The Secrets to Sirloin Steak Cooking Methods

Sirloin refers to steak cut from the lower portion of beef ribs, continuing from the tenderloin, which is where we get prized steaks like filet Mignon. Sirloin is a high quality cut, since the muscles are still doing a reasonable amount of work, giving it more flavor than other areas. The sirloin is divided into a number of different kinds of steak.

The Different Sirloin Steak Cuts

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 this cut of steak.

Sirloin round bone steaks contain less bone and fat than the majority of other sirloin cuts, while sirloin wedge bone steaks come from the rear of the sirloin, and contain small wedge shaped bones. These, and many other kinds of steaks, are all readily available at most markets.

Sirloin Steak Cooking Methods for Perfect Results

Sirloin cuts are leaner and less tender and buttery than the higher end competition, but they make up for it in price and flavor. They are best cooked over a high, dry heat, such as pan cooking, grilling, roasting, and broiling. Of course, you will need to treat different parts of the sirloin differently, so cooking sirloin steak will have a lot to do with what part of the sirloin you are preparing.

Make sure you buy only sirloin that is red and clear in color - that is the color that normally purplish beef becomes when air hits it. Make sure your sirloin is cold and tightly packaged, with a firm feeling to the meet and a reasonable sell by date. Make sure it is in the coldest part of the refrigerator for storage, and keep it only a few days. Fat can be trimmed before or after cooking.

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.

You can broil steaks in a pan two to four inches from your heat source - it takes only eight to ten minutes. Grill steaks for six to eight minutes, lightly brushed with oil, or pan broil them on the stovetop for thirteen minutes to a quarter hour.

Cooking Methods - Everything You Need to Learn Regarding Deep Frying

Deep frying is a cooking technique whereby food is submerged in hot oil or fat. It is one of the swiftest possible ways of cooking small, tender cuts of fish and meat. It's also suitable for dough mixtures like fritters and doughnuts and many vegetables, such as onion and potatoes.

If performed properly, deep frying will not make food overly greasy, since the dampness within the food will repel the fat. Providing the oil is hot enough and also the food is not immersed for too long, the oil penetration will be limited to the outer surface layer and nothing will in fact reach the middle of the food. The proper frying temperature is dependent upon the thickness and type of food, but commonly it lies between 175 and 190 degrees C (345-375 degrees F).

Just before they are fried, numerous foods receive a coating of flour, crumbs or batter to protect them from the high temperature of the fat. This also seals in their juices, which helps to make a crisp outside coating and a moist and tender center.

A few foods, like crisps, don't need any kind of coating as they stay in the oil for a pretty small amount of time. Chips are also uncoated; they are initially fried at a reasonably low temperature to cook them through, after which they are given a second frying at a higher temperature in order to brown them.

Using a Deep-Fryer

1. Checking out the Temperature

Check the temperature of the oil before using. If the deep-fryer isn't thermostatically controlled, drop a crumb or cube of bread in to the fat and time how long it takes to brown:

• 60 seconds - the oil is approximately 180 degrees C/360 degrees F and suitable for gentle frying


• 40 seconds - the oil is approximately 190 degrees C/ 375 degrees F and moderately hot


• 20 seconds - the oil is about 195 degrees C/385 degrees F and very hot


• 10 seconds - the oil is dangerously hot and needs to be cooled down

You may cool oil down by turning off the heat and frying several slices of bread.

2. Cooking

Always cook in modest amounts; adding too many pieces of food at the same time will lower the temperature of the fat. This may mean that the coating will not form a crispy crust, and the food will shed its juices and soak up fat.

This is especially important when frying frozen food such as chips or fish fingers. Don't make the mistake of using very hot fat to counteract the cooling temperature of the frozen food; a fairly cool fat temperature (180 degrees C/360 degrees F) is required to cook frozen food to make certain that the centre is thawed and cooked before the coating browns.

Drain any cooked foods well, and put on kitchen paper to mop up any unwanted oil. Store any food that is not to be served straight away in a warm oven with the door ajar - covering or enclosing the food will make it soggy.

3. Cleaning the Oil

After the fat has cooled, it should be filtered through muslin or a coffee filter paper to get rid of any food particles. The oil should be changed once it becomes dark, odorous or cloudy.