The top sirloin cap is a boneless steak that comes from the upper left side of the cow’s hip bone.
This particular muscle can weigh anywhere between six pounds and 20 pounds depending on how large your animal was.
While this isn’t an extremely popular meat among most Americans, it has been around since ancient times.
The Romans called them “biceps femoris,” which means “muscle of the thighs.”
Nowadays, these steaks are sold as prime rib or New York strip steaks but they have several different names depending on where you buy them.
Top sirloin caps are one of those meats that are commonly used in stir-fry dishes and other Asian recipes.
And while many people don’t think about eating top sirloin caps because they aren’t very familiar with the dish, the fact remains that they are tasty and versatile.
What Is A Top Sirloin Cap?
A top sirloin cap is a flat piece of beef that comes from the upper portion of the bicep femoris muscle.
When you look at a picture of a top sirloin cap, it appears to be pretty thin like a filet mignon but that would be wrong.
A thicker slab of meat is actually more common than what we see in our grocery stores.
In fact, some cuts of meat come in two sizes.
They either offer both thick and thin pieces or just thick ones.
If you want to find out if there’s a thinner part of the same meat, you need to know its exact name.
While there are various types of muscles within the bicep femoris, each type offers different thicknesses.
Some of them are called ‘flat iron’ (also known as the ‘New York strip’) and others are called ‘top sirloin’ or even ‘prime rib.’
In order to get the best possible taste when cooking a top sirloin cap, it needs to be trimmed properly.
There will always be fat and sinew running along the sides of the meat so make sure you remove all of that before cutting into it.
You also need to trim off any excess tissue hanging over the edge of the steak.
If you do not do this right, your steak could end up being less tender than it should be.
After removing the skin, fat and connective tissue, you may notice that the meat is still quite wet.
That’s okay! Just add it back onto the pan after cooking it to give it flavor and moisture.
Once you’ve done all that, wash the meat thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
What Are The Ingredients In A Top Sirloin Cap Recipe?
If you want to make a delicious meal out of a top sirloin cap, there are some basic ingredients you will need.
You should start by buying the best quality cuts of beef possible.
If you can afford it, try using USDA Choice grade beef instead of Prime Grade.
These two grades refer to the age of the cattle when they were slaughtered (prime being younger) and whether or not their muscles are especially tender (Choice).
In general, Choice beef tends to be more expensive than Prime Beef, so if you can find it at a reasonable price, go ahead and splurge!
Another important ingredient is salt.
Salt helps draw out moisture from the meat.
Without enough salt, the meat won’t taste like itself, plus it could dry out during cooking.
So, add plenty of salt before starting any preparation process.
As long as you use fine sea salt, this shouldn’t affect flavor too much.
Be sure not to overdo it though, as adding extra salt will ruin the texture of the meat.
Next up, let’s talk about fat.
Fat adds flavor and juiciness to foods.
So, keep your eye out for fatty cuts of beef such as T-bone steak, filet mignon, or flank steak.
For a top sirloin cap recipe, however, you don’t necessarily need to get these kinds of cuts.
Instead, look for leaner cuts such as loin or bottom round.
These cuts have less fat content, meaning they contain fewer calories.
Once you have all the necessary ingredients, it’s time to prep everything.
How Do You Cook A Top Sirloin Cap?
Top sirloin caps are usually cooked by grilling, broiling, pan frying, or sauteing.
You can also use them to make burgers if you want to add some extra flavor.
Here are some steps to cooking these steaks:
- Wash the top sirloin cap thoroughly under cold running water before cutting into smaller pieces.
- Cut the top sirloin cap into four equal portions (about 1/4 pound each).
- Season both sides of all four pieces of steak with salt and pepper.
- Add half of the seasoning mixture to a bowl and toss with the top sirloin cap until well coated.
- Lay out the seasoned top sirloin cap onto a clean plate.
- Repeat step 3 two more times so that there is enough seasoning mix remaining to coat the entire piece of beef.
- Place a paper towel on a flat surface like a countertop or table.
- Place the seasoned top sirloin cap onto the paper towel.
- Spread another layer of paper towels over the top of the seasoned top sirloin cap.
- Place a second sheet of paper towels on top of that.
- Cover the entire top sirloin cap with plastic wrap and weight down the bottom portion of the plastic wrap with heavy objects such as canned goods or bricks.
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Heat up a grill to medium heat.
- Unwrap the top sirloin cap from the plastic wrap and place directly onto the hot grill.
- Cook the top sirloin cap for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- If you prefer to broil the top sirloin cap instead, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, set rack 6 inches away from heating element, and spray aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the top sirloin cap 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the top sirloin cap from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing across the grain.
Why does my top sirloin cap taste bad?
When you purchase a top sirloin cap you should be able to smell its deliciousness right off the bat.
However, sometimes when you slice open the steak after it’s been sitting in the fridge for awhile the aroma will dissipate quickly.
This happens because the enzymes found in fresh raw meat begin breaking down proteins within the steak once it starts to ferment.
These enzymes break down the connective tissue that holds the muscles together.
When the meat goes rancid, the texture changes from tender to tough and chewy.
So what you need to do is rehydrate the steak.
Simply rinse it well under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Then season it again with salt and pepper.
Re-season every time you prep the top sirloin cap, even if it seems to look fine already.
What Is The Best Way To Cook A Top Sirloin Cap?
Top sirloin cap steaks are usually cooked by grilling, broiling, pan frying, baking, sautéing, deep frying, or barbecuing.
But before you start any type of preparation, make sure you get all the prep work done first so that nothing goes wrong during the cooking process.
1. Get the grill ready
First things first – if you want to use a gas grill, you need to turn off the burners you’re not using (or at least put out the charcoal).
You should also move any food that might be directly over the heat source away from the flames or else it will catch fire.
You can prepare your grill with wood chips or charcoal briquettes just like you would for any other kind of barbecue.
Just place the fuel in a mesh bag, tie it up tight, and throw it into the coals until it starts smoking.
Once that happens, dump the coals onto one side of the grill, leaving a space large enough to accommodate the entire rack of ribs or chicken legs.
Next, remove the grate cover and brush down the metal surface of the grill with oil.
Then, sprinkle the grate with cornstarch and shake the excess off.
Place the top sirloin cap rack or whatever item you plan to cook on the grill and close the lid tightly.
Wait for 10 minutes, then check what’s happening underneath the grill.
If there’s no smoke coming from under the grill, open the lid and add more coals to the bottom half of the grill.
If the temperature doesn’t rise above 350 degrees F after 15 minutes, add another layer of coals or switch the top sirloin cap rack position.
2. Cook the top sirloin cap
Once you know the grill is hot, you’ll need to wait for the temperature inside the oven to reach 450 F.
You can set the timer to 5 minutes if you want to keep track of time, or let it go longer if you prefer to enjoy the aroma of the meat without worrying about overcooking it.
After waiting patiently for 45 minutes, flip the top sirloin cap over and repeat the same steps.
After 30 minutes, flip again and continue doing this every 15 minutes for a total of 1 hour.
When the last flip occurs, give the steak a final minute or two in the oven to finish browning.
This method may seem long, but trust me when I say that the flavor improves exponentially once you let it bake for about 40 minutes per pound.
That’s why chefs recommend slow roasting instead of quick frying when preparing this cut of meat.
What Are Some Tips For Cooking A Top Sirloin Cap?
One thing to keep in mind if you want to eat top sirloin caps is that they are quite fatty so be careful not overdo it during preparation.
Also make sure to trim away any excess fat before grilling.
When it comes time to grill the steak, use indirect heat.
You can either place it directly under the broiler or put it on the back burner and cover it up.
Either method will give you nice browning without drying out the meat.
If you don’t want to go through all of that, there are plenty of other ways to prepare this delicious steak.
One of the easiest methods involves baking it in the oven.
If you like your food hot and spicy, try this Texas style BBQ sauce.
For another great option, check out our guide to making pan seared steak.
We even included a video tutorial!
How Do You Know When A Top Sirloin Cap Is Done Cooking?
There are a few tricks to knowing if a top sirloin cap is ready to eat.
One way is by looking at its color.
When properly cooked, this piece of meat will turn deep red.
But there are also signs that indicate whether the meat is fully done, such as when you pierce it with a fork and find no resistance.
If you do this test, the meat should spring back after being poked.
Another good indicator is the amount of juice that oozes out of the meat.
You want to see plenty of liquid so that there is enough moisture inside the steak.
Ideally, you want it to drip freely like melted butter.
A steak should never be dry nor too juicy.
If the juices pool together into one place, though, this could mean that the meat is not sufficiently cooked through and needs more time under the grill.
Finally, look at the texture of the meat.
To check this, use your finger to push down against the surface of the meat.
If it feels soft and tender, the meat is ready to be served.
If the meat resists your pressure, however, keep cooking until it does reach that point.
What Temperature Should A Top Sirloin Cap Be Cooked At?
The USDA recommends cooking top sirloin caps until their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 Celsius).
That said, there is no exact science behind what temperature a piece of meat needs to be cooked at.
If you want to make sure you get the right amount of pinkness inside your meat, simply stick a sharp knife into the center of the steak.
Once it hits your target temperature, remove it from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
You can also place it under running water to help prevent any overcooking.
How Long Does It Take To Cook A Top Sirloin Cap?
This question is pretty straight forward if you know a little bit about how steak cooks.
If not, here’s what you need to know.
Steak takes anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours to get done.
That depends on how thick your steak is and how well you season it before putting it into the oven or onto the grill.
Steak also needs to be medium rare.
So unless you want your steak to come out charred on the outside, your best bet is to start off by searing it first so the inside stays juicy and tender.
You can do this either over high heat (425 degrees Fahrenheit) or low heat (325 degrees F).
Once it’s all nice and browned and crispy on the outside, move onto the rest of the process.
Let it cool down for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute back to the center.
Then place it on a cutting board and slice it up just like you would any other piece of meat.
Serve immediately!
What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Cooking A Top S
When preparing a top sirloin cap, there are two main things you should avoid doing – overcooking the meat and using too much soy sauce.
If you choose the former option, you will end up with tough meat that doesn’t taste good at all.
If you use too much soy sauce, however, you will get something similar to what you would expect from a Chinese restaurant – bland and tasteless food.
To prepare this delicious meal, follow along with our step-by-step instructions below.
- Remove any excess fat by scraping off the surface with a sharp knife.
- Slice the top sirloin cap into four equal parts lengthwise (about 1/4 inch thick).
- Season each part with salt and pepper and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before starting to grill.
- Grill the whole piece until medium rare (120°F) inside.
- Transfer each part onto a serving plate, cover with foil, and let sit for 5 more minutes.
- Wipe down the griddle with paper towels to remove any extra oil.
- Cut each portion into thin slices (1/8 -inch thickness).
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion flakes, olive oil and honey.
- Mix well and pour over both sides of the sliced top sirloin cap.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat a gas burner or grill pan on high heat.
- Make sure the grates are clean and place the pieces on the grate.
- Cook the meat for 3 minutes per side.
- Turn down the heat slightly to low and continue to cook for another 4 to 6 minutes per side.
- Once cooked through, transfer the top sirloin cap to a cutting board and discard the juices.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
- 1 Oven
Ingredients
- 1.5- pound top sirloin cap roast
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- A rimmed baking sheet should have a rack inside of it. Produce the rub. The garlic cloves should be peeled, crushed, and placed in the mortar and pestle’s bowl. Pound the contents into a paste after adding the salt. Oil and the herbs de Provence are stirred in after which the mixture is pestled. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you may use a food processor or mince the garlic finely. Then, sprinkle salt over the mixture, then chop and smash the mixture with the side of your knife in alternating motions until it becomes a paste. The other ingredients are then added after the transfer to the small bowl.
- Take the steak out of the wrapper, then pat it dry. To create a cross-hatched design, score the fat cap by cutting diagonal lines across its surface in both directions. Make sure not to cut into the roast itself when cutting. Apply the rub all over the meat. To remove the chill and allow the meat to absorb the aromas of the rub, let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Set the oven to 375°F and get ready to cook. Over medium-high heat, add enough avocado oil (or similar oil with a high smoke point) to coat the bottom of a sizable cast-iron skillet. Place the meat in the pan with the fat cap facing up and sear for three minutes. Turn over and cook for a further three minutes on the other side.
- Place the roast in the oven after transferring it to the prepared baking sheet. Roast until a meat thermometer reads 140°F, which takes about 20 minutes per pound. Before slicing and serving, remove from oven and let stand for at least 20 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.