Grilled Sirloin Steak is quick and easy. Use marinade to tenderize and add taste or the seasoning of your choice. Grill the perfect steak juicy and tender steaks every time.
Sirloin steak is an excellent choice for grilling and is easy and fast with these simple step-by-step instructions. It is an economical meal the whole family will love.
🐄Ingredients
Sirloin steaks—top sirloin preferred
Seasoning—seasoning of choice
Suggested Steak Marinade:
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Spices—chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, oregano, cayenne pepper (optional), salt, and pepper.
Adolf's meat tenderizer—optional but suggested
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Featured Comment from Peter:
"5 stars. Tried this recipe exactly as written. I had s sirloin steak that was almost a year old. The result was simply fantastic. Thank you"
We love Applebees™ Bourbon Steet Sirloin Steak. Have you ever wondered how a relatively cheap piece of beef got so darn good? The secret is the suggested marinade will tenderize and add a great savory flavor.
This marinade is a copycat of the recipe from 2010—it has changed over the years. The marinade is optional, but it adds tenderness along with great flavor.
👨🍳How to Grill Sirloin Steak
1. Trim two sirloin steaks, about 6 to 8 oz. each, and about 1 inch thick.
2. Clean and oil the grill. Preheat the grill to high. Wait to preheat if using the marinade.
3. Optional: If available, use a mechanical meat tenderizer to prep the meat.
4. Optional: Mix marinade. Place meat in marinade and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
5. Season if not using the marinade. Grill and flip every 5 minutes until 140°-145° (medium)—usually 9-12 mins.
6. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏰How Long to Grill Sirloin Steak
A reasonable estimate of total cooking time with a hot grill is 9 to 12 minutes for a 1-inch thick steak. There are many variables: the exact grill temperature, the thickness of the steak, and your desired final temperature. NEVER COOK BY TIME ALONE, and use an instant-read meat thermometer.
- Rare—cold red center(125°-130°) about 6-7 minutes total grill time. But check early.
- Medium Rare—warm red center(130°-135°) about 7-9 minutes total grill time.
- Medium—pink and firm (140°-150°) about 9-12 minutes total grill time.
- Medium Well—minimal pink(150°-155°) about 12-14 minutes total grill time. Not suggested.
- Well Done—firm and brown(160°+ ) about 14 or more minutes total grill time. Not suggested.
Cook to the internal temperature you want, allowing for a 2°-4° temperature rise after removal from the grill. You can not uncook meat but can always cook it a bit more.
✔️Tips to get it right every time
- Top sirloin steak has more marbling and is tender enough not to require extra tenderization but can benefit from it. Lower-grade sirloin should be tenderized.
- Since sirloin steak is tougher, it tends to be cheaper than other steaks. Due to this, it is best not to cook. If you like well-done steaks, other steaks like ribeye or New York strip steaks will be a better choice.
- Use prime or choice grade sirloin and 6-8 ounces per serving. While you can use ¾ inch thick steaks, 1-inch thick is better.
- Resting the steak at room temperature will speed up grilling and help the steaks cook evenly. If the steak is over 1 inch thick, resting is more important.
- You can use either a gas or charcoal grill.
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🧂About the marinade
The suggested marinade was originally my copycat version for Bourbon Street Sirloin Steak at Applebees™ from 2010.
Bourbon Street™ Sirloin Steak Marinade ingredients
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce
- Pantry ingredients—chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano
- Adolf's meat tenderizer is optional but suggested
How long to marinade
Due to the meat tenderizer, the marinade should be used for 1-4 hours. And you will see some good effects in only 30 minutes. Mix the marinade, be sure the meat is completely covered, and refrigerate.
Other seasoning options
While I suggest my marinade, you can season it like any other steak. Some salt and pepper or your favorite mixture like Montreal Steak Seasoning will be fine. We frequently use All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which adds some garlic.
Other seasoning options include my simple beef kabob marinade or the more complex Steak Kabob Marinade. For a unique treat try the cowboy coffee steak rub.
Other grilled steak recipes
Check out these other grilled steak recipes for the gas grill, like Marinated Flank Steak, Grilled New York Strip Steak, Grilled T-bone Steak, and Grilled Filet Mignon.
Serving
Serve with Grilled Red Potatoes, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Potatoes on the Grill Without Foil, or Grilled Mixed Vegetables.
Add in a desert to round out the meal. Try grilled pineapple or Apple Berry Crumble.
❓FAQs
Top sirloin won't need much attention, but the standard "sirloin steak" can benefit from some tenderizing.
Mechanical tenderizing, like a Jaccard, is commonly used to prep the meat. If unavailable, use a narrow knife and puncture each side about 20 times.
A chemical tenderizer like Adolf's™ meat tenderizer, with a pineapple extract, can also help tenderize. You can skip either or both, but your steak will be slightly less tender.
🐄About Sirloin Steak
A sirloin is from a well-used muscle area of the cow, so it tends to be tougher. It is also leaner than many other cuts, so it is best cooked on the rarer side. If you like your beef well done, you should pick a different cut of meat.
We are going to talk American terms for a few minutes. The sirloin is located behind the short loin, which is where strip steaks and t-bones are located. There is the "top sirloin," which is tenderer. It will be labeled as top to fetch the premium price.
The bottom sirloin is where the sirloin steaks come from (what I'm cooking here). Also, the tri-tip roast comes from the bottom sirloin. Under that will be the sirloin tip roast.
In other parts of the world, what we call the loin area is called the sirloin, and what we call the sirloin is called the rump.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Grilled Sirloin Steak
Ingredients
- 2 sirloin steaks - 6 to 8 oz and 1 inch thick each
- Salt and Pepper to test - or seasoning of choice.
- 1 cups water
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon Adolf's meat tenderizer - optional
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Trim two sirloin steaks, about 6 to 8 oz. each, and about 1 inch thick.
- Clean and oil the grill. Preheat the grill to high. Wait to preheat if using the marinade.
- Optional: If available, use a mechanical meat tenderizer to prep the meat. If not available, use a narrow knife and puncture each side about 20 times.
- Optional Marinade: In a 1-gallon zip lock bag, mix 1 cups water, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 4 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon Adolf's meat tenderizer, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon oregano. Place meat in marinade and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
- Let the steak rest at room temperature if you have time. If not using the marinade, season to your taste with another seasoning. Grill with the lid closed over high heat for 5 minutes and turn. Continue until you reach the internal temp of your choice. 140°-145° (medium) will usually take 9-12 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Top Sirloin is best for this recipe—6 to 8 oz each and about 1 inch thick.
- Top sirloin will usually do well without tenderization, but others should probably be tenderized somehow.
- I include both chemical and mechanical tenderization. You can skip one or both if you wish, but the steak will be a bit less tender.
- The marinade is good in one hour but better in 2-4 hours.
- Thicker sirloin will take longer to cook.
- Please be sure to use an instant-read thermometer to get the results right for you. Never cook steak by time alone. Time is provided only to help in your planning, not as the exact cooking time. The variables of the grill, the meat temperature, meat thickness, and other things can change the cooking time.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published May 1, 2010. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Frank Wagnon says
never marinade a steak. Never punch holes in a steak. Maybe a little salt and pepper and or garlic. Always let it set 5-10 minutes before cutting . You marinate and punch hole in chicken and pork so you can give it flavor so you can eat it ....like tofu. Beef stands on its own
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Frank,
Welcome to the blog. But we disagree.
Dan
Sue Miller says
Dr.Dan,
We love this recipe - easy and delicious! The very best thing was the recipe adjuster! This made it so easy to adjust the recipe correctly and made it so convenient!
Thanks from Michigan!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Susan,
Thanks for the report. I will let my developer look into it.
Dan
Robin says
Hello,
I love your site and have tried many of your recipes. For this particular recipe when I use the print button I’m just taken to the top of the page.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Robin,
The print button generally works. There are issues occasionally with Safari but rarely other browsers. It will usually work with a restart of the browser to clear out the junk the browser has built up. Also, it opens in a new window so some security settings or popup blockers can interfere.
Dan
John says
Dear Dr. Dan. I moved to a condo with no grills allowed! Can I make this on the stove top? I think it would be helpful if you added a "stovetop tip" to your grilling recipes. Thanks for all you do! Best, John
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi John,
Welcome to the blog.
This should work fine as a stovetop to oven recipe like I cook strip steaks. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/pan-seared-oven-roasted-strip-steak/
It is impossible to generalize all grill recipes to stovetop but there are "grill" pans for the stovetop which work fairly well but should not be used on glass top stoves.
Please feel free to ask on any specific recipe.
Dan
Dan
Cathy Russo says
Hi John,
I have a Gothem Smokeless Electric Grill (I've also used a Black & Decker Smokeless Electric Grill, prior) for winter BBQs and they work wonderful. The juice dripping on the coils give the meat a delicious flavor. I think you would really enjoy it. It's worth the money ((should be under $100. )
Ronald Graham says
We prepared this dish and it was the best top I think I’ve ever eaten, the only variation was I used fresh ground dried California chilies, because they have a sweet and earthy flavor. And since my wife can’t handle spicy, I cut the cayenne pepper in half. This is our new goto cheap steak recipe, Thanks,
Carol Rankin says
Very tasty. Definitely a keeper.
Peter says
Tried this recipe exactly as written. I had s sirloin steak that was almost a year old. The result was simply fantastic. Thank you
Nick says
Is this a copy of the Applebees Bourbon Street steak, no, but it isn't a bad marinade. Enjoyed, but wasn't what I was hpping for...
Shawnece Grear says
can i use my george forman grill? i stay in apartments and can not use a grill
Dan Mikesell says
I would try it. I can't give you a time but check the temperature of the steak.
Dr Dan says
It's not a porterhouse but very good for what is is. I do really love the flavor
Christine says
Where did you get that tenderizer thing from? Now I want one.
Dr Dan says
The jaccard (that's the tenderizer thing for the rest of you) fell apart during cleaning. Just 2 screws but I can't seem to find them yet. It is "fun" and I think I was too aggressive.
Barbara says
Just use a fork and punch a bunch of holes in it. It’s the same thing.
Chris says
I've been meaning to get one of those jaccards but haven't gotten around to ordering one.
Nice looking steaks.
intuitivenutrition says
I just tried this recipe at Applebees a few weeks ago and I was wondering the same thing! I was suprised at how flavorful and tender it was- I thought I just got lucky! I can't wait to try this myself. Thanks for posting this recipe!