Sirloin Steak

What is sirloin steak?

A classic sirloin steak cut is one of the most popular beef steak cuts. With more flavour than a Fillet Steak, yet more tender than a Rib Eye Steak the steak sirloin is a perfect balance of tender textures and beefy flavours.

You can view our range of beef steaks here.

 

Where is sirloin steak cut from?

Sirloin steaks are cut around the back of the cow near the beef top sirloin, beef fillet and beef rib area. Not to be confused with the American cut of the same name, in the UK the sirloin is sourced from the upper middle of the cow. You can find out more about different beef cuts on our interactive beef cut guide page.

This area of cattle doesn’t work as hard as the shoulder, for example, which means the meat does not toughen. Instead the meat cut from near these areas remains tender with just the right amount of delicous fat marbled throughout to add flavour.

The result is a spectacular mouthwatering steak that is juicy and packed with flavour in every bite. You can also buy sirloin roasting joints.

 

How to cook sirloin steak?

For cooking the perfect steak we recommend grilling or frying in a heavy based frying pan on a very high heat.

The first thing you need to do when cooking a steak is to take it out of the fridge and let it reach room temperature first. The reason for this is so that the centre of the beef steak is not colder than the outside of the steak. When this happens you can end up with a steak that is overdone on the outside and too charred, but also could be undercooked and too rare on the inside.

While your steak is reaching room temperature you can rub it with a combination of cracked black pepper, sea salt, and a touch of olive oil. Make sure you are generous with the salt and pepper, and allow a little bit of time for the flavour to infuse while you wait for your steak to warm up. The steak should take at least 30 minutes to come to room temperature.

When your steak has reached room temperature, you can start to heat up your pan. You want to ensure that the pan is really hot before you place your steaks in to the pan. This is because you want the high heat of the pan to sear the steaks.

Searing the steaks helps to crispen up the fat, and then the juices from this fat prevent the steak from drying out or becoming too tough. The process of heating up protein molecules also adds flavour through a chemical process called the Maillard reaction.

When the pan starts to smoke, add in your steaks. They should start to sizzle loudly the second you place them in the pan. If not, your pan is probably not hot enough.

Make sure not to crowd the pan, and once you have placed your steaks in try not to move them around too much. You want enough of the direct heat on the steaks long enough for a proper sear to develop. Moving the steaks around too much means that this process may not have time to take place. Only when one side of the the steaks have fully seared do you turn the steaks to cook on the other side.

 

How long to cook sirloin steak for?

If you have ever wondered how long to cook a sirloin steak, the answer depends on how you like your steak cooked. Medium rare is recommended, though people also prefer rare and well done depending on personal preference.

The exact cooking time of steaks will vary slightly depending on the thickness of your steaks. Thicker steaks take longer to cook as the heat takes longer to transfer through the tissue, whereas for thinner steaks there is less distance for the heat to travel through and cook the steaks.

For medium rare steaks we recommend cooking around 2 minutes on each side. For rare steaks 1 and a half minutes will be sufficient, and for well done steaks 3+ minutes on each side should be perfect.

The last step in the steak cooking process is to allow the meat to rest. Resting is important as during the cooking process many of the juices that keep meat tender and tasty are dispersed by the heat from the cooking process. When you allow the meat to rest these juices reconstitute, making each bit just a little bit juicier.

Allow around 3 minutes for the steak to rest after cooking, which lets the juices seep back into the meat for mouthwatering tenderness and intense flavour. Then you can serve the grilled steak as is, or with a steak sauce, or simply with an added garlic and herb butter. Many people like to add the butter and garlic cloves to the pan as the steak is cooking, and then use this as a steak sauce, or a base for a steak sauce, while the steaks are resting.

 

Sirloin steak recipes

If you would like a bit of further recipe inspiration for how to cook a sirloin steak for dinner, have a look at our Perfect Steak And Chips Recipe from our Recipe Inspiration section. Our blog is also full of fantasic recipe and cooking information. Our steak recipe blog posts include our chef backed tips and tricks on The Ultimate Guide to Steak, and Top 10 Steak Sauces for everything you need to know to create the ultimate steakhouse experience at home.

 

Buy Sirloin Steaks from Campbells Prime Meat Ltd

We are a family owned Scottish butcher with a history going back over 100 years. You can read more about our story here. All of our steaks are hand cut by our master butchers then delivered fresh. For years we have supplied the finest eateries, including those with Michelin stars, and now you can order the same restaurant quality steaks delivered to your door.

With free delivery on all orders over £50 you have every excuse to splash out. For exlusive special offers you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you are looking for a luxury meat delivery subscription service why not browse what our Gourmet Club has to offer.

Our wide range of beef steaks include a number of sirloin steaks and sirloin roasting joints. This includes Scotch Beef, which is cut from cattle that are born reared and processed here in Scotland on farms that adhere to the highest animal welfare and sustainable farming practices. Our blog post has further details on what is Scotch Beef.

Our sirloin steaks include Campbells Gold, our premium range of dry aged gass fed beef. We pride ourselves on supplying the best that Scotland has to offer, and aim to suppy a regular rotation of Scottish native heritage cattle breed cuts of beef including native heritage breed sirloin steaks. We also have Angus Beef Sirloin Steaks, Special Trim Sirloin Steaks, and D Muscle Sirloin Steaks all available online for home delivery.