Roast Top Sirloin

[Jenise]

I was at Cash & Carry (kind of a restaurant supply open to the public) the other day buying stuff needed for a large event, and while there I happened to stumble upon some whole top sirloins, a cut I love in a steak but have never encountered in roasted form. Under $25 for a 10 pounder, so I drug one home and this morning, I slit a bunch of pockets into it and stuffed those with a mixture of salt, rosemary and fresh garlic. It's in the oven right now. I can't imagine what about that won't be great, but I'm curious about why this cut is apparently passed over for the kind of treatment I'm giving this one now (unless they're tied back to back to create the buffet staple, baron of beef). It is not, at least here on the left coast, ever sold this way in supermarkets.

Any opinions or clues?

Jenise,
I have read so many opinions about making slits in the meat to stuff with garlic and herbs. Many say this is not a good practice because it allows the juices to escape. What is your opinion about this?

[Jenise]

Jenise,
I have read so many opinions about making slits in the meat to stuff with garlic and herbs. Many say this is not a good practice because it allows the juices to escape. What is your opinion about this?

Karen, it depends on the meat. When you have a thick protective fat cap, as I did with this sirloin roast, and if you make your slits on the diagonal and not straight down, and if you sear the meat with a high initial temperature you need not worry. Believe me, in last night's roast, the best pieces were those near the top that got the direct benefit of the deep pockets full of garlic and rosemary. Nothing escaped.

Juice leaking out is overrated. Meat is connective tissue, not a balloon filled with liquid.

[Jenise]

Juice leaking out is overrated. Meat is connective tissue, not a balloon filled with liquid.

Wish I'd put it that way.

Juice leaking out is overrated. Meat is connective tissue, not a balloon filled with liquid.

Wish I'd put it that way.

Jenise, Actually I like the way you addressed my question...your answer was written to teach, and it was what I wanted to know.

[Jenise]

Juice leaking out is overrated. Meat is connective tissue, not a balloon filled with liquid.

Wish I'd put it that way.

Jenise, Actually I like the way you addressed my question...your answer was written to teach, and it was what I wanted to know.

You're right, it was meant to teach, or at least share what I know. But additionally I did like Larry's line about juice leaking out being overrated. Where that's really a concern is cutting into meat too soon after it's been roasted.

[/quote]

You're right, it was meant to teach, or at least share what I know. But additionally I did like Larry's line about juice leaking out being overrated. Where that's really a concern is cutting into meat too soon after it's been roasted.[/quote]


Yes, that's precisely where all the juicy problems are. One must allow recirculation time, the larger the cut the more time required. I poke small holes in several different kinds of roasts and put garlic in them, not really a problem.

Oh, the sirloin is not usually roasted because the muscles run in different directions making it difficult to carve across the grain - as one should always do with a roast.

I was at Cash & Carry (kind of a restaurant supply open to the public) the other day buying stuff needed for a large event, and while there I happened to stumble upon some whole top sirloins, a cut I love in a steak but have never encountered in roasted form. Under $25 for a 10 pounder, so I drug one home and this morning, I slit a bunch of pockets into it and stuffed those with a mixture of salt, rosemary and fresh garlic. It's in the oven right now. I can't imagine what about that won't be great, but I'm curious about why this cut is apparently passed over for the kind of treatment I'm giving this one now (unless they're tied back to back to create the buffet staple, baron of beef). It is not, at least here on the left coast, ever sold this way in supermarkets.

Any opinions or clues?

Jenise, you and Bob are 2, We are 2 as well, what does 2 do with all the left over sirloin from a 10 pounder?

Vacuum pack them and mail them to me!

[Jenise]

Oh, the sirloin is not usually roasted because the muscles run in different directions making it difficult to carve across the grain - as one should always do with a roast.

Exactly what I learned. And the result is meat that's not exactly pretty to look at. But it sure was flavorful and tender. As for the leftovers, one convenes a spontaneous meeting of the Christmas party planners, one of whom has relatives in town, and suddenly you have 12 people sitting at picnic tables on your barren concrete floors having a really good time. Not much leftover.

Yes, let the roast sit for a while to redistribute its juices before carving.

To further elucidate my original answer. Muscles are cells connected together. If you poke one, the others don't leak. Meat is not a balloon.

And if most or all of the juices leaked out when slitting meat for stuffing, how would butchers ever cut steaks off a carcass? You'd have to roast an entire cow or other critter.