During a research trip to Hong Kong, food editor Ian Knauer discovered that every family has its own recipe for five-spice powder, a pivotal ingredient in so many Chinese dishes. He took things a step further by adding black peppercorns to the aromatic mix, which holds its own against the robust flavor of hanger steak. As for side dishes, this would be delicious with steamed rice and stir-fried bok choy, but your menu doesn’t have to be Asian—try it with a brightly dressed green salad and roasted potatoes.
View more of our favorite recipes from this issue.
2000s Recipes + Menus
Six-Spice Hanger Steak
Serves 4 to 6
- Active time:20 min
- Start to finish:40 min
October 2008
For steak
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- 1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 2 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
- 1 hanger steak (about 2 lb and 1 1/2 inches thick), center gristle removed
For sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (not seasoned)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
- 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon minced shallot
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
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Equipment:
an electric coffee/spice grinder
Make steak:
-
Preheat broiler and lightly oil rack of broiler pan.
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Finely grind spices with brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp salt in grinder.
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Pat steak dry, then sprinkle evenly with spice mixture and rub into meat. Broil steak 2 to 3 inches from heat, turning once, 7 to 12 minutes for medium-rare. Let steak rest on a plate at least 10 minutes.
Make sauce while steak rests:
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Heat sauce ingredients, except cilantro, with meat juices from plate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until warm. Stir in cilantro before serving.
Cooks’ note: We’ve also got a web-exclusive recipe using the leftover brown sugar.
- Keywords
- ian knauer,
- buy this make that,
- beef,
- asian,
- chinese
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