How to Broil a Sirloin Steak in the Oven
Oven broilers offer the opportunity to enjoy steak with the flavor of the grill year-round. A good steak to opt for when broiling is sirloin. This cut of beef is lean but still possesses a strong meat taste that can stand up to the high heat of a broiler. Sirloin is less tender than other fatty cuts of meat, making it a good steak to rub or marinate. Yet following a few broiling basics will ensure your sirloin remains juicy and flavorful no matter how you season (or do not season) your steak. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil or butter
- Steak rub or marinade (optional)
- Tongs
- Broiler grill or other broiler-safe cookware
- Aluminum foil (optional)
Instructions
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1
Locate your oven's broiler and turn it on. Like a grill, broilers cook meat with direct heat from either an open flame in a gas oven or a heating coil in an electric oven. In both kinds of ovens, the flames or heating element are above the rack where you will place your steak. A gas oven's broiler is below the main oven and uses an open flame that needs little preheating. The broiler in an electric oven is at the top of the main oven and uses a heating element or coil. Electric coils take time to reach the high temperature of broiling so preheat your broiler for at least five minutes before putting in your steak.
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2
Remove the steak from the refrigerator and place it on a clean plate. Prepare your sirloin for the broiler by brushing a thin coating of olive oil or butter over both sides of the steak. Next, salt and pepper both sides to your taste preference. You may skip this step if you are using a rub or marinade.
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3
Move your sirloin onto your oven's broiler grill and drip pan or other broiler-safe cookware. You may line your drip pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place cookware in the broiler so that your steak is three to four inches below the flame or heating element.
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Determine the cooking time by examining the thickness of your steak and how you prefer it to be cooked. Calculate the thickness of your steak by measuring the height of the steak's edge. Generally, a three-fourths-inch-thick steak needs four to five minutes per side to reach medium-rare to medium doneness and the recommended safe cooking temperature of 145 degrees. Adjust cooking time by adding two to three minutes more per side for each quarter inch more in thickness or preferred doneness. Use tongs to flip the steak over during cooking process and to check for doneness.
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Remove your steak from the oven when it's done and let it rest on a clean plate for five minutes before serving or cutting into it. This will allow the juices in the steak to settle back and disperse throughout the meat. Retaining the juices will keep the meat from becoming dry and flavorless.
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Tips & Warnings
During the cooking process, do not cut into your sirloin to judge doneness. This allows the meat's juices to escape and will quickly dry out your steak. Instead, test the meat by pressing on it with your tongs. Rare steaks will be soft and plump, medium-rare steaks will give easily, medium steaks are no longer soft and will only slightly give, medium-well steaks will be firm and well-done steaks will be hard.
If you have marinated your sirloin, let the majority of the marinade drip off the steak prior to putting it in the broiler. If necessary, pat your steak with a paper towel to remove excess marinade that can cause burning or catch flame.
Although sirloin is a lean cut of beef, grease from the fat off any steak can ignite in the broiler. If a grease fire does begin, turn off your broiler immediately and keep the oven door closed until the flames subside. Never use water or flour on a grease fire as water will spread the fire and flour will burn, adding to the fire. Instead, keep baking soda handy to help put out grease fires. If the fire continues and smoke is coming out of your oven, use your fire extinguisher or call the fire department to put out the fire.
References
Resources
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