Sirloin Tips: An Education

Don't bother unless they're at least this marbled.

Bottom Sirloin Butt Flap Meat. Not the most appetizing name, I know. However, most folks out there would know this cut as the "Sirloin Tip." It's not your standard gourmet cut, that is unless Longhorn and Chile's are gourmet in your neck of the woods. Traditionally, the Sirloin Tip is a marinate and grill steak (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that) but, I think that this cut (or any tender steak cut) is best seared on a grill pan/cast iron skillet/flat-top grill and finished in the oven. But before you start fiddling around with your stove, your first step of the cooking process is marinating. You MUST marinate Tips. They suck up flavor like a sponge, helps tenderize the meat and it also prevents it from burning. Something simple, don't bother with any sort of pre-bottled marinade/glaze. A simple marinade of an acid like wine or vinegar, oil, garlic, fresh herbs and salt & pepper is all you will need. Red wine marinades work phenomenally with these steaks. Marinate them for 4-6 hours. As for heating, grills are not forgiving and Sirloin Tips can go from butter tender to leather very quickly. If you do choose to grill, be careful, use a combination of direct heat to make your crust on both side and indirect heat to finish the job. I don't have a grill and I like eating these year round, so...

--Preheat oven to (approx.) 330 degrees--

1. For the last 30 minutes of marinating, remove the steak/marinade mixture from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Gently dry the steaks and remove any solids from the marinade like garlic, rosemary, etc... Do NOT skip this step! Searing a marinade drenched steak will change the flavor ("it tastes like burning" -- Ralph Wiggum) and set off every smoke alarm in the neighborhood. 

2. Get a grill pan/cast-iron skillet screaming hot.

3. Transfer the steaks to your dangerously hot pan and sear for one and a half minutes per side. Also, sear these steaks on the sides where you can see the marble, not the grain. You can do two minutes if you like your crust to be more... crusty.

4. Move the pan to your preheated oven and let the steaks finish for anywhere from 10-12 minutes (Note: I don't cook steaks higher than medium rare. Add on minutes accordingly for higher degrees of over-cookedness.)

5. Remove the steaks from the oven/pan and let rest on a board for about 5 minutes. 

6. Serve and enjoy.

Your final product should look like this: