How to Cook Petite Sirloin Steak Inside
Petite sirloin offers incredible tender juiciness for the price, making it one of the best deals in sirloin steaks. While grilling brings a lovely charred grace note to any cut of meat, cooking petite sirloin indoors also offers a crisp, well-browned outside and an inside cooked just the way you like it.
Petite sirloin offers incredible tender juiciness for the price, making it one of the best deals in sirloin steaks. While grilling brings a lovely charred grace note to any cut of meat, cooking petite sirloin indoors also offers a crisp, well-browned outside and an inside cooked just the way you like it. The key to preparing a perfect petite sirloin steak is to remove it from the heat before it is done cooking. This allows the moisture wicked to the surface through salting to melt back into the meat, tenderizing and flavoring it.
Preparing Petite Sirloin
Step 1
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator between 30 and 60 minutes before you intend to cook them. Letting the steaks come to room temperature allows the muscle fibers – which draw tight when refrigerated – to relax, making for a more tender result. Steaks which are between 1 inch and 1 1/2 inches thick are best for indoor cooking.
Step 2
Salt the steaks generously on both sides as soon as you remove them from the refrigerator. You can also add pepper, though there is debate in the culinary world as to whether that should be done before or after cooking. Kosher salt and cracked pepper add texture as well as flavor, but table salt and fine pepper will do.
Step 3
Rub a thin film of olive oil onto both sides of the steaks just before cooking them to add a bit of extra moisture and help any seasonings stick. Season your steaks, if you like, with packaged steak seasoning mix, spices like lemon pepper and cumin or dried herbs such as rosemary, oregano and thyme.
Perfect Pan-Frying
Step 1
Coat the bottom of a skillet with just enough olive oil to barely cover it. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until you can smell the oil.
Step 2
Add the steaks to the hot skillet, and cook them for 5 to 7 minutes without turning or moving them.
Step 3
Turn the steaks with tongs to avoid puncturing them and letting the juices escape. Cook the steaks for another 5 to 7 minutes without moving them, then check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Remove the steaks from the pan when they have reached 130 F for rare, 135 for medium-rare, 145 for medium and 155 for well done. Cover them with aluminum foil, and let them sit for at least 10 minutes.
Awesome Oven Roasting
Step 1
Preheat your broiler on high, making sure that the rack is 5 inches or so from the heat before turning it on.
Step 2
Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until it is very hot. If using a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, you do not need to add oil. If it is a fairly new skillet, or one in need of fresh seasoning, add a thin film of olive oil or a spritz of nonstick cooking spray.
Step 3
Place the seasoned and oiled steaks in a single layer in the hot pan. Sear them for 30 to 60 seconds each. Turn the steaks with tongs and sear the other sides for 30 to 60 seconds.
Step 4
Move the pan to your preheated broiler. Cook them for 5 to 7 minutes per side before checking for doneness, and covering them to rest.
Best Broiling Technique
Step 1
Place your broiler rack 5 inches or so from the heat source. Turn your broiler on to high. Coat your broiler pan's rack with a little olive oil or a film of nonstick cooking spray, making sure to do so well away from the oven.
Step 2
Place the steaks under the broiler. Cook them for 5 to 7 minutes without disturbing them.
Step 3
Pull the broiler pan out from under the heat, and turn the steaks using tongs to avoid puncturing them. Replace the broiler pan under the heat. Cook the steaks for 5 to 7 minutes before checking for doneness. Remove them from the heat, cover them with foil and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tip
Add sliced onions, sliced baby bella mushrooms with a splash of red wine to the skillet when pan-frying petite sirloin steaks for an instant, hearty sauce.
warning
Do not let petite sirloin rest on the counter before cooking for more than one hour to avoid the risk of bacteria developing.