Baking or Broiling Tender Beef Tips

Beef tips are inexpensive cuts of steak that come from either the sirloin or round sections of the cow, located in the rump and hind legs. This is a leaner cut of beef, and cooking steak tips in the oven or broiler can be a satisfying way to enjoy them.

Beef tips are not only inexpensive but versatile too, says the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). Because this area of the cow is used for movement, the meat is leaner and less tender. That means you'll have to cook sirloin tips a little differently than a filet mignon or ribeye steak, which may offer more flavor, but also more fat.

You can cook these beef tips as steaks or roasts, or you can cube them. You may also grill them in strips or saute them, the NCBA states. There are many different ways to cook beef tips to make them tender.

One way to cook steak tips in the oven is to roast them, which is the same as baking, at a low temperature. Or you can marinate them first to tenderize, then pop them in the broiler.

A sirloin tip roast, for example, can be roasted in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours to two hours and 15 minutes for medium-well done. That is when the internal temperature of the beef reaches 150 degrees F.

Read more: 10 Steak Recipes That Any Carnivore Will Love

A tasty way to enjoy a sirloin tip roast is to try the NCBA's Lemon-Herb Beef Roast. Season the roast with one tablespoon of olive oil mixed with parsley, lemon peel, garlic, salt and pepper. Roast or bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours and 15 minutes for medium-well done. After 45 minutes, add in some vegetables and you have a one-pot meal.

You can also grill or broil steak tips to make them tender. This works best if you marinate the beef first. The NCBA's suggestions for sirloin tip steaks suggest kabobs, stews and stroganoff as different ways to cook beef tips.

The NCBA recommends Dijon-Wine Steak Kabobs with Mushroom Wild Rice as a way to enjoy grilled or broiled sirloin tips. Cut the beef into cubes, then marinate for at least six hours. This dish requires a marinade of oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and garlic. Thread onto kabobs interspersed with veggies and grill or broil for nine to 11 minutes.

Read more: How to Slow Cook Steak in the Oven So It's Tender and Juicy

Beef can be nutritious, especially when you choose lean cuts like sirloin tips, notes the Mayo Clinic. These meat cuts are lower in fat. According to the USDA, a 100-gram serving (3.5 ounces) of bottom sirloin, trimmed of fat, provides 9.5 grams of fat, or about one-third to one half the fat most adults need each day, according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020.

That serving of bottom sirloin also has 20 grams of protein, which is about one-third to one half of the protein most people need in a day. A serving of sirloin tips also contains 1.5 grams of iron, or about 18 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) for men and older women. For younger women, it contains about 8 percent of the DV. It also offers a good amount of phosphorus and zinc as well as choline, magnesium, potassium and manganese.

The Mayo Clinic suggests choosing cuts labeled choice or select rather than prime because the latter will have more fat. Also, select cuts with the least amount of visible fat. Using marinades, as in the above NCBA recipe, helps tenderize tough cuts of meat like sirloin and keeps them moist while cooking. Limit your portion size to about 3 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards.

When you prepare beef, you want to make sure it's properly cooked. This type of meat should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Use a meat thermometer to check.