Cuts of Beef: Onglet, Skirt or Hanger Steak

The Onglet, Skirt, or Hanger Steak is slightly less well-known to non-steak fans than some of the more common cuts of beef, but you'd be silly not to try it. Not only is it sometimes rather reasonably priced, but sometimes the cut was called 'butcher's steak' because they tended to keep it for themselves rather than selling it!

It's typically about 1-1.5lbs and v-shaped with a long, inedible membrane down the middle.

It's not particularly tender, but it's full of flavour. Marinate it, and then cook it quickly over a high heat, serving it rare or medium rare.

And you'll notice it isn't necessarily an attractive cut of meet, hence why it tends to be served sliced.

Did you know Amazon has a 'celebrity chefs' section?

How on earth did I miss this? Amazon has a section devoted to Celebrity Chefs!

And there's an interesting deal on at the moment, until August 1:

Buy one of the selected Raymond Blanc Saucepans and get a Raymond Blanc Frying Pan Free!

Interestingly in the general area, it seems that the Circulon range are the bestsellers when it comes to pots and pans. I don't know if they were there before the current 25% off Circulon Cookware offer, but the reviews seem pretty reasonable.

There are really only two things that make a huge difference when you're cooking a basic steak - the quality of the ingredients, and the quality of the tools!

What types of meat make the perfect steak?

I've relaised there's a definition missing from my search for the perfect steak. Because technically, you can not only have a fish steak, but certain cuts of lamb, and even chicken can qualify!

So for the record - the perfect steak must be red meat. No fish, and no chicken. Lamb is a bit of a weird area, but I'll allow it in for the sake of clarity on the rules (And I quite like lamb). Having Swedish family, moose is allowed. And to celebrate Christmas, reindeer also makes the list.

Incidentally, having mentioned Sweden, it's reminded me of something great that I need to sample again - Plank Steak. I'd never heard of it until a trip to Sweden a few years ago (sadly I didn't have a camera or a steak blog at the time!), and it's an experience. Simply put, it's a way to cook a steak on a plank of wood, which can keep it very moist and tasty.

The Swedish example I had was on a plank big enough to form part of Noah's Ark, with a steak big enough to feed a family of three, and the potato piped around the edge couldn't be eaten until halfway through the meal as it was to contain a litre of Bearnaise sauce from escaping everywhere. It was great!

I need to invest in a board before I try the recipe myself, but heres what looks like a suitable recipe to not only cooking plank steak, but also preparing the planks themselves.

Meat, potatos, sauce and a plank of wood. It doesn't get much better!

There's only one way to celebrate having a steak night...

If you're planning an evening with the best steak possible - whether you're eating out or staying in - there's now only one way to celebrate, courtesy of JD and Turk from Scrubs:



And who can blame them?

Cooking a steak the cowboy way in just one minute

Whether or not you're a fan of Jamie Oliver, his latest programme from America is well worth watching if you're a steak lover.

Early on he joins a group of rodea riders as they cook some inch-thick beef in just a minute, by skewering it onto a pitchfork, and then dropping it into an extremely hot cauldron of pork fat. In just a minute, it's ready, and it apparently turns slightly crunchy due to the speed at which it has been cooked.

You can watch it online at 4oD - it's the Jamie's American Road Trip Wyoming episode.

I'm quite tempted to try it myself, but I'll need to find a cauldron which doesn't come inscribed with pentragrams and symbols...




I'm as unlikely to goth cookware as I am to dress in a stetson every time I want a decent steak...

Uses for an overcooked steak

Sadly, into everyone's life, an overcooked steak will come. It could be a bad restaurant, a partner who just refuses to follow the basic principles (or deal with the griddle pan afterwards), or in an extreme case, you may have got distracted by an emergency (the end of the world is justifiable, anything less is just a waste).

So assuming you're left with an overcooked steak, and every time you attempt to slice it with a knife you're risking a fire from the friction, here are some options:

1. Hockey Puck: Suitable from ice hockey or street hockey - just watch out for very desperate carnivores attempting to eat your puck mid-game.

2. Frisbee: Safer than hockey (Unless you're in an area with lots of birds of prey)

3. Shuriken: Going beyond the frisbee approach - you could carve yourself a meaty ninja throwing star.

4. Wedging doors and tables: Got a wonky table or chair leg? The thin cut steaks which often turn dry and solid are the perfect width for balancing furniture or propping under a door to keep it open.

5. Meat business cards: Yes, these really do exist!

So what other suggestions have you got?

Which Supermarket offers the best pre-packed steak?

Like any fan of good quality steak, ideally I tend to buy direct from local farms or from independent butchers.
But like anyone, there are plenty of times when I can't get to somewhere, and I have to make do with the supermarket.
Fortunately some meat counters and some packaged meat is pretty edible - I tend to favour one particular supermarket in terms of price and quality, but I want to see who other people might recommend, hence the following poll. I don't think I've left any UK supermarkets out, but you can add one if I have - this isn't the poll to fight the corner of the local butcher!
And if you're a non-UK visitor, then please don't feel left out - post any names relevant to your country and I'll run another poll soon...