A hanger steak is a specific cut of beef located below the cow or bull’s diaphragm. It usually encompasses part of the diaphragm, and is a thick slightly curved strip of muscle. It tends to be fairly lean, though this varies on the fatness of the cow. The steak is becoming an increasingly popular cut of meat and derives its name from the way the meat “hangs” off the cow.

Hanger steak, like skirt steak, is often used in dishes that require thin strips of meat. It’s particular popular in dishes like fajitas, which usually include marinated, thin strips of meat. You might also find it in Chinese restaurants in dishes like Broccoli or Mongolian Beef.

Though a hanger steak can impart a great deal of flavor, it can be notoriously tough when improperly cooked. It really needs to be marinated in order to break down some of the proteins and tenderize the meat. You should consider marinades with high acid, like vinegar or lemon juice, and plan to marinate the hanger steak overnight to get the tenderest servings. When you buy a whole steak, you can cook it very much like you would prepare a London broil or a tri-tip. Serve the steak in thin slices after it has been cooked.

Not everyone is a fan of hanger steak, and they’re not always easy to find, since there’s only one steak, that weighs no more than 2 pounds (.91 kg) on each beef animal. It sometimes used to be called "butcher’s steak" since butchers frequently reserved this cut of meat to feed their own families. It does have a faint liver taste, which may not please all diners, particularly if they are not fond of liver. Since it’s a fairly small and rare cut of meat, you also may pay more for it. Unlike other parts of beef that are in large supply and require marinating, you’ll pay more per pound, and it may be difficult to find enough to feed a large gathering of people unless you pre-order several steaks.

There are a couple of different names for hanger steak. You may see it sold as a "hanging tender" or a "bistro cut." It’s not been a well-known steak in the US until just recently, so other names may emerge, if popularity remains high. Typically, you shouldn’t purchase hanger steak if you like your beef well done, since this cut of meat will only remain tender if you cook it to rare or medium rare at most.