Description
Top sirloin steaks soaked in a tangy balsamic, soy and Worcestershire marinade, grilled, basted with garlic butter using an herb brush, and rested on a seasoned board dressing.
Ingredients
Steaks
- 4 top sirloin steaks, 3/4 inch thick (or flank, skirt or chuck steaks)
- 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 sprig fresh rosemary, tied into an herb brush
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons grated sweet onion (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
Butter baste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Board dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Marinate the steaks: Put the marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag and mix, squeezing them through the bag (be careful not to poke a hole with the thyme). Add the steaks, seal, and marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
- Make the baste and board dressing: Put the butter baste ingredients in a grill-safe pot (or melt them in the microwave until the garlic starts to sizzle). Mix the board dressing ingredients and set aside for later.
- Prepare the grill: Set up your grill for direct medium-high heat on one side. On a charcoal kettle, light a chimney three-quarters full of charcoal, and when it's covered in ash, spread the coals over half the charcoal grate. Put the grate on, let it heat for a minute, and brush it clean.
- Grill the steaks: Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry. Melt the butter baste over the direct heat until the garlic sizzles, then move it to the cool side. Grill the steaks over direct heat for 6 minutes, rotating them 90 degrees halfway through. Flip, grill 3 minutes, and brush with the butter baste using the herb brush (expect flare-ups). Keep cooking until the steaks reach 115°F for rare, 120°F for medium-rare or 130°F for medium, about 3 minutes more for medium-rare.
- Rest on the board dressing and serve: Spread the board dressing on the middle of your cutting board, put the steaks on the board dressing, and baste one last time with the butter. Let the steaks rest on the board dressing for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes
Equipment: A grill (I used a charcoal Weber kettle and a Weber chimney starter) and a small grill-safe pot.
This marinade works best on leaner cuts like sirloin, flank, skirt or chuck. Save your best steaks for salt and pepper.
Adam Perry Lang says you can marinate for up to 24 hours, but I wouldn't go past 2 hours - it overwhelms the beef.
The grated onion is optional - I didn't think it was worth the trouble.
Bricks: Adam Perry Lang presses his steaks with a foil-wrapped brick while they sear. Move the hot brick from steak to steak with tongs.
Herbs: Just before moving the steaks to the board, chop the tender tips of the herb brush onto the board dressing.
See also my Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Mediterranean Herb Butter.
Adapted from BBQ 25 by Adam Perry Lang, copyright 2010, with permission of William Morrow/An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Marinate: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12 minutes