaped muscle that is attached to the diaphragm and the juncture of the lumbar/thoracic vertebrae. This steak gets its name because it literally hangs from the kidney just below the tenderloin on the inside of the left of the hindquarters and attaches to the last rib.
The hanging tender is identified as NAMP 140 and is sometimes referred to as the “pillar of the diaphragm” and is made up of two smaller muscles, joined by a membrane that together work to keep the diaphragm in place.
Fast fact: There is only one hanging tender per carcass, which is one of the reasons it’s a cut that is not widely available.
