How to Grill a Top Sirloin Steak
Top sirloin steaks lack the tenderness of filet mignon or New York strip, but the extra fat in these grilling staples make them among the most flavorful steaks. With proper tenderizing and seasoning, top sirloin steaks come off the grill tender and juicy. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Charcoal grill
- 4 top sirloin steaks
- Montreal-style steak seasoning
- 1 cup hickory smoking chips
- 1 cut mesquite smoking chips
- Large bag natural lump charcoal
- Electric charcoal starter
- Hammer-style meat tenderizer
- Clean plate or platter
- Plastic wrap
- Vegetable oil spray designed for grilling
Instructions
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Pre-Grilling Steak Preparation
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1
Place one steak on a wood chopping block, slab or other hard surface and pound about five times on each side with the bumpy side of the meat tenderizer. Repeat for all steaks.
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2
Rub Montreal seasoning into the meat to form a light crusting on each side of the steaks.
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3
Place steaks on a clean plate or platter, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight prior to grilling. The longer the seasoning sits on the meat, the more it soaks in.
Preparing the Fire and Grilling
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4
Remove the cooking grate and pour enough charcoal in the grill to completely cover the cooking grate with a layer of coals. Huddle the coal in a mound and bury the electric starter iron in the mound's center before plugging in the device.
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5
With all grill vents open wide for maximum air flow, keep the starter in the coals for at least eight minutes until charcoal begins to smoke and crackle.
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6
Unplug and remove the starter and use the starter iron to spread lit coals evenly across the coal grate. Sprinkle dry hardwood chip blend over coals.
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7
Coat the cooking grate with vegetable oil spray and place it back on the grill. Close the lid and allow the grill to preheat for another 10 minutes to allow coals to thoroughly catch. Coals are ready when they're mostly gray in color.
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8
Place marinated or seasoned steak on the cooking grate directly above the lit coals and grill to taste, about six minutes per side for medium-rare.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Dry-rub seasonings and marinades for steaks are a matter of taste, so if the Montreal methods don't please the palate, try different commercially available varieties or consult grilling cookbooks or websites for homemade blends.
Be sure to use vegetable oil spray specifically designed for grilling to lubricate grill grates as this type withstands hotter temperatures before burning and leaves attractive grill marks on steaks.
Gas grills work reasonably well for grilling steaks but don't impart the rich, smoky flavor of charcoal.
Always use fire-resistant cooking mitts when opening or closing hot grill lids and when feeding coals or chips into the fire. Handle steaks with long, grilling-style cooking tongs to avoid burns.
