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By Root 147 0

and there is only one per animal. The reason it is called the butcher’s steak is because while everyone else is eating the flavorless tenderloin, the butcher is chowing down on this super-flavorful cut. Yes, you have to cut it against the grain and yes, you will have to chew, but trust me—it is all worth it when you bite into this delicious muscle. Leave the pricey tenderloins for the suckers and buy some hangers. You’ll quickly realize what the butchers have known all along: This steak rocks.

Lola Steak Sauce, a reduction of balsamic, red wine vinegar, anchovies, garlic, and spices, has good acidity and sweetness to help balance the deep rich flavors of the meat. Pickled chilies contribute acidity too, as well as some heat. Because the hanger has such strong flavor, with notes of iron and liver, it needs these intense contrasting notes.

Serves 6

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

4 pounds hanger steak, trimmed of fat and connective tissue

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup pickled chilies, sliced

½ cup pickled onions

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Lola Steak Sauce

Combine the salt, sugar, coriander, and chile powder in a small bowl and coat the steaks with the mixture. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days.

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you want to cook them.

Build a hot fire in your grill. Brush the steaks with half the olive oil and grill them for 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from the grill and let rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

While the steaks are resting, in a medium bowl toss the pickled chilies, onions, parsley, and remaining olive oil together.

Slice the steaks against the grain, divide among six plates, and top with the salad and a drizzle of steak sauce.

Braising

Braising is a two-part process used for tougher cuts of meat, muscles that are heavily worked—from the belly, shoulder, shanks, cheeks—and therefore develop a lot of connective tissue that must be broken down before the meat gets tender. The first part of the process is to sear the meat, which creates flavor and texture and begins to set the protein, so that blood and other proteins aren’t released to coagulate and compromise your cooking liquid. The second part is a long, low cook in liquid. As with all fundamental cooking methods, there are many finer points that distinguish an excellent braise from an average braise.

Seasoning—always be thinking about seasoning. It’s important, both for flavor and texture, to season your meat with salt and any other spices in advance.

Searing—flouring meat is important for the best possible sear. It ensures the outside of the meat is dry when it is put into the hot fat (moisture cools the fat down, slowing or even preventing browning) and helps to create a good surface. Be sure to shake all the excess flour off the meat before putting it into the hot oil; any that falls off the meat will remain in the oil and burn. And don’t crowd the pan with meat—if it’s crowded the meat will only steam and therefore won’t be able to brown.

For the second part of the process, I think first about my cooking liquid. Never miss an opportunity to build flavors: Begin the second phase by sweating or caramelizing vegetables that will fortify the cooking liquid, seasoning them as you go. When the aromatics and any other ingredients, say tomato paste for color and flavor, are cooked, then, if I’m using wine, I add it here to deglaze the pan, scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom. I then add the stock and often some acid such as red wine vinegar, followed by the meat. I bring this to a simmer, then cover the pan and put it in a low oven, ideally about 225°F. (You can go as high as 325°F; this will speed the cooking somewhat.)

Part of what defines a braise is that the meat isn’t entirely submerged in the liquid, that the third of it that’s above the surface is allowed to brown a little deeper than what’s below the surface, adding