Learn how to cook sirloin steak at home like a pro! Create juicy, flavorful steak cooked to the perfect level of doneness with this stove to oven method.
For another super satisfying meal, give my Tender Eye of Round Roast Beef recipe a try.
Top sirloin has long been my favorite cut of steak to cook at home. It’s lean, has great beefy flavor, and is far more affordable than some of the pricier cuts. I love to serve it smothered with Sautéed Mushrooms for Steak for a steakhouse-style meal at home.
The correct cooking method is the key to creating a tender result with this lean cut.
Table of contents
Best Cooking Method for Sirloin Steak
After years of cooking sirloin steak, the stove to oven method is the one I’ve deemed the very best for cooking thick steaks.
The steak is cooked briefly on the stove to create a nice sear on the exterior. Then, it’s finished at a high temperature in the oven. If you try to cook thick steaks from start to finish on the stove, it’s likely the exterior would burn in the amount of time it would take to cook them through.
I prefer this method over grilling.
Why? Because the glorious pan juices that accumulate make a flavorful basting sauce. An excellent thing for a leaner cut like sirloin. The resulting juicy, glistening steak just can’t be replicated on an outdoor grill. Plus, you can use the stove to oven method any time of year, regardless of the weather.
This method works well with pretty much any cut of steak that is at least 1 ½ -inches thick. Top sirloin, ribeye, New York steak, and porterhouse (also known as T-bone) steaks, are all good choices.
Cuts of Sirloin Steak
The most tender of all the cuts of sirloin is the top sirloin and is sold specifically under this name. Bottom sirloin is less tender and is sold as “sirloin steak”. For the best result with this cooking method, look for top sirloin.
If your pieces of sirloin are large, cut them down into smaller portions before cooking.
How to Cook Sirloin Steak
- Prep – Allow steaks to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to take the chill off. Remove the steaks from their packaging and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season – Season the steaks on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Oven should be fully preheated before proceeding.
- Sear – Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot (shimmering but not smoking), add the steaks. Allow the steaks to cook, undisturbed, for two to three minutes until nicely browned on one side.
- Finish in oven – Flip and cook for another two minutes to brown the other side. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and continue to cook to the desired doneness. Start checking the internal temperature after the first 5 minutes with an instant read meat thermometer.
- Rest and baste – Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the steaks to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the juices from the bottom of the skillet over the steaks before serving.
Alternate Dry Skillet Method
I like adding oil directly to the skillet because it increases the amount of juices available at the end to spoon over the steak and ensures a really good sear. If you’d prefer to use the dry skillet method, instead of adding the oil to the skillet, drizzle it directly over both sides of the seasoned steak. Then, heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and proceed as directed to cook the steak. If you use this method, I recommend adding a little butter or oil to the skillet before transferring it to the oven to add to the pan juices.
FAQ
For classic, steakhouse flavor, I don’t recommend marinating sirloin steak. Typical marinade ingredients like soy sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce will just mask the naturally delicious flavor of this cut. A little kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and olive oil is all that’s needed. If you’d like to add additional flavor, butter, garlic, and fresh herbs can be added to the pan to enhance the flavor of the basting sauce.
If you don’t have a cast iron pan, you can use any oven safe frying pan for this method. A heavy, enameled cast iron pan, like a Le Creuset, works very well. Even a nonstick frying pan will work if that’s all you have in your kitchen.
Be sure to allow the steak to rest at room temperature for at least 30 to 45 minutes before cooking. Cold steak requires a longer cooking time which can affect the texture. It’s vital to monitor the internal temperature of sirloin with a meat thermometer and pull the steak out of the oven when it has reached no more than medium-rare to medium doneness.
Oil has a higher smoke point than butter and should be used for searing steak at a high temperature on the stove. If you’d like to enhance the pan juices with buttery flavor, add pats of butter to the skillet just before transferring the pan to the oven.
Tips for the Best Sirloin Steak
Prep the steak: Take the steak out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. This helps to ensure more even cooking throughout the steak.
Preheat the oven: Your oven should be fully preheated to 425 degrees F before you sear the steak on the stovetop. After searing, immediately transfer the skillet to the hot oven.
Use a meat thermometer: To ensure the steak is cooked to your desired doneness, use an instant read meat thermometer. For medium-rare, the internal temperature should be around 135 degrees F and for medium around 145 degrees F. Steaks will continue to cook a bit during the 5 minute resting period once they are removed from the oven, so don’t be tempted to cook longer than stated for your desired level of doneness.
Use the right oil: When cooking at a heat above 410 degrees F, oil with a high smoke point like regular olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil, is the best choice. Regular olive oil has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil so this method is one instance where the less expensive olive oil is a better choice.
Add flavor: Simply seasoning the steak with kosher salt and pepper won’t mask the naturally delicious flavor of the steak. Instead of using any additional dried seasonings, add flavor to the basting sauce with butter, garlic and fresh herbs just before transferring the steak to the oven.
Baste: Use a spoon to ladle the flavorful pan juices over the steak as soon as it comes out of the oven. Save the pan juices so you can spoon a little more over the steak after it rests and just before serving.
Steak Temperatures
For the best result, I don’t recommend cooking sirloin steak beyond medium doneness. I always try to pull my steak out of the oven when it hits 140 degrees F.
- Rare (125 degrees F -130 degrees F) – Cool red center
- Medium Rare (130 degrees F -140 degrees F) – Warm red center
- Medium (140 degrees F -150 degrees F) – Warm pink center
- Medium Well (150 degrees F -160 degrees F) – Slightly pink center
- Well (Over 160 degrees F) – Little or no pink
More Steak Recipes You’ll Love
- Steak Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy
- Grilled Steak Marinade
- Grilled Teriyaki Steak
- Whiskey Balsamic Steak
More Beef Recipes
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How to Cook Sirloin Steak
Ingredients
- 2 to 4 top sirloin steaks, 1 ½ – to 2-inches thick (1 ½ to 2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or another high smoke point oil like avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, if needed
- Garlic cloves, sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme, optional (see notes section below)
Instructions
- Allow steaks to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to take the chill off. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Remove the steaks from their packaging and pat them dry with paper towels. Season the steaks on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Oven should be fully preheated before proceeding.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat .When the oil is very hot (shimmering but not smoking), add the steaks. Allow the steaks to cook, undisturbed, for two to three minutes until nicely browned on one side. Flip and cook for another two minutes to brown the other side. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. After 5 minutes, check the internal temperature by inserting an instant read thermometer through the side (not the top) into the center of the steak. Cook until the internal temperature reads 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare or 140 to145 degrees F for medium. It should take a total of 5 to 10 minutes but the time will vary depending on the thickness of the steaks and the desired doneness. Steaks will continue to cook a bit during the 5 minute resting period once they are removed from the oven so don't be tempted to cook it beyond the desired temperature.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the steaks to rest in the skillet for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon the juices from the bottom of the skillet over the steaks before serving. If you'd like to increase the amount of pan juices, add a tablespoon or two of butter and after it melts spoon it over the steaks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
I usually cook ribeyes but had sirloin in the freezer and didn’t want to fire up the grill. Tried this and husband was definitely happy. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jennifer. Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂
This was the first time I try to cook steak, and I was intimidated about jumping straight to sirloin because it’s not as tender as filet, but the grocery near me had a great deal so I thought I would bite the bullet. They turned out incredibly well! Thanks so much for this recipe. As a pretty inexperienced cook, it was such a confidence builder to make something so delicious!
I’m so glad you had a great result! Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂