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    🏠Home » Recipes » Beef Recipes

    Grilled Sirloin Steak with Marinade

    Aug 20, 2021 · Modified: Oct 27, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 20 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.42 from 72 votes

    Sirloin steak is economical and delicious with a hearty beef taste. Learn how to grill moist and tender sirloin steak with the seasoning of your choice or my special marinade.

    Two Grilled Marinated Sirloin Steak on a white plate

    Jump To:
    • 👨‍🍳How to make this recipe
    • ⏰How Long to Grill
    • 🐄Ingredients
    • 📖Grilled Steak Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe
    • Grilled Sirloin Steak with Marinade

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    Introduction

    I originally called this recipe Bourbon Street Sirloin Steak a la Applebees, which seemed fine in 2010, but they changed their recipe several years ago. I liked the old Applebee version a bit more than the current version. But mine is better than both. So, I changed the name, but that doesn't change my recipe.

    I have always wondered how a relatively cheap piece of beef got so darn good. It was an obvious target to recreate. If this were a throw-down, I'd win—better taste, very tender, and moister than the 2010 (or current) Applebee's version.

    A simple marinade for about 1 hour, then 9-12 minutes on the grill. Grrrrreat!!!!! But the basic technique of grilling sirloin works with the seasoning of your choice, so if you don't have the time for the marinade, skip it and just season and cook.

    And one final tidbit, the Applebee's version was named after Bourbon Street, not bourbon the drink. Hence, no bourbon in the recipe.

    👨‍🍳How to make this recipe

    1. Trim sirloin steak, about 8 oz. each, and about 1 inch thick.
    2. Optional mechanical meat tenderizer if available to prep meat. If not available, use a narrow knife and puncture each side about 20 times.
    3. Optional Marinade: In a zip lock bag, mix water, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, multiple spices, powder, and Adolf's meat tenderizer, Place meat in marinade and refrigerate for about 2 hours (1-4 hour range).
    4. If not using the marinade, then season to your taste with salt and pepper or another seasoning.
    5. Preheat the grill to high—clean and oil the grill grates.
    6. Grill with 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 in total. See the chart below for times for different doneness.
    7. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.

    ⏰How Long to Grill

    A reasonable estimate of total cooking time with a hot grill is 9 to 12 minutes. There are many variables: the exact grill temperature, the thickness of the steak, and your desired final temperature.

    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.

    YOUR TIME WILL VARY, and NEVER COOK BY TIME ALONE. There you have it. I apologize for "yelling," but I can not emphasize those points enough.

    Like most cooking, there are many variables.

    • The size and thickness of the meat
    • The exact temperature of the meat
    • The grill temperature at the start of cooking
    • How much heat your grill loses during flips
    • Your desired final internal temperature

    You must have an instant-read meat thermometer to do this correctly.

    DonenessInternal TemperatureApprox. Grill Time
    Rare-cold red center125°-130°6-7 Hard to get right
    Medium Rare-warm red center130°-135°7-9
    Medium-pink and firm140°-150°9-12
    Medium Well-minimal pink 150°-155°12-14
    Well Done-firm and brown (not recommended)160°+14+
    Approximate times give for planning only and will vary by thickness, grill temp, and rest time—NEVER COOK BY TIME ALONE and use a thermometer. 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.

    🐄Ingredients

    Sirloin Steak

    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 come are located. There is the "top sirloin," which costs the most of sirloin and is most tender. It will be labeled as top to fetch the premium price.

    Location of Sirloin - Licensed from Depositphotos August 2021. Copyright FoxysGraphic. Modified for use.
    Licensed from Depositphotos August 2021. Copyright FoxysGraphic. Modified for use.

    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.

    Tenderizer

    Top sirloin won't need much attention, but the standard "sirloin steak" can benefit from some tenderizing.

    I'm taking "two bites of the apple," so to speak, in this recipe. I'm using both a mechanical tenderizer and a chemical. The chemical is Adolf's meat tenderizer with a pineapple extract to help tenderize. You can skip either or both, but your steak will be slightly less tender.

    🧂 Seasoning

    While I suggest my marinade, you can season like any other steak. Just some salt and pepper will be fine. I frequently use All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which adds some garlic, also.

    Many people will use a standard seasoning like Montreal seasoning, providing excellent results.

    📖Grilled Steak Recipes

    Cowboy Coffee Rubbed Sirloin Steak

    How to Grill a Strip Steak on a Gas Grill

    How to Grill a T-bone or Porterhouse Steak - A Tutorial

    How to Grill a Filet Mignon on a Gas Grill

    Fathers Day Steak Recipe Roundup

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Beef Recipes, Grill Recipes
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    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    Images may vary since they are from several cookings over time.

    trimmed sirloin n white board.

    Trim two sirloin steaks, about 8 oz. each, and about 1 inch thick.

    clean and oil grill crates.

    Clean and oil the grill. Preheat the grill on high. Wait to preheat if using the marinade.

    mechanically tenderizing sirloin steaks.
    Jaccard tenderizer

    Optional: Use a mechanical meat tenderizer, if available, to prep meat. If not available, use a narrow knife and puncture each side about 20 times.

    sirloin steak in bag of marinade.

    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 about 2 hours (1-4 hours).

    sirloin steaks on the grill over direct heat.

    If not using the marinade, then season to your taste with salt and pepper or another seasoning. Grill with 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 in total.

    sirloin steaks on a white plate.

    Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.

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    📝Recipe

    Grilled marinated sirloin steak on a white plate

    Grilled Sirloin Steak with Marinade

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Sirloin steak is econimical and delicious with a harty beef taste. Learn how to grill sirloin that is moist and tender with the seasoning of your choice or my special marinahade.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.42 from 72 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 2 hours
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 2

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 2 sirloin steaks - about 8 oz and 1 inch thick each
    • Salt and Pepper to test - or seasoning of choice.

    Suggested Steak Marinade- do not add other seasoning if used.

    • 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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Trim two sirloin steaks, about 8 oz. each and about 1 inch thick.
      trimmed sirloin n white board
    • Clean and oil grill. Preheat the grill on high. Wait to preheat if using the marinade.
      clean and oil grill crates
    • Optional: Use a mechanical meat tenderizer if available to prep meat. If not available, use a narrow knife and puncture each side about 20 times.
      mechanically tenderizing sirloin steaks.
    • 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 about 2 hours (1-4 hour range).
      sirloin steak in bag of marinade.
    • If not using the marinade, then season to your taste with salt and pepper or another seasoning. Grill with lid closed over high heat for 5 minutes and turn. Continue until you reach the internal temp of your choice. 140°-145° (medium) will take 9-12 minutes total usually.
      sirloin steaks on the grill over direct heat.
    • Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
      sirloin steaks on a white plate
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips:

    1. Top Sirloin is best for this recipe—about 8 oz each and about 1 inch thick.
    2. Top sirloin will usually do well without tenderization, but others should probably be tenderized somehow.
    3. 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.
    4. The marinade is good in one hour but better in 2-4 hours.
    5. Thicker sirloin will take longer to cook.
    6. 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.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Grilled Sirloin Steak with Marinade
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 474 Calories from Fat 261
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 29g45%
    Saturated Fat 12g60%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 12g
    Cholesterol 106mg35%
    Sodium 807mg34%
    Potassium 750mg21%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 46g92%
    Vitamin A 1200IU24%
    Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
    Calcium 70mg7%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Beef|Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Originally Published May 1, 2010. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    1. Sue Miller

      April 25, 2022 at 10:52 am

      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!

      Reply
    2. Susan

      August 21, 2021 at 11:18 am

      I had same problem with printing. Cleared Safari history, did not fix the issue.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        August 21, 2021 at 12:42 pm

        Hi Susan,

        Thanks for the report. I will let my developer look into it.

        Dan

    3. Robin

      August 21, 2021 at 10:21 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        August 21, 2021 at 10:55 am

        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

    4. John

      August 21, 2021 at 10:17 am

      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

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        August 21, 2021 at 10:52 am

        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

        June 02, 2022 at 12:18 am

        5 stars
        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. )

    5. Ronald Graham

      August 23, 2020 at 3:58 pm

      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,

      Reply
    6. Carol Rankin

      August 05, 2020 at 7:47 pm

      5 stars
      Very tasty. Definitely a keeper.

      Reply
    7. Peter

      March 05, 2019 at 8:57 am

      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

      Reply
    8. Nick

      April 18, 2018 at 10:34 am

      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...

      Reply
    9. Shawnece Grear

      September 29, 2013 at 6:09 pm

      can i use my george forman grill? i stay in apartments and can not use a grill

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell

        September 29, 2013 at 6:18 pm

        I would try it. I can't give you a time but check the temperature of the steak.

    10. Dr Dan

      September 09, 2010 at 12:45 pm

      It's not a porterhouse but very good for what is is. I do really love the flavor

      Reply
    11. Christine

      May 21, 2010 at 2:19 pm

      Where did you get that tenderizer thing from? Now I want one.

      Reply
    12. Dr Dan

      May 02, 2010 at 6:34 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Barbara

        November 19, 2018 at 10:13 pm

        Just use a fork and punch a bunch of holes in it. It’s the same thing.

    13. Chris

      May 02, 2010 at 9:02 am

      I've been meaning to get one of those jaccards but haven't gotten around to ordering one.

      Nice looking steaks.

      Reply
    14. intuitivenutrition

      May 02, 2010 at 7:19 am

      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!

      Reply

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