Tamarind Date Hanger Steak with Crispy Shallots

Name: Tamarind Date Hanger Steak with Crispy Shallots
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Southeast Asian
Ingredients: 1½ pounds hanger steak, center membrane removed; 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; ¾ teaspoon ground coriander; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon neutral oil; ⅓ cup pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; ½ cup beef stock; 1 teaspoon brown sugar; 2 large shallots, thinly sliced; ½ cup neutral oil, for frying

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

Tamarind Date Hanger Steak sears hanger steak and pairs it with a sweet-tart tamarind-date pan sauce and a pile of crispy fried shallots.

Jump to Recipe

Hanger steak already has enough beef flavor to hold its own, so this recipe does not whisper around it. Tamarind brings sharp fruitiness, dates bring dark caramel sweetness, fish sauce brings savory depth, and crispy shallots bring the sort of crunch that makes a steak dinner feel slightly unfair to other steak dinners.

The hanger steak gets salt, coriander, and black pepper before a hard sear to about 125–130°F, followed by an eight-minute rest. While it rests, finely chopped dates, tamarind concentrate, fish sauce, and the other sauce ingredients create a sweet-sour glaze that works because hanger steak is rich enough to take it. Slice across the grain, spoon over the tamarind-date mixture, and scatter the shallots at the last second so they stay crisp. This is not a shy steak with a pat of parsley butter. It showed up with a passport and opinions.

Prep20 minutes

Cook20 minutes

Total40 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

Servings

1½ pounds hanger steak, center membrane removed
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon neutral oil
⅓ cup pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ cup beef stock
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
½ cup neutral oil, for frying

Instructions

1Season the hanger steak with salt, coriander, and pepper.
2Heat ½ cup oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry the shallots for 4–6 minutes until crisp. Drain and season lightly with salt.
3Heat a heavy skillet over high heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Sear the steak for 4–5 minutes per side, until 125–130°F. Rest for 8 minutes.
4Add the dates, tamarind, fish sauce, lime juice, stock, and brown sugar to the skillet. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, mashing the dates into the sauce.
5Slice the steak across the grain. Spoon over the sauce and finish with crispy shallots.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

560Calories

46 gProtein

20 gCarbohydrates

35 gTotal Fat

12 gSaturated Fat

2 gFiber

15 gTotal Sugars

1400 mgSodium

135 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Remove the tough center membrane from the hanger before cooking, or ask your butcher to. Left in, it's chewy and keeps the steak from cooking evenly.
Fry the shallots low and slow until golden, then pull them the second they color — they go from crisp to burnt in seconds.
Mash the dates into the sauce as it simmers. They melt down into a natural thickener and give the sauce its body.

Substitutions

tamarind concentrate → 1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 tablespoon Worcestershire You approximate the sweet-sour tang; add it gradually and taste.

Medjool dates → dried figs or 2 tablespoons date syrup Figs bring seeds and sweetness; date syrup melts in instantly.

hanger steak → flat iron or sirloin steak Both are tender and beefy; adjust the sear time to thickness.

Storage Instructions

Store leftover steak and sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; keep the crispy shallots separate at room temperature so they stay crunchy. Reheat the steak gently.

Make Ahead

Fry the shallots a day ahead and store them airtight at room temperature. The date-tamarind sauce can be made a day ahead and rewarmed with a splash of stock. Sear the steak fresh.