Category: Meat - Beef
Season: All:
The sirloin steak is steak cut from the lower portion of the ribs, continuing off the tenderloin from which filet mignon is cut. Of the steaks typically considered to be premium steaks, the sirloin is the cheapest, because the muscles still do quite a bit of work.
The sirloin is actually divided into several types of steak:
The top sirloin is the most prized of these.
The bottom sirloin is less tender, much larger, and is typically what is offered when one just buys sirloin steaks instead of steaks specifically marked top sirloin.
The bottom sirloin in turn connects to the sirloin tip roast, which is generally considered to be a good, if somewhat tough, roast.
Buying
If you want to serve the roast meat of old England for a special occasion, it is best to get as large a joint as possible.
The perfect roast includes a lovely crusty outside and lots of tender, succulent meat within.
My advice is to buy a decent-sized piece of sirloin for a special occasion, otherwise a double rib joint (which as it happens is next door, anatomically).
When you buy a piece of sirloin, make sure it contains the eye or undercut, which some butchers take out and sell as fillet steak (which it is).
A decent joint of sirloin on the bone will weigh 4-5 lb (2-2.5 kg).
If you are worried that your family is too small to cope with a large joint, bear in mind that good roast beef is delicious cold with chutney and jacket potatoes, and minced it makes lovely cottage pie
Matching Beef to wine table
Special beef designation names, click here
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