Or maybe better said, less familiar cuts of beef.
The fun thing (at least for me) of getting a whole or a half beef is that you get a variety of cuts. Some familiar (ribeyes, filets, chuck roasts, ground beef) and some not so familiar. Same goes with the items we stock in the store. When we process we can't ask for all delmonticos and NY strips, we get everything which means we stock some cuts that may be less familiar, and therefore less popular.
So I am challenging myself to use some of these cuts and share what we enjoy at home, so that you have an idea of what might work if you want to be a little adventurous. (And as I share, if you have recipes for certain cuts you love, PLEASE feel free to share with us!)
First up, sirloin tip steak. This is a super lean cut of beef with plenty of flavor, but a tendency to get tough if you don't treat it right. Marinating in something that will help break down some of those fibers is a must, and then NOT over cooking and slicing thin will give you a delicious steak.
I threw together a marinade on Thursday and let 2 sirloin tip steaks marinade for 24 hours before fixing last night, and the little cowboys devoured it and asked for seconds.
Marinade (measurements are estimates because I am terrible about measuring): 2/3 cup soy sauce (we use low sodium) 1/3 cup honey (from the store) *you can play with the amounts here but I keep them at a 2 to 1 ratio 2 Tbsp lemon juice (sounds strange but trust me) 1 Tbsp sesame oil (you can sub with another oil if you don't keep sesame on hand) 2 Tbsp minced ginger (I keep a jar of the pre-minced stuff in the fridge) 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic (we have some in the store right now!! You can adjust this based on how much you like garlic) salt and pepper to preference. I did about tsp of each
Toss all of that in a gallon ziploc bag and shake to mix (I try not to dirty any more dishes than necessary). Then place your sirloin tip steak in the bag and turn to coat. Toss it in the fridge for 12-24 hrs (turn it over at least once).
When you're ready to cook, pull the steak out and let it come to room temperature while the grill is heating. I like to do a super hot grill to get a good sear on the steaks, and just don't leave them on very long. When the grill is hot, put the steak on for 4-5 mins on each side for medium rare...you really dont want to cook this more than about that doneness(time will vary slightly depending on how thick the steak is). Pull the steak off and let it rest 5-10 mins. (Hardest part for me, I'm working on it). Slice thin and serve!
The boys and I pretty much finished off one steak last night, so this is a great cut if you are feeding several people, 1 steak can feed 3-4 depending on the size and the sides, etc. that you are serving with it.