Tenderloin and sirloin cuts are popular for soups and stews, with various vegetables and seasonings added. Some opt for an Asian twist, while others prefer to grill the meat with dry rubs or marinades.
The tenderloin cut is prized for being one of the most worked and tender areas of the cow, wedged between the ribs and well-muscled rump. Many chefs prefer to serve these cuts as tenderloin roasts and luscious steaks with names like bone-in and porterhouse. Others cut this meat into bite-sized cubes and make it the star of a soup full of veggies and intense flavor that might as well be called a stew.
Sirloin soup usually comes with tender sirloin meat that simmers deliciously in a soup, but the use of tips from other beef primes, or even other animals, would not be unprecedented. A true sirloin soup, however, will have sirloin cuts. These might be packaged as “tri-tip” roasts, beef tips, or steaks with names like triangle, porterhouse, bone-in, sirloin, mace, couleotte, or flat-bone. Those cuts marked top sirloin, from the region closest to the back, have the most tender reputation.
A soup that features a prime cut of steak often begins with the beef tips searing rapidly in a hot, oiled pot, along with complementary ingredients such as garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. This locks in the flavor and caramelizes the outside of the pieces. Once the exterior is slightly charred, the beef stock can be poured into the pot to deglaze and then simmered for at least half an hour. Some chefs also sprinkle the pieces with flour just before the broth enters, as well as any number of other spices such as oregano, bay leaves, coriander or basil.
Various vegetables can be added to complement the sirloin soup. Some of the most common are carrots, potatoes, celery and mushrooms. Since these vegetables each cook at a slightly different rate, they should be added in order from carrots and potatoes to celery and mushrooms near the end of a simmer, which generally takes about half an hour. All pieces should be cut into equal sized pieces to ensure each one is cooked consistently. As the vegetables approach fork tender, tomato paste can be added to thicken the broth and add a slight flavor.
Many forgo a Westernized approach to sirloin soup for something else. A recipe with an Asian twist, for example, might forgo the tomato paste in favor of ingredients like noodles, sprouts and green onions, as well as seasonings like fish paste, soy sauce, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and coriander. Others may give up the soup altogether and do what the bovines recommend: use the grill. Before doing so, many dry rub the sirloin with any number of flavor-enhancing seasonings such as garlic salt, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, and brown sugar. Another option is to use a marinade made with similar ingredients.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
