The Sirloin is the area of the cow between the Short Loin and the Round (or the back of the cow and the back hip of the cow.) There are several different muscles in this area, including a bit of Tenderloin, Top Sirloin, Sirloin Butt and Bottom Sirloin Butt.Some of these muscles get more of a workout by the cow than others. Consequently, the cuts are less tender than cuts from the Short Loin or Rib, and therefore less expensive. Nevertheless, they are still tender and very flavourful, and are preferred by many beef enthusiasts.
The meat is lean, but with good marbling. Steaks, roasts and Ground Beef are made from the Sirloin.
Cooking Tips
Dry heat cooking.
Literature & Lore
The proper name is actually Beef Loin Sirloin, but the loin in the middle is considered redundant by most people and simply dropped. Sirloin likely comes from the French word for sirloin, “sur longe”, which means “on or over the loin”. It is relatively safe to discount the story you may hear about King Henry the 8th knighting a roast beef and calling it “Sir Loin”. The Scots’ version has James VI of Scotland (who was James I of England) doing the knighting near Hoghton Towers in Lancashire in a pub which is still there and called “The Sirloin”.