Grilled sirloin steak with caper herb sauce

Grilled sirloin steak cooked to a perfect medium rare served with caper herb sauce is a delicious, fast recipe perfect for dinner.

Ingredients needed

The steak itself is simply seasoned with Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper. The caper sauce is inspired by chimichurri sauce and is full of vibrant flavor and is the perfect way to bring out the most out of the steak’s beefy flavor. I like using a combination of fresh herbs and you can use any fresh herbs you have. Oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary or chives are all good options.

• Sirloin steak. My steaks were around 4-5cm (2in) thick. 
• Balsamic vinegar. 
• Olive oil. 
• Capers. I used capers in brine. If you are using salt-packed capers, rinse them before using.
• Parsley.
• Rosemary.
• Fresh garlic.
• Fresh lemon juice.
• Salt and pepper.

How to grill sirloin steak

1. Marinate: Combine Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Pour over steaks and allow to marinade for at least 20 minutes but up to 24 hours, covered in the fridge. However, if you’re crunched for time the steaks can be cooked pretty much immediately, just be sure to baste it with the marinade while it grills. You could also pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season simply with salt and pepper if you’re in a rush.
2. Grill: Take the steaks out of the fridge an hour before cooking to allow them to come up to room temperature. Room temperature steak will cook more evenly than steak straight from the fridge. Preheat your grill/braai for 15 minutes. You can cook the steaks in a cast iron skillet or pan set over medium high heat too. I prefer cooking steak over high heat/hot coals because I want good color while keeping the interior rare to medium rare. Place the steaks on the grill and cook to your preference.
   – 2-3 minutes per side for rare. (125ºF/51ºC internal temperature)
   – 3-4 minutes for medium-rare to medium. (140ºF/60ºC internal temperature)
   – 5-6 minutes for well done. (160ºF/71ºC internal temperature)
3. Allow to rest: Remove the steak from the heat and place on a plate/board. Cover loosely with foil if preferred and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes but if your steak is very big, 10 minutes will probably be best. This allows the juices to redistribute back into the meat and not run out onto the cutting board or your plate and makes sure the steak is super juicy and tender.

How to make caper herb sauce

1. While the steak rests, make the sauce by combining roughly chopped capers, finely chopped parsley and rosemary and garlic with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
2. Serve: Slice the steak into thick slices then serve with generous spoonfuls of the caper herb sauce.

Can I make this ahead?

The steak can be marinated up to 24 hours in advance. The sauce can be made a few days ahead and kept in a jar in the fridge. The sauce is also delicious on pork or chicken so leftovers won’t go to waste.

Serving suggestions

The steak and caper sauce are great served with crispy potatoes and a salad. You could add a side dish of vegetables too but keep it simple. If you want another sauce recipe, try my mushroom sauce for steak.

1. Crispy salt and pepper smashed potatoes
2. Easy tomato feta green bean salad
3. Corn and grilled zucchini salad
4. Easy oven baked fries

Steak recipes

1. Steak with gorgonzola sauce
2. Grilled steak with blistered tomatoes
3. Steak salad with tomatoes and goat’s cheese
4. My mom’s Chicken fried steak