Hanger Steak aka Onglet - Sourcing dilemma

[hajji]

Hi all,

First post to the boards. I lived in Manhattan for the better part of a decade, and am now a resident of Tampa, FL.

Using Fresh Direct, or going to the Grand Central Market, it was always easy to find a hanger steak ~$7/lb or so.

It's a great cut and I have always loved it.

The dilemma is that I cannot find it anywhere in Tampa. I have asked the owner of Harr's Surf & Turf, and he noted that he used to carry the cut years ago, but it never moved - so he doesn't get it anymore.

The cut is absent at Publix, Land and Sea, etc etc.

Has anybody had any luck getting fresh hanger steak from a butcher in Tampa?

[byrd]

Just one caveat => at $2.89/lb. at RD: it is "select" and not "choice" grade.

[scubadoo97]

Thanks for that tidbit. I usually don't buy select if I can help it

[Mild Bill]

I went to Restaurant Depot in Largo a couple days ago and saw Hanger Steaks there! Like $2.89 a pound...
The packages were like 8lbs and I didn't feel like dropping $25.00 at the moment, as much as I wanted to take them for a ride!

[scubadoo97]

Great price. It was the real thing?
Skirt and flap go for near $6/lb at Costco

I would love to go the RD in Largo but don't qualify for the entrance requirement

[Mild Bill]

Whether it was the real thing I don't know, but I'd assume so...
The sign above said 'Hanging Tenders' which, according to the internets is just another name for Hanger Steak... I can't wait to try it... I tagged along with a friend who has a membership.... When I go again I'll grab some and see what it's all about... They had 'inside' skirt, but no outside, which I prefer... What a Mecca! For all kinds of stuff... I need to wrangle a membership...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqn_m3...

[Mild Bill]

Whoa Whoa Whoa... Hangar steak is all over Tampa.... Ain't nobody call it that, is all....

It's massive popular in the Latin meat markets, under the name 'Churrasco'...

On Dale Mabry near Lambright, next to the Cox Seafood Market is a market called 'Churrasco'... It used to be called 'Las Casa del Churrasco'.... $4.49 a pound to $5.99...

Bravo Supermarket on Hillsborough a little west of Dale Mabry carries it...
El Grande Supermarket on Waters Ave and Hanley carries it... All for the same price...
Choo-RASS-coh...

[hajji]

Thank you so much Mild Bill - will check 'em out this weekend!

[CFishman]

For specialty meat, I highly recommend Master Purveyors. I bought 10lbs of Bavette and 10lbs of sweetbreads a while back. They vacuum sealed all of the steaks individually. Price and quality were both great..

[byrd]

Do they sell to the general public?

[CFishman]

They do sell to the public. http://www.masterpurveyorsfla.com/

[TampaPete]

Mild Bill,

You are in the neighborhood on the cut, Hanger steak/Skirt steak.
Some of the markets you mentioned do not make a distiction between the two.
The two cuts of meat are next to each other on the animal, but different, one day you get skirt the next hanger.

Just saying.
Pete

[Mild Bill]

The places I mentioned have Hanger in the counter right in front of you... They call it Churrasco... If your Spanish isn't that great all you have to do is look in the display and point... ;-) They rarely if ever have Skirt out of its package and on display next to the Churrasco... They'll know 'outside Skirt' as 'Entraña'... En-TRAHN-ya...

Often that'll be vac-packed, and you have to ask for it... Visually, there's a massive difference between Hanger and Skirt, especially 'outside' Skirt---- which 'is' Skirt as far as I'm concerned... Spectacular cut... A whole Churrasco is a big 'ol slab of meat, thicker at one end----- Skirt is thin and even, tapering a little at one end...
My point is that if you know what you're looking for, those places have it...

It's true tho, that 'Churassco', in Argentina, is a broad term.... If you say you're going to have some 'Churassco and a salad for lunch' you're saying you're simply going to toss a steak on the grill or a hot pan... You're not talking about a cut...

[Mild Bill]

All this talk got me! LOL...
Here is what I'm calling Churrasco / Hanger....
I'm sure about it being called Churrasco locally, but not 1000% sue it's what you might know as Hanger, since I've never seen Hanger sold in a gringo market...
The reason I added a ?? is because when I Googled Hanger, on Wiki, it said the cut runs around a pound and a half to two pounds, and this beast is closer to 4...
It's much thicker and heavier than any Skirt I've ever seen...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/...

[CFishman]

Yeah, I would have thought a hanger steak was thicker like in this picture.

Edit: Picture doesn't help. Here is the link: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/mea...

[Mild Bill]

Right.... Nevermind.... My humbled apology....

Churrasco is 'Bottom Sirloin Flap Meat'....

At least you got to look at some pretty meat pics!!

Tampa Pete ------ Fist-bump!
CFishman, thanks or the photo link....

Now, to ponder revenge on the person who told me it was Hanger...

[RibDog]

I was going to say it looked more like flap meat which is something sell alot for fajitas in Mexican meat shops.

[byrd]

http://www.eatmedaily.com/wordpress/w...

[scubadoo97]

Interesting that in the retail cut 2010 chart they show flap coming from the flank but in the picture by the Califorina beef council it is shown to come from the bottom sirloin. Granted The two areas are adjacent to each other. Flap is the closest thing to hanger I can find in the bay area

[CFishman]

Did you try Master Purveyors? I am positive they have hanger steak for you.

[scubadoo97]

Their product list was empty. Nothing but a statement on that page. Do they sell ion smaller quantities? Lacking freezer space for 10# of any one cut

[hajji]

Hi all,

I did get it at Master Purveyors. They don't have a retail section or anything. But you can call and ask for whatever you want - they will cut it and pack it and have it ready for you next day. Very well priced, great quality meat. I got hanger steaks @ $4.50/lb.

Thank you all again for your feedback!

[Mild Bill]

Just a follow-up... WOW!
I seasoned that gargantuan Flappage with my general seasoning blend & Worcestershire and let it sit in the fridge 24 hours... I pressure cooked it for 45 minutes, then caramelized & crusted up both sides with a blazing hot Panini Press...

My wife lost her Argentinian mind!

Pressure cookers do great things with marbling & collagen...

I like my medium rare steak as much as anybody, but this was almost like rich braised beef rib meat, finished with a crust...

Can't wait to do it again...

[Jimonthebeach]

Restaurant Depot carries it. You will need a buddy with a tax cert who belongs and make sure you get the choice not select.

[hajji]

Restaurant Depot angle doesn't help me just as a regular consumer - I don't have a friend with membership! But, at least I can understand how Pane Rustica / Refinery / etc source it locally.

[byrd]

From another NYer, try TriTip (a cut you don't find often uptown); Publix usually carries it.
Same thing trying to find Veal rib/loin chops, good quality American lamb, non frozen duck and duck parts...
With that said Harr's is the best butcher in the Tampa Bay area, but it seems with the current economic conditions that they have been cutting back in their selection and their quality.

[hajji]

Hey Byrd - yeah, as an alternative for a similar taste I have been relegated to using Flank Steak. Tritip comes from right above that and will check it out. The quest for Hanger continues though, it seems.