These cola-marinated hanging tender skewers are bursting with sweet, savoury, and slightly spicy flavours. Thanks to the cola and sweet soy sauce marinade, the beef becomes extra juicy and flavorful. These skewers are perfect for impressing your guests.
What is Hanging Tender?
We’re working with hanging tender, a cut prized for its deep, beefy flavour. Hanging tender, also known as the “butcher’s steak,” is a unique cut that moves the cow’s lungs. Because it’s working muscle, it’s packed with flavour but benefits from proper marination to tenderize the meat and bring out its best.
With cola in the marinade, the hanging tender becomes tender and flavourful as the acidity breaks down connective tissue while balancing the sweetness. We also add Worcestershire sauce, sweet soy sauce, and garlic for an extra layer of flavour.
We usually marinate in ziplock bags to minimize marinade waste, but sometimes, we have to do without if we run out.
For grilling, we use our kamado and lower the grate position to bring the meat closer to the heat.
With smaller pieces like these skewers, it’s best to cook based on temperature instead of intuition.
We grill all around and frequently check the internal temperature using our Thermapen. The core temperature should be around 52 to 55ºC (126 -131F) for perfect medium rare beef.
We recommend serving these skewers with freshly made chimichurri. The bright flavours balance the richness of the beef.
Try this recipe, and if you do, let us know in the comments. Better yet, snap a pic, share it on Instagram, and tag @bbqhelden so we can admire your grilling skills.
Ingredients
- Hanging tender (hanging steak)
- 1 white onion
- 1 can of cola
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 20 ml sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Grate the garlic and mix it with the sweet soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and chilli flakes.
- Cut the hanging tender into 2.5 cm (1-inch) cubes and place them in a ziplock bag.
- Add the garlic mixture to the bag and massage it into the meat. Pour in the cola and seal the bag.
- Let the meat marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Cut the onion into pieces the same size as the meat cubes, then alternate them with the marinated beef on metal skewers.
- Sprinkle the meat with some salt, and grill on all sides until the internal temperature reaches 55°C (131°F).
