Sirloin Tip Steak with Garlic Butter
Sirloin tip is a lean, budget-friendly cut that eats like a far pricier steak when you treat it right: a 30-minute dry brine, a screaming-hot cast-iron sear, and a quick baste in foaming garlic-thyme butter. The salt-ahead step seasons the meat deep down and dries the surface for a serious crust, while the butter baste keeps this lean cut juicy. Slice it thin against the grain and every bite is tender, beefy, and slicked with garlic butter.
Pat two 1-inch sirloin tip steaks dry, salt them all over, and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the salt penetrates and the surface dries out. Pepper the steaks, then sear them in a lightly oiled, ripping-hot cast-iron skillet for about 3 minutes per side. Drop the heat to medium, add butter, smashed garlic, and thyme, and tilt the pan to spoon the foaming butter over the steaks for 1 to 2 minutes, pulling them at 125 F (52 C) for medium-rare. Rest 10 minutes, slice thin against the grain, and spoon the garlic butter from the pan over the top.
- Pull the steaks at 125 F (52 C) — sirloin tip is lean and turns chewy past medium, so an instant-read thermometer is your best insurance.
- Slice thin against the grain; this single move makes a lean round cut taste dramatically more tender.
- Salt 30 minutes ahead (or up to 24 hours in the fridge) so the surface dries and you get a deep brown crust instead of a gray steamed one.
Equipment
- 12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet
- Instant-read thermometer
- Tongs
- Large spoon for basting
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef's or slicing knife
Ingredients
Steak
- 680 g sirloin tip steaks, 2 steaks, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
- 6 g kosher salt, use a scant 1 tsp if using fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 15 ml neutral high-heat oil, avocado, grapeseed, or canola
Garlic Butter
- 56 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- fresh thyme sprigs, or 2 small rosemary sprigs
- 8 g fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Method
- STEP01
Pat the steaks completely dry with paper towels, then season all over with the kosher salt. Set them on a rack or plate at room temperature for 30 minutes. This quick dry brine seasons the meat through and dries the surface so it browns instead of steaming.
- STEP02
While the steaks sit, smash and peel the garlic cloves, cut the butter into pieces, and set them next to the stove with the thyme. Just before cooking, pat the steaks dry one more time and press the black pepper onto both sides.
- STEP03
Set a cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil, and heat until it shimmers and just starts to send up wisps of smoke, about 2 minutes. A hot start is non-negotiable for a crust on a lean cut like this.
- STEP04
Lay the steaks in the pan away from you, leaving space between them, and press down gently for even contact. Sear without moving them until a deep brown crust forms, about 3 minutes.
- STEP05
Flip with tongs and sear the second side another 3 minutes. If the fond starts going from brown to black, nudge the heat down a touch.
- STEP06
Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, garlic, and thyme to the pan. When the butter foams, tilt the pan toward you and spoon the butter over the steaks continuously for 1 to 2 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer hits 125 F (52 C) in the thickest part for medium-rare, or 135 F (57 C) for medium. Thinner steaks may get there fast, so start checking early.
- STEP07
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and pour the pan butter, garlic, and thyme over the top. Rest 10 minutes so the juices redistribute; the temperature will climb about 5 degrees F as they sit.
- STEP08
Look for the direction the muscle fibers run and slice the steaks thinly across them, holding your knife at a slight angle. Fan the slices on a platter, spoon over every bit of the garlic butter from the board and pan, discard the thyme stems, and shower with parsley.
Make ahead
Salt the steaks up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate them uncovered on a rack; the longer dry brine deepens seasoning and improves the crust (let them sit at room temperature 30 minutes before searing). The garlic can be smashed and the butter portioned up to 3 days ahead.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover slices with their butter in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water, or serve the cold slices over salad or in sandwiches — lean sirloin tip stays nicer barely rewarmed than blasted in a microwave.
Variations
Dairy-free garlic "butter"
Swap the butter for 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of olive oil or a plant-based butter. Baste the same way over medium heat — plant butters foam and brown like dairy — and finish with a squeeze of lemon to replace the richness.
Balsamic-marinated sirloin tip
For extra insurance on tenderness, marinate the steaks 2 to 8 hours in 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, 30 ml (2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar, 15 ml (1 tbsp) gluten-free tamari, and 2 grated garlic cloves. Pat very dry before searing and skip the dry-brine salt.
Peppercorn-crusted
Coarsely crack 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns and press them into both sides along with the salt before searing. Add a splash of beef stock to the garlic butter at the end for a quick pan-sauce riff on steak au poivre.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Frequently asked
Is sirloin tip steak the same as sirloin steak?
No, and the name trips a lot of people up. Sirloin tip comes from the round (the knuckle, near the rear leg), not the sirloin primal. It is leaner and less tender than top sirloin but noticeably cheaper, which is exactly why this sirloin tip steak recipe leans on a dry brine, a hot fast sear, and thin slicing against the grain to close the gap.
What doneness should I aim for with sirloin tip?
Medium-rare, pulled from the pan at 125 F (52 C), is the sweet spot. Because the cut has little internal fat, cooking it past medium (135 F / 57 C pull temperature) makes it dry and chewy. If someone at the table wants it more done, slice their portion thin and let the hot garlic butter warm it through a bit more.
Why does slicing against the grain matter so much here?
Sirloin tip has long, pronounced muscle fibers. Slicing across them shortens each fiber so your teeth do far less work, which reads as tenderness. Slice with the grain and the exact same steak will feel tough and stringy — it is the single highest-impact step in the whole method.
Can I make this sirloin tip steak recipe on the grill or in the oven?
Yes. On the grill, cook over direct high heat about 3 to 4 minutes per side to the same 125 F (52 C) target, then top with the garlic butter (melt it with the garlic and thyme in a small pan first). For the oven, sear on the stovetop as written, then slide thicker steaks into a 400 F (200 C) oven for 3 to 5 minutes to finish before basting.
Do I have to marinate sirloin tip steak?
Not for 1-inch steaks cooked to medium-rare — the dry brine, butter baste, and thin slicing do the heavy lifting. A marinade with a little acid and salt (see the balsamic variation) adds flavor and a bit of tenderizing on the surface, so it is worth doing if you have a few spare hours or your steaks are on the thicker side.
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