How To Cut Sirloin For Chili

Using diced sirloin in chili will make a tasty cup of red. Bo Prewitt, winner of the 1996 Terlingua International Chili Championship, used sirloin in his winning recipe; likewise, CBS News offers a recipe for Texas chili using diced sirloin. The trick is to dice the meat into small, manageable cubes, but not so small that the meat disintegrates during the cooking process. Since the sirloin comes from the loin area of the cow, it offers plenty of flavor without being too tough --- to eat or cut.

Step 1

Place the sirloin on a large cutting board. Using the scimitar, a knife with a curved and pointed blade used for cutting steaks, trim the meat by removing fat from the sides. If a scimitar is unavailable, use a sharp chef's knife instead. If you are using a roast, cut into 1/2-in.-thick steaks.

Step 2

Wrap the steak in foil or plastic and place in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes. A semi-frozen steak is easier to cut into smaller pieces than a steak at room temperature.

Step 3

Remove the steak and place back on the cutting board. Slice into 1/2-in. strips along the long side of the steak. Move each strip to the side of the board as you go to maintain an adequate slicing area.

Step 4

Place a handful of the strips together lengthwise. Slice the strips at the same time into 1/2-in. cubes. As you slice, keep the hand without the knife on the meat and slightly curl your fingertips so the knuckles protrude just a hair more than your fingers. Bring the knife to rest gently against your knuckles and slice with the tip cutting first, then moving the pressure to the back of the knife. This technique will help prevent you from accidentally slicing your fingertips. When you finish this first batch, place the cubes on a plate or in a bowl before slicing the next handful.

Tips and Warnings

Always use a sharp knife. If you need to, use a sharpening steel or have it professionally sharpened. Never try to cut with a dull knife. Do not try and cut too large of a batch of meat at one time. For best results, only cut as much as you can comfortably handle at one time. This technique will work equally as well for other cuts of meat --- and meat from other animals, too.
Do not rush or try to multi-task when using knives, to prevent accidents. Do not allow young children to use large, sharp knives; closely supervise older children using such implements.