SERVES 2
Sultry and smoky chili gives way to a hint of roasted lime. This is a terrific recipe for a summer’s night. Your neighbours will come knocking when they smell this impossibly good steak on the grill. It’s especially nice served with Dirty Rice and Beans.
3 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
3 TABLESPOONS CHILI POWDER
1 LIME, FOR ZESTING AND JUICING
PINCH OF SALT
1 JALAPEÑO PEPPER, THINLY SLICED
1 BUNCH OF SCALLIONS (ABOUT 5 STALKS), THINLY SLICED
2 HANGER STEAKS
COMBINE olive oil, chili powder, lime zest, and salt in a bowl or resealable freezer bag. Add sliced jalapeño and scallions and stir well. Add hanger steaks and turn until well coated. If using a bowl, ensure steak is submerged in liquid and cover. If using a resealable bag, squeeze out air and seal, then slosh meat around until evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 1 day (longer than that and I find the meat becomes too soft).
PREPARE YOUR CHARCOAL GRILL to one-third cooler than peak heat, or heat your gas grill to medium-high (preheated on High for 10 minutes, lid closed). Pat hanger steaks dry with paper towel, and then grill to medium-rare along with the lime (cut in half and grill cut-side down). The steaks should develop a very flavourful, dark crust, and reach an internal temperature approaching 125°F. Take them off the fire and let rest loosely wrapped in foil for 5 minutes.
SLICE THE STEAKS across the grain (almost sideways), and serve with any juices poured overtop and the lime halves for squeezing, as you see fit.
SALTY MARGARITA
This steak goes dangerously well with a salty margarita. My favourite way to make one is the always reliable one-one-one method. Put equal parts fresh lime juice, tequila blanco (100% de agave), and Cointreau in a martini shaker filled with lots of ice cubes. Cover and shake until you feel the ice breaking into smaller bits, and the shaker is cold and frosted. Run the spent half of one of your limes around the rim of a margarita or martini glass, then roll just one side of the glass in a nice medium-coarse sea salt or crumbled Maldon salt. Carefully pour in your margarita mixture. Some of the ice will have disintegrated into tiny shards suspended in the cocktail. Add a few of the larger pieces from the shaker to the glass to keep it cold a little longer, though I’ve never seen one of these last more than 4 minutes. Garnish with a little bit of lime, if you like.
© 2018 by Rob Firing