Top sirloin steak is the choicest cut of the various beef sirloins, which come from the rear-quarter of the animal. Many recipes for this cut of meat are available. Whichever you use, reduce the fat and sodium in your preparation and cooking to make a dish that's both delicious and healthier.
Preparing
When you get your sirloin home from the butcher or the grocery store, trim as much excess fat as possible to reduce the amount you'll consume. To make meat more tender, you may want to marinate. Stay away from marinades that contain fats, and use an acidic fruit such as pineapple instead. Mix it with low-sodium soy and/or Worcestershire sauce, marinate the meat, cover it and let it sit for two or more hours, then grill. Fat-free salad dressings, such as non-creamy Italian, make tasty marinades as well.
Broiling
Rather than frying your steak on the stove, in its own fat, consider broiling it in order to let fat from the meat escape during the cooking process. While the steak won't be quite as juicy, it will retain much of its flavor. To seal in liquids and flavor, create a crust on the meat before placing in the broiler. Heat a frying pan on the high setting and place the steak -- lightly brushed with a monounsaturated oil such as olive oil and any non-sodium seasoning you prefer -- into the pan. Pepper and garlic are seasoning options. Place the steak in the frying pan for 30 seconds to get a golden-brown crust, flip, repeat, then broil it on a rack that lets fat drip down and off the meat. Depending on the thickness of your steak, five minutes on each side on the broiler setting, then again for three minutes per side, will give you a medium-rare steak.
Grilling
Grilling differs from barbecuing in that you cook the meat over direct heat, often flame, rather than using indirect heat. You can grill indoor on your stovetop if your appliance offers that feature, or on your deck or patio with a grill or barbecue.
Prepare the sirloin by brushing it lightly with a monounsaturated oil; this will help prevent the steak from sticking to the grill. Season the steak with spices or spice combinations with no sodium. Prepare the grilling surface by scraping off any previous food with a brush and then lightly brushing or spraying it with a monounsaturated fat, again to prevent sticking.
Wait until the coals are white-hot. You'll want to cook the meat directly over the coals, but not with flames touching the meat, which can burn it and create a carbon residue. Turn your meat only once during the grilling process to prevent the meat from toughening. Restaurant chefs do not cut or press meat in order to avoid losing any fat, which provides flavor. You may wish to do the opposite.
Barbecuing
True barbecuing means cooking with indirect heat, not over a flame or coals. Place coals off to one side of the barbecue, leaving enough area under the metal grill on which you'll put the meat free of coals so that the meat will not be directly above them.
Prepare the sirloin as you did for grilling, then place it on the metal grill inside the barbecue, away from the coals, and cover it with a lid. Covering the appliance traps heat, increasing the temperature inside, and cooks the meat from the bottom and top. This method is especially useful for slow-roasting large cuts of marinated meat.
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