How to Cook a Sirloin Tip Steak and Make it Tender

The sirloin tip steak can be considered the ugly stepsister to the more marbled, more costly, more tender top sirloin or tenderloin. Even its name is a bit fraudulent. This cut doesn't actually come from the sirloin primal but rather from the round, which is behind the sirloin and includes the rump and hind legs.

Used to propel the bovine, the round includes musculature that renders the cuts taut and lean with little chance of tenderizing fat accumulating within the different cuts. A sirloin tip steak, butchered from a larger roast, can be tenderized by using different methods of preparation.

Patience is key when preparing sirloin tip steaks in the oven. The faster you cook them, the tighter the muscles become. For perfect sirloin steak in the oven, combine the crispness of a sear with a slow finish in the oven. Your steak will be crusty on the outside and juicy inside.

1. Bring the sirloin tip to room temperature.
   
   
2. Pat dry. Do not presalt. You don't want to draw out the juices.
   
   
3. Heat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
   
   
4. Brush a skillet, preferably cast iron and/or oven proof, with a thin coat of canola oil.
   
   
5. Heat the skillet until it's sizzling hot.
   
   
6. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the steak just before placing it in the skillet.
   
   
7. Place the sirloin tip in the skillet and sear for 1-2 minutes depending on the thickness of the steak.
   
   
8. Turn the steak over and put the skillet into the oven.
   
   
9. Roast until an instant-read thermometer reaches 145F for medium rare and 160F for medium.
   
   
10. Remove the skillet from the oven and place the steak on a cutting board. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it against the grain.

Another take on the oven method is to reverse sear the steak. It's a bit more fussy and takes longer, but the steak will be tender and juicy.

1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
   
   
2. Line a roasting pan with enough foil to cover the bottom and to come up and over the steak.
   
   
3. Place a roasting rack into the pan and put the steak on it.
   
   
4. Put the rack and steak into the heated oven for 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 125F.
   
   
5. Remove the roasting pan and steak. Wrap the steak in the foil and let it sit for 15 minutes.
   
   
6. In the meantime, brush a skillet with a thin coat of canola oil and bring it to a high heat.
   
   
7. Place the steak in the heated skillet and sear each side for 1 minute.
   
   
8. Remove it and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

An easy sirloin steak recipe involves marinating. A marinade not only seasons a steak, but it also tenderizes it. A word of caution when marinating: Do not let the steak overmarinate. It will dominate the flavor of the meat. Thirty minutes at most is recommended for marinating beef.

Prepare your favorite marinade ahead of time. A suggested recipe includes:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  

1. Combine all the ingredients and let it sit in a plastic bag overnight or for at least 8 hours.
   
   
2. An hour before cooking the steak, add the steak to the bag and let it sit for 30 minutes. Turn it over periodically to make sure both sides of the steak are covered.
   
   
3. Remove the steak and sear it in a hot skillet or grill for 3 minutes on each side or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 145F for medium rare or 160F for medium. Remove it and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing.