tough sirloin steak

Hi All,

The place I get 40 lb packs of grass fed, free range beef from usually subsitutes the two serloin steaks with hamburger as they are too tough.  They forgot this time.

Is there any way to make them tender?  Or just cook them like normal and cut LITTLE bites?

Many thanks,
-T

You could try slow cooking, very slowly crock pot style with some sort of acid, like a little balsamic vinegar which pairs nicely with steak.

Possibly pressure cooking might help too.

Or slice thin and stir fry.

Maybe someone else will chime in.

I think it depends on how thick they are. If they are over an inch thick, you could try the reverse sear method. Heat in a low oven (225F) until it is about ten degrees below desired temperature, then sear, broil or grill quickly to brown. The slow heat up helps to tenderize.

If they are thinner, then try very high heat quick sear, and then slice thinly to serve.

If nothing works, you could chop or grind and make chili or burgers.

Casserole.

First chop the meat into chunks, then toss in paprika or curry powder.  

Heat frypan with a little fat and brown a chopped onion, garlic and sliced carrots for a few minutes. Remove the veges into the slow cooker.

Now brown your meat for a few minutes then add to the slow cooker.

Deglaze the pan, water will do or a little wine.  Add this delicious tastiness to the slow cooker.  

Tip over a tin or tomato puree or chopped tomatoes, it will probably need salt too.  Put the lid on and cook all day.  It should not be tough after all that.




There is a similar recipe here: https://damndelicious.net/2016/10/07/slow-cooker-beef-stew/ But the disadvantage (to me) is that first you add 3 cups of broth which makes it really really runny, too runny to eat. Then you thicken it all with flour, which is not primal at all. I have found I don't need much liquid at all, just enough to cover the vegetables and moisten the meat, it doesn't need to be swimming in it (unlike in the oven). My slow cooker is literally very slow, so it doesn't dry out.

I agree on the low and slow. Also, Annie's idea on tomatoes has an added acid factor. Think tomatoes, lemon, vinegar - you don't need a lot, but they help break down the fibrousness (not a word, really).

Also, from here: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-tough-meat-tender/

8 Simple Ways to Make Tough Meat Tender

Physically tenderize the meat. For tough cuts like chuck steak, a meat mallet can be a surprisingly effective way to break down those tough muscle fibers. ...
Use a marinade. ...
Don't forget the salt. ...
Let it come up to room temperature. ...
Cook it low-and-slow. ...
Hit the right internal temperature. ...
Rest your meat. ...
Slice against the grain.

Good luck!

Crock pot or instantpot on slow cook for many hours would soften them up. One thing we do is put tougher cuts in the sous vide. It's a great apparatus for tougher cuts.

Thank you all!

I cut it into small strips and that tamed it.

ONTARIO wrote:Crock pot or instantpot on slow cook for many hours would soften them up. One thing we do is put tougher cuts in the sous vide. It's a great apparatus for tougher cuts.

I have other tougher cuts of meat I put down the pressure cooker. They come out very tender (falls apart). But they are
so revoltingly dry. I gave my crock pot away as it was a electric food dryer. I have had some luck with round steak just letting
it sit in a covered pan all day after heating it up, but this is hard to do as I need the pans for other things whilst I am cooking.

Thank you for the help!

A little late - but in case it happens again - or for anyone else reading: Rub down the steak with Kosher Salt. Let sit at room temp for 2 hours, then rinse off before grilling. Seems to work pretty good on the tough grass feed steaks we've been getting.

tomi1000 wrote:A little late - but in case it happens again - or for anyone else reading:  Rub down the steak with Kosher Salt.  Let sit at room temp for 2 hours, then rinse off before grilling.  Seems to work pretty good on the tough grass feed steaks we've been getting.

Hi Tomi,

Thank you!

If you would suffer some follow up questions, please treat me like a novice here:

1) What do you mean by "Rub"?

2) Why Kosher Salt? I use Redmond Real salt. Is there some chemical difference that would affect the process?
http://realsalt.redmond.life/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/05/Real-Salt-Analysis.pdf

3) after rinsing, do you add butter or anything to the pan? Hot pan / cold pan ?

4) what is the relationship to this and "brining" chicken?

5) Will this also work on tough roasts?

Many thanks,
-T