We adore this cut of beef but it’s not always easy to get in Irish butchers. Talk to your butcher in advance and tell them you want a piece of onglet or hanger steak – they should be able to order it for you, and it’s much cheaper than some other cuts.
We cut this across the grain and it’s meltingly tender so you can be brave and serve “blue” like we did here, but it also works well at your choice of doneness if you prefer.
Wine Suggestion: we think this combination of meltingly tender beef and the buttery shallots in red wine goes with Rhône reds – Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre et al; either as a blend or Syrah alone. Tonight we had one of those insider wines, a Côtes du Rhône labelled under Jean-Paul Daumen’s name. He’s the owner-winemaker at Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a superb domaine with an enviable reputation. The wines under his name are from a mix of vineyards from the estate and friends, all farmed organically and biodynamically by Jean-Paul and made with just as much care as his own domaine. The result … great value and a delicious pairing.
Hanger Steak with Shallots – L’onglet à l’échalote – serves 4
- 60g unsalted butter
- 800g onglet/hanger steak (you will probably get 2 long pieces)
- 250g shallot, finely sliced
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 bay leaf
- 125ml red wine
- 100ml beef stock
- watercress, to garnish
As soon as you get home from the butchers put your steak into a dish and sprinkle generously with salt. Then put in the fridge until you need it but take it out of the fridge about an hour before you want to cook it.
Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Add a knob of the butter and when it starts to melt add your steak. You might have to cook it in batches depending on the size of your pan. A rough guide is to cook for about 2 minutes on each side for very rare steak or longer if you prefer it more well done. This is dependent on the size of the steak, so you should do the finger test on the meat and go with gut feel. Put the steak onto a warm plate, cover with foil and keep warm while it rests.
Melt half of the remaining butter in the same frying pan and add the shallots, thyme and bay leaf. Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until softened. Add the red wine and the stock, turn the heat up to high and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Season with salt and lots of black pepper, throw away the herbs. Pour the meat juices from the resting plate into the sauce and whisk in the remaining butter to make a thick, glossy sauce.
Slice the steak across the grain into thick slices and serve on top of the shallots with some watercress on the side.
(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Secret France, BBC Books, 2019.)
To do the finger test for steak you compare the resistance of the cooking meat to pressing the ball of your palm with a finger from the other hand
- Blue: an open palm, relaxed
- Rare: thumb and your first, index finger touching
- Medium Rare: thumb and second finger
- Medium: thumb and third, ring finger
- Well Done: thumb and fourth, little finger
Jono & Jules do food & wine 