The Best Way to Tenderize a Sirloin Steak for Grilling

Make a sirloin steak tender by marinating it.

When the grill is hot and you are ready for a killer steak, proceed carefully to ensure a tender and flavorful grilled steak. Depending on the cut and grade of your steak, you may need to prepare it carefully before grilling to make sure it stays moist. A sirloin steak, from the hip area of the cow, can be amazingly flavorful as long as you tenderize it first and then grill it slow and low.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Glass dish (with cover)

Instructions

1. Mix 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup tomato sauce in the glass dish. Add salt and pepper to the ingredients, if you wish.

2. Remove the sirloin steak from the packaging and rinse it lightly under cool water. Dry the steak with paper towels.

3. Place the sirloin steak into the marinade, pushing it down into the ingredients so the bottom of the steak has full contact with the marinade.

4. Cover the dish and refrigerate it.

5. Marinate the steak for eight hours, flipping the steak every two hours.

6. Grill the steak over medium heat.

Tips & Warnings

• There are three beef grades available to consumers, according to Cook's Illustrated. Prime -- the highest grade -- provides beef with significant marbling throughout the meat for more tender and flavorful meat. Choice -- the second highest grade -- provides beef with less marbling, yet still enough fat to make tender and flavorful meat. Select -- the lowest grade -- has the least amount of marbling, which can make this grade dry and tough if you do not prepare it carefully.

• Sprinkle meat tenderizer over both sides of the steak and rub it in well about one hour prior to grilling, if you do not have enough time to marinate the steak. Let the steak sit in the refrigerator for one hour and then grill it.

• Any acidic liquid can tenderize a sirloin steak. Substitute red wine vinegar, wine, tomato juice or other acidic liquid to marinate a sirloin steak.

References

• Cook's Illustrated: An Illustrated Guide to Tender Steaks
• Steak's Guide: Sirloin Steak Recipes