Grilled Top Sirloin the Right Way

Step 1

Choose your steak. Look for a bright red steak with minimal browning, as brown spots indicate the steak has been exposed to oxygen for long periods of time. While the top sirloin isn’t known for being a particularly fatty cut, you should look for a steak with nice marbling throughout and a thin layer of fat across the top.

Step 2

The steak should be about 1-inch thick and cut evenly. If you can, chat up the butcher and ask him or her to cut you a steak to order.

Step 3

Since the steak already has a robust character and the grill will add some smoke flavor, I only use salt ​or kosher salt and ground black pepper for seasoning.

Step 4

Just before grilling, rub a small amount of olive oil on each side and hit the steak with coarsely ground pepper. Maybe use some minced garlic or garlic powder to taste.

Step 5

If you have the time, salt the steak 40 minutes to 8 hours before cooking it.

Step 6

Let it rest on a baking rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator if you’re salting it overnight.

Step 7

Before hitting the grill, make sure your steak comes up to room temperature.

Step 8

Prep the grill (gas grill, outdoor grill, whatever you have) by getting it really, really hot. Keep the lid closed up until the moment you place the steak on the grill. You’re looking for a hard sear to seal in the juices.

Step 9

Using a good pair of tongs, quickly lay the steak on the grill, protecting yourself in the event that the addition of fats and oils causes a flare-up.

Step 10

Set your timer and wait: in order to get a good sear, you won’t want to move the steak for a few minutes.

Step 11

Cooking times vary based on temperature preference, but for medium rare: a 1-inch steak takes about 4-5 minutes a side, and a 2-inch steak about 9 minutes a side.

Step 12

When flipping the steak, always use that handy pair of tongs and not a fork. A fork would pierce the steak and let the juices escape. We went through so much trouble to seal in the juices with a great sear, so we don’t want to let them out!

Step 13

If you’re looking to create professional grill marks, turn the steak at a 45-degree angle a quarter of the way through cooking. Then flip at the halfway mark, and repeat the process.

Step 14

If you really want to nail your cooking temperature, feel free to use an instant-read meat thermometer.

Step 15

A medium-rare steak should be pulled between the internal temperature 130-135 degrees F.

Step 16

Now this is REALLY important: let that steak rest. Do not, do not (under any circumstances) cut this steak as soon as it comes off the grill.

Step 17

Resting it for at least 5 minutes allows the juices to redistribute within the steak instead of bleeding out as its cut, resulting in an amazingly juicy steak.

Step 18

Now that you have a perfectly grilled top sirloin, top it with an herbed compound butter or my personal favorite, another good pair - chimichurri. Served with a side of beautifully grilled fingerling potatoes and charred carrots, this is one cookout that everyone is going to be talking about for a while!