Wednesday, September 23, 2009

How to Cook Your Sirloin Steak

By KC Kudra

Sirloin steak is a cut that comes from the lower part of beef ribs. It continues from the tenderloin (the place where the most prized steaks come from) and is a high quality cut with a lot of flavor, since these muscles still do a reasonable amount of work. Sirloin has more flavor than a number of other steaks, and is divided into several different subcategories.

The top sirloin is the most prized of all the sirloin steaks, and you are unlikely to find it unless you look for it specifically. Most sirloin steak is really bottom sirloin, a tougher, larger piece of steak that can be more readily available and cost less. Bottom sirloin is also connected to what is called the sirloin tip roast, a good, if somewhat tough roast that should not be eaten as a steak.

Tri-tip steak is one of the most robustly flavored parts of the bottom sirloin, but is quite lean and easy to overcook. Sirloin pin bone steak comes from the front of the sirloin, and has an oval pin bone in it that gives the steak its name. A sirloin flatbone steak can be identified by the flat hip and backbone pieces it has inside.

A sirloin round bone cut will have less bone than many other sirloin steaks, and also less fat. Sirloin wedge bone steaks are taken from the rear of the sirloin, and have a small bone in it, shaped like a wedge. You can find all kinds of sirloin steaks at your local market.

Sirloin cuts are usually leaner and not as tender and buttery as some of the higher end steaks, but their low price and deep flavor makes up for a lot. Prepare them with dry heat, such as pan-frying, grilling, broiling, or a similar high heat method. Remember to treat different parts of the sirloin appropriately - cooking perfect steak will depend a lot on what part of the sirloin you are trying to prepare.

Be sure to purchase sirloin steaks that are clear and red. When beef is exposed to oxygen, the usual purplish color turns bright read. Make sure sirloin steak is cold and the package is free from holes. Beef should feel firm, and the sell by date should be after the date you are purchasing it. Keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator for three to four days, and trim external fat before cooking if you want to.

Your steak will be finished to medium rare at an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, and will reach well done at 165. Turn the steak only with tongs, since a fork or knife will puncture the meat and cause loss of juices. Rest all steaks for five to ten minutes before you serve it.

Broil steak in a pan two to four inches from the heat source for eight to ten minutes. Grill brushed lightly with oil and placed over the heat source for six to eight minutes, or pan broil on a stovetop for thirteen to fifteen minutes.

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