Easy Steak Sauce with Seared Hanger Steak

A flavorful homemade steak sauce paired with perfectly seared hanger steak. The sauce combines sweet, tangy, and spicy elements from brown sugar, vinegar, and chiles, complementing the rich beef perfectly.

4 servings
26 min

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 whole Fresno chile or red jalapeño
  • to taste Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 1 to taste freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • 2 dashes hot sauce
  • pounds hanger steak
  • center membrane removed
  • cut into 4 pieces

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and chile; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes.

    5 min

  2. 2.

    Add tomato paste to saucepan and cook, stirring, until beginning to darken, about 1 minute. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce; simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and purée with 1/2 cup water until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, if desired. Set sauce aside.

    6 min

  3. 3.

    Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 130°F for medium-rare, 8-10 minutes.

    10 min

  4. 4.

    Transfer meat to a cutting board; let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauce.

    5 min

  5. 5.

    DO AHEAD: Steak sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.