What Is Beef, sirloin tip and How Can I Use It?

Beef, sirloin tip rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 37 recipes to cook with it.

Key Points

Sirloin tip is a lean, budget cut from the front of the round, beefy but firm.
Roast it only to medium-rare, 130 to 135°F, then slice thin across the grain.
Or cube it for fast-seared beef tips and marinated kebabs over high heat.
With no marbling it dries out fast past medium, so watch the thermometer.
A marinade is the best move; the acid seasons the lean meat and loosens the surface.

What is beef, sirloin tip?

Sirloin tip is a lean, economical cut from the front of the hind leg, where the round meets the sirloin. Despite the name it is closer to the round than to the tender sirloin steak.

That means honest beefy flavor at a budget price, with the firm chew of a working muscle.

It is sold two main ways: as a sirloin tip roast, and cut into cubes as the kebab and stir-fry staple often labeled "beef tips."

Low in fat and a little tough, sirloin tip rewards a cook who respects its leanness. Treat it gently and it is one of the best values at the counter. Overcook it even slightly and it turns dry and chewy fast.

Cooking Sirloin Tip

The cut has two good paths, and both fight its tendency to dry out.

The first is a roast cooked to no more than medium-rare. Sear the outside, then roast low until the center hits 130 to 135°F (54 to 57°C), rest it 15 minutes, and slice it thin across the grain.

Because it is so lean, every degree past medium trades juiciness for dryness, so a thermometer is not optional here.

The second is cubes cooked fast and hot. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces, marinate them, then sear quickly over high heat so the inside stays pink, the method behind tender Beef Tips and the saucy Gourmet Sirloin Tips.

Those same marinated cubes are made for skewers, where the quick char suits the lean meat, as in Teriyaki Beef Kebabs and Beef En Brochette.

There is a third option when you have time: a long, wet braise. Cooked slow for a couple of hours, the tough fibers relax instead, giving you fork-tender meat the opposite way.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

A marinade is the single best thing you can do for sirloin tip. An hour or two in a mix of oil, acid, and seasoning loosens the surface fibers and seasons the lean meat, which carries less fat to deliver flavor on its own.

Soy, garlic, citrus, and a touch of sweetness all suit it.

The number one mistake is cooking it to medium-well or beyond. There is no marbling to keep it moist, so an overdone sirloin tip goes from pleasant to dry and stringy in a couple of minutes on the heat.

The second is carving a roast the wrong way. Always slice thin and across the grain; with the grain, even a properly cooked sirloin tip eats tough and ropey.

Substitutes

For roasting or for tips, the tender sirloin steak is a step up in both tenderness and price and works the same way. Tri-tip is a close cousin with a bit more fat and forgiveness.

Top or bottom round behaves almost identically, equally lean and beefy and best marinated before slicing thin. Flank or skirt steak can stand in for the cubes and kebabs, with a looser grain and stronger beef flavor.

Avoid swapping in a fatty braising cut like chuck for a quick-cooked tip recipe; it needs hours of moist heat and will be tough in the few minutes a tip is on the heat.

Buying and Storing

Sirloin tip is sold as a roast or pre-cut into cubes, lean and deep red with a fine grain and only a little marbling. For even cooking, choose a roast of uniform thickness, or cut your own cubes to a consistent size so they finish at the same time.

A small rim of fat is fine, but do not expect the heavy marbling of a loin steak; this is a lean cut by nature.

Keep raw sirloin tip in the coldest part of the fridge and cook it within 3 to 5 days, or wrap it airtight and freeze for up to a year. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

If you are marinating, you can do it in the fridge for up to a day, and the acid both flavors the meat and tenderizes the surface.