Top Sirloin is a steak with tremendous beef flavor from the animal’s hind quarter. Cooked best over high, dry heat, it’s tender when cooked to medium or slightly over. There’s not a lot of internal fat in Top Sirloin, so beef eaters looking for leaner cuts will find this steak very much to their liking.
Top Sirloin Filet, not to be confused with the either the Tenderloin Filet or the Top Sirloin is a muscle that sits right beside the Top Sirloin Steak in the hind quarter. It’s smaller in size and has no sinew or internal fat deposits, so this is another cut beef lovers looking for leaner offerings will appreciate. Medium high to high heat is the best bet to give the Top Sirloin Filet a good texture at a doneness level of medium or slightly over. Both cuts of meat are fantastic as steaks or in recipes with a few more ingredients to compliment the wonderful, beefy flavor.
Ingredients for Steakhouse Style Top Sirloin Steaks
2 Top Sirloin steaks cut to your desired thickness, usually 1 ½ to 2 inches
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Butter
Preparation
Because this recipe is more about the method of cooking rather than ingredients, it’s simple and yields a steak fit for a restaurant. Fifteen minutes before you’ll put the steaks in the pan, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). You want it ready for when the searing is done.
Heat a cast-iron or other oven-safe heavy-bottomed skillet to high heat. Coat steaks liberally in olive oil, and sprinkle one side with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. When pan is hot enough, drizzle with a little more olive oil and place steaks in pan, seasoned side down. Don’t touch them for three minutes. The more you move them, the more it inhibits that nice steakhouse style crust forming. While they’re searing on one side, sprinkle salt and pepper to the unseasoned side. After 3 minutes, flip them over and sear that side for 3 minutes.
There will be a fair amount of smoke. This is normal and also doesn’t go on very long. When the steaks are seared, move them to the oven for another 3-10 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. For thinner steaks, they may be to medium after only a couple minutes. When steak reaches the temperature of your desired doneness (135 degrees F for medium, 57 degrees C), remove them and place a foil tent over them for 5 minutes, letting them rest. DO NOT FORGET the oven mitt—handle will be HOT!
After 5 minutes’ rest, plate and top with a pat of butter to serve. Your dinner companion will wonder why you’re not working in the best steakhouse in town after this.
Ingredients for Pan Seared Top Sirloin Filet with Red Wine Sauce
4 Top Sirloin Filets, cut 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches thick
1 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP fine chopped fresh rosemary, divided
2 TBSP cracked peppercorn blend
2 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon (red wine)
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 TBSP butter
3 TBSP chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Heat oil in heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet. Combine 1 TBSP rosemary, peppercorn, and salt in a small bowl. Season steaks with peppercorn mixture, lightly pressing mix into steak. Sear steaks 1-2 minutes each side, then place in oven for 5-10 minutes to roast until medium-rare, longer for desired level of doneness above medium rare. Rest for 5 minutes.
After removing steaks from pan, add shallots and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat on the stovetop. Whisk in wine and mustard and reduce by 2/3. Add remaining rosemary. Melt butter in pan by swirling, then remove from heat. Add parsley and salt to taste, and top steaks with wine mixture.
Serve with your favorite vegetables to the delight of your dinner guests.
