Budget-friendly
At about $12.50 a pound, a Top Sirloin steak is the kind of cut you can have a few times a month without experiencing one second of buyer’s remorse.
This is a versatile steak, and the bigger slab makes for easy sandwiches. One of our favorite uses for Top Sirloin is Carne Asada. Taco night, anyone?
This cut is from the hip area, and because it’s an area that gets lots of exercise, it’s very lean. Cooked correctly, this cut is intensely flavored and perfect for medium-rare tastes, but because it’s so lean, if you cook it incorrectly, it can be tough.
How to get the best out of your Top Sirloin:
It takes a little planning. The night before you want to cook a Top Sirloin, take them out of the fridge and pat them dry. Generously salt them, and chill uncovered in the fridge overnight.
Pan-seared Top Sirloin Steak
About a half-hour before you’re going to cook them, pull them out of the fridge and let them rest at room temp for 30-40 minutes.
Cast iron works great to sear these beauties. Heat your cast iron skillet with your favorite high-temp cooking fat (butter, avocado oil, ghee or tallow work great). When it’s good and hot, sear your steaks for about three minutes on each side. You want your internal temp to be around 125 degrees before you pull them off the heat. Once they’re there, set them to rest for about 8 minutes.
Grilled Top Sirloin Steak
If you want to grill it, prep them the same as above. Rub your grill with oil and get it good and hot with the lid on. Open it only when you’re ready to grill so you can get those gorgeous grill lines.
For a one-inch steak, grill 4 to 5 minutes per side, and let it rest for 8 minutes.
Adapted from justcook.butcherbox.com.
Citrus as a tenderizer
Citrus is acidic and is often used as a marinade to break down some of the fibrous protein in meat, although some chefs will tell you if you leave it in the marinade too long, the meat can turn to mush.
For carne asada, citrus juice not only acts as a tenderizer, it also adds amazing flavor.
Here’s a great recipe for Carne Asada we adapted from Allrecipes. You can download our PDF version here, or the PNG photo version here.
