Bourbon Brown Sugar Grilled Hanger Steaks and Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Pistachio Pesto
- by Chef David Rose
- Last updated Jul 14, 2022
Why We Love This Recipe
“Sweet and savory” is the name of the game and this dish delivers big time! From the beefy flavor of a well-marbled Omaha Steaks Hanger Steak to the pleasantly surprising pistachio pesto-drizzled sweet potato wedges, every one of your taste buds will be rewarded with every single bite.
Tools You’ll Need Before You Start
- Medium Bowl
- Whisk
- Zip Top Bag
- Spatula
- Knife
- Food Processor
- Large Cast Iron Pan
How to Cook Bourbon Brown Sugar Grilled Hanger Steaks and Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Pistachio Pesto
Your bourbon brown sugar grilled hanger steaks and grilled sweet potato wedges with pistachio pesto all hinges on quality ingredients. The right ingredients make the difference between food and an experience. That’s why the star of this recipe is Omaha Steaks Hanger Steaks. Full of juicy, beefy flavor and boasting a remarkably tender consistency, this cut is a butcher’s best-kept secret that many people are missing out on! Learn more about the hanger steak, from where it gets its name to how to cut it, in our Butcher’s Guide: What is a hanger steak?
Chef’s Tip: It takes 8 to 12 hours to reach marinaded perfection, so start prepping this meal the night before or as soon as you start your day.
1. Pour Some (Brown) Sugar on it
Marinading is not only the first step in this recipe, it’s also one of the most important ones. You may be tempted to skip ahead and save yourself 8 – 12 hours, but you’ll also be denying yourself next-level flavor and exquisite tenderness. To create this delicious marinade, simply combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until well incorporated.
2. Marinade the Butcher’s Favorite Steak
While this simple and delicious recipe would taste great with any steak, the addition of the supremely tender Omaha Steaks Hanger Steak makes it even more spectacular. Hand-selected and expertly cut by master butcher’s, this steak is then aged at least 28 days to enhance its already-coveted tenderness. To prepare, first thaw your hanger steaks and pat them dry on all sides. Next, liberally season all over with salt and pepper and place in your refrigerator uncovered for 30 minutes to give the seasoning time to truly imbue its flavor. Finally, complete the marination process by placing the steaks in a zip top plastic bag and pouring the bourbon brown sugar marinade over them, coating them entirely, and leave them in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, flipping the bag halfway through marination time.
3. Grill Your Perfectly Marinaded Steak
Your patience is about to pay off! Once your steaks are extra tender and wonderfully marinated, remove them from the bag and allow them to come to room temperature, which should take about 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat your grill to 500 degrees F using direct heat and clean and oil the grill grates for the best, most even cooking experience. Grill your steaks for 5 minutes on one side, then flip and continue to grill for another 4 minutes until they’ve reached ideal medium-rare doneness. Not an expert on the grill yet? Our steak grilling guide for beginners has all the information and helpful tips you need! Once they’re grilled to perfection, allow steaks to rest for 8 minutes, then slice on the bias, which simply means to cut it diagonally.
4. Get Nutty With Some Pistachio Pesto
Making this light, slightly sweet, nutty sauce is fast and easy! Just combine all the ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a food processor. Then simply blend until its smooth and well-incorporated and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
5. Save the Sweetest for Last
It’s time for the last piece of this delicious puzzle: naturally sweet and nutrient-rich sweet potato wedges. First, preheat your grill to 500 degrees F and fill a large cast iron pan halfway with water and add a heavy pinch of kosher salt. Then place the pan on your preheated grill over direct heat and bring the water to a boil. Boil the sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes, or until they’re fork-tender but slightly al dente.
Once your sweet potatoes are done, remove and drain them, then rinse with cold water until they reach room temperature. Toss your perfectly cooked sweet potatoes with grapeseed oil and lightly season with salt and ground black pepper on all sides. Grill them for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until grilled marks are achieved and potatoes are browned. Finally, remove them from the grill, drizzle with savory pistachio pesto, and put the finishing touch on them with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Serve as the wonderfully sweet and savory side to your tender, marinated-to-perfection sliced hanger steak and dig in!
Bourbon Brown Sugar Grilled Hanger Steaks and Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges with Pistachio Pesto
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Bourbon Brown Sugar Marinade
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- pinch of kosher salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
Hanger Steak
- 2 8 oz. Omaha Steaks Hanger Steaks
- Bourbon brown sugar marinade
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
Pistachio Pesto
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted pistachios
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley
- 5 basil leaves
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
- 1 large 1 lb., sweet potato, sliced in half crosswise and cut into 16 wedges
- Pistachio pesto
- 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
- 2 oz. Parmesan cheese wedge, grated
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
Bourbon Brown Sugar Marinade
- Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until well incorporated.
Hanger Steak
- Thaw hanger steaks and pat dry on all sides with paper towel. Liberally season with salt and pepper on all sides and allow to sit in refrigerator uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Place steaks in a zip top plastic bag and pour marinade over steaks. Remove all air from bag, zip closed, and place in refrigerator.
- Marinate steaks for 8 to 12 hours in refrigerator, flipping bag halfway through marination time.
- After marinating steaks, remove from bag and allow to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- When steaks are marinated, preheat grill to 500 degrees F using direct heat. Clean and oil grill grates.
- Grill steaks 5 minutes on one side, flip steaks and continue to grill for another 4 minutes. Remove from grill for medium-rare doneness. (To cook to a higher desired temperature, refer to Omaha Steaks grilling chart.)
- Allow steaks to rest for 8 minutes, then slice on the bias.
- Serve with grilled sweet potato wedges and pistachio pesto.
Pistachio Pesto
- Combine all ingredients, except salt and pepper, in food processor. Blend until smooth and well-incorporated; season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges
- Preheat grill to 500 degrees F.
- In a large cast iron pan, fill halfway with water and add a heavy pinch of kosher salt. Place on preheated grill over direct heat and bring water to a boil.
- Boil sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes, or until fork-tender but slightly al dente.
- Remove sweet potatoes and cast iron pan from grill. Drain potatoes and run cold water over until potatoes reach about room temperature.
- Toss sweet potatoes with grapeseed oil and lightly season with salt and ground black pepper on all sides.
- Grill sweet potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until grilled marks are achieved and potatoes are browned.
- Remove sweet potatoes from grill, drizzle with pistachio pesto, and finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve with sliced hanger steak and enjoy!
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