Hanger Steak is one of my favorite cuts of meat because of its deep, robust flavor.  The hanger steak is found in the diaphragm, attached to the last rib.  It is sometimes seen on menus as a “bistro steak” and was commonly referred to as “butchers steak” since butchers would take them home for dinner before the cut rose in prominence.

This hanger steak is a product of Snake River Farms from their Wagyu program.  Wagyu is a breed of cow that is genetically predispositioned to intense marbling and a high percentage of unsaturated fat.  This hanger steak was cooked sous vide at 136 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic, shallots and butter.  Hanger steak has a texture similar to flank steak and benefits from the long, slow cooking of the sous vide process.

The beef short rib was braised, then chilled and diced.  A ragout was prepared with the short rib, a reduction of the braising liquid, bacon and mirepoix.  The ragout was thickened lightly with agar.  The ragout was then chilled and then goat cheese and fresh rosemary was folded into it.  One of the beneficial properties of agar is that it has a relatively high melting point, 140 degrees Fahrenheit.  The chilled ragout was shaped into spheres then breaded and fried.  The spheres hold their shape long enough for a crust to form in the fryer, the agar releases when hot and the ragout pours out of the sphere once cracked on the plate.

This week I will be traveling to Amarillo, Texas to visit the home of Certified Angus Beef.  I’ve been using their product extensively for a couple years and I look forward to meeting the ranchers that are responsible for the product that I’ve been cooking and writing about so frequently.