Grilled Hanger Steak Recipe with Red Wine Reduction Sauce
Apr 29, 2024, Updated Nov 20, 2024
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Learn the Best Way to Grill a Hanger Steak and finish it with a decadent red wine reduction sauce. Hanger Steaks are an affordable alternative to more expensive cuts of meat and are full of incredible flavor. Find out how to perfectly cook a hanger steak on the grill.
Hanger Steaks are a go-to around our house. They’re easy to cook, super tender, take well to marinades, and are substantial enough to feed the family. They also grill in less than 15 minutes. What’s not to love about this amazing cut?!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Hanger Steak – Plan 1 pound of hanger steak for every two people. It should require very little trimming, if any.
- Seasoning – We use a simple blend of kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal) and black pepper. You can also use our beef rub which has more herbal elements, make one of our other seasonings, or use your favorite store-bought rub.
- Shallots – We like shallots as the base to any red wine sauce for the sweeter and less pungent flavor that an onion brings.
- Herbs – We love using fresh rosemary for steak. If using dried rosemary use half the portions.
- Red Wine – We prefer a bigger tannic and dry wine like cabernet sauvignon. Use only what you would drink. Do not use anything labeled “cooking wine”.
- Balsamic Vinegar – The balsamic adds both sweet and acidic flavors to the red wine sauce.
- Butter – Finishing any red wine pan sauce with unsalted butter adds a rich flavor and a thicker texture. Or you can make a compound butter and let it melt over the steak as it rests.
Preparation
If there is any silver skin you can trim off with a sharp filet knife.
Liberally season the hanger steak with salt and pepper. You don’t need to let the steak come to room temperature. It doesn’t materially change the grilling time. Just be sure the grill is hot.
If you want to modify this recipe you can also add a marinade, but it’s not necessary with the pan sauce.
Red Wine Reduction Sauce
We recommend making the red wine reduction sauce before grilling the hanger steak or while the grill is heating up so it has a chance to thicken and cool slightly after reducing.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat add olive oil and shallots and let soften, about 5 – 6 minutes.
- Add the wine, balsamic, and rosemary and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce reduces by half, then turn off the heat and add in a tablespoon of butter to finish it off.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. We typically start with 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.
It will thicken slightly as it cools. Pour over your steaks and enjoy!
How to Grill a Hanger Steak
- Set up your grill for direct grilling using lump charcoal. Target the grill temperature at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place your seasoned hanger steak on the grill grates over direct heat for 6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature of the hanger steak reaches 122 – 127 degrees F with a digital thermometer (flipping occasionally). This can take longer or shorter depending on the level of heat your charcoal is putting off. Typically it takes no longer than 12-15 minutes total if the grill is hot enough.
- If you are getting a lot of flare ups, move the meat around the grill while searing, close the lid and then pull at your desired internal temperature. We like the 122-127 range for medium rare.
- Remove from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes to allow carry over cooking to occur.
Key Tip
Once the steaks have come to temperature remove them from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes. This accounts for carry over cooking, which is an important step to consider and why we recommend using a good digital instant read thermometer.
Beef Temperature Ranges
Be sure to take into consideration the carry-over cooking that happens while the steak rests. For steaks remove them 5 degrees lower than your desired temperature. For roasts remove them 10 degrees lower. The steak’s internal temperature will rise as it rests.
| Black and Blue | 100 – 120° Fahrenheit (F) | 37 – 48° Celsius (C) |
| Rare | 120 – 130° F | 48 – 54° C |
| Medium Rare | 130 – 140° F | 54 – 60° C |
| Medium | 140 – 150° F | 60 – 65° C |
| Medium Well (not recommended) | 150 – 160° F | 65 – 71° C |
| Well Done (not recommended) | 160 – 170° F | 71 – 76° C |
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Wine Pairing for Hanger Steak
This is an incredibly tender cut of beef and works well with a variety of red wines. The red wine reduction sauce adds richness and flavor to the overall dish and definitely should be considered too when selecting your wine.
First and foremost let’s stick with red for this, and a hearty red will do nicely with the grilled meat and rich sauce. Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is one of my favorites for this dish as they’re not overly tannic and have great rich fruit content. Other good contenders are Merlot and Malbec.
Frequently Asked Questions
A hanger steak comes from the section right under the rib primal with a higher fat content. It also comes from the same place as the Skirt Steak (which is a thin, flavorful cut that takes well to marinades and best grilled at a high heat). It’s called a Hanger Steak because it literally hangs off the cow’s diaphragm, hence its name.
This cut is also known as a “butcher’s steak” because consumers didn’t know about it and butcher’s kept it a secret and enjoyed it for themselves (smart butchers).
No hanger steak is not the same as teres major, which comes from the chuck roast.
Hanger is such a smaller cut it does not benefit from reverse searing (or smoking and searing), as you will run the risk of overcooking. We recommend grilling directly over a hot flame or pan searing in a hot pan with butter.
Side Ideas With Hanger Steak
Explore any of our side recipes or from some of our favorites.
- Grilled Asparagus with Hollandaise
- Roasted Crispy Potatoes
- Grilled Broccolini
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Grilled Hanger Steak with Red Wine Reduction Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Hanger Steak
- 2 pounds hanger steak
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt, (We use Diamond Crystal)
- ½ tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
For the Red Wine Reduction Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup shallots, chopped
- ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 cup red wine (we used Cabernet Sauvignon)
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
For the Hanger Steak
- Preparation: Prepare the grill for direct/indirect cooking. Target 500 degrees F for the grill temperature as it reads in the dome thermometer. While the grill warms, season the steak. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper liberally. This can also be done the day before.
- Grill Direct: Lay Hanger steak over direct heat on grill grates for approximately 5-6 minutes and then flip over using tongs. Cook other side for another 5-6 minutes until the internal temperature of the meat is around 122-126 degrees F. Size and thickness of the steak may adjust cooking time. If flare-ups occur, move the meat to a different part of the grill grate.
- Rest: Remove from grill and let sit for 10 minutes to let the juices settle and for carry over cooking to occur and then cut against the grain. Pour sauce over steak for flavor.
Red Wine Reduction Sauce
- Reduce: Add olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat and add shallots, cook for up to 5 minutes. Then add the remainder of the reduction sauce ingredients (EXCEPT butter), and bring to a simmer. Let reduce to half (approx 10 minutes) and then remove from heat.
- Season: Immediately finish the sauce with butter, stirring, and when melted, strain to remove the shallot and rosemary pieces. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve over slices of the hanger steak.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I started by giving my pork chops some love with a rubdown of smoky coriander, ground mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Don’t skip this step, because you really want to season those chops, to give them plenty of flavor.
I prefer to use bone-in pork chops as they tend to cook more evenly and dry out less than the boneless variety.
Then, I made a tart cherry sauce by simmering some frozen cherries with a bit of balsamic vinegar, shallots and red wine. It’s the the perfect combination of tangy, rich and sweet.
Oh my, this steak looks delicious! Definitely going to have to give this a try on the grill soon!
Wow. This looks so tasty. Especially that red wine sauce. Mmmmmmm!!!! Pinned it! Thank you!
This grilled hanger steak looks SO yummy – I can’t wait to try that red wine sauce!
This literally made my mouth water as I was reading it! I need to try hanger steak more! Nothing is better than a great steak with red wine reduction 🙂
This looks so juicy and delicious, especially the red wine sauce!
My dad is such a steak guy, and I have no idea about anything red meat, but I *do* know he loves a good hanger steak. Great post!
Now this looks absolutely amazing. I’ve never tried to cook a hanger steak at home. Thanks for the inspiration.
I think my husband will love this recipe! Pinning now!
This looks amazing! I am definitely going to try hanger steak once it stops snowing in the Midwest!
Don’t let that snow stop you from getting your grill on 😉
Ok, I suppose you can wait a few more weeks!!