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 and Substitutions
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 herbs you have. Oregano, thyme, parsley, cilantro/coriander, rosemary or chives are all good options.
- Sirloin steak. My steaks were around 4-5cm (2in) thick. Choose a steak with a decent fat cap and plenty of marbling through the meat.
- Balsamic vinegar. I love the flavor Balsamic vinegar adds to steak marinade. A tablespoon of soy sauce can also be added.
- Extra-virgin olive oil.
- Salt and black pepper.
How To Grill Sirloin Steak
- Grilled sirloin steak marinade: Combine all the marinade ingredients and whisk well. Place the steaks in a dish or ziploc bag and pour over the marinade. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes but up to 24 hours in the fridge.
- Cook: Cook the steaks according to your preference.
- Allow to rest: Remove the steaks from the heat then allow to rest.
- Serve: Slice the steak into thick slices then serve with generous spoonfuls of the caper herb sauce.
How long to grill a sirloin steak
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 grates and cook to your preference.
- 2-3 minutes per side for rare. (125ºF/51ºC internal temperature on a meat thermometer)
- 3-4 minutes for medium-rare to medium. (140ºF/60ºC internal temperature)
- 5-6 minutes for well done. (160ºF/71ºC internal temperature)
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 is 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.
Ingredients
- 800 g (1.7lbs) sirloin steak
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
To serve
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and pour over the steaks. Make sure the steak is well-covered on both sides then cover and allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge. Remove the steak from the fridge an hour before cooking.
- Preheat your grill for 10-15 minutes then cook the steaks to your preference. 2-3 minutes per side for rare. 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium. 5-6 minutes per side for well done.
- 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.
- Make the sauce by combining the capers, herbs and garlic with olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste.
- To serve, slice the steak in thick slices then dress with the steak. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
Nutrition
FAQ
Depending on the thickness of your steak, 2-3 minutes per side will result in rare steak, 3-4 minute per side will deliver medium rare steak and 5-6 minutes per side will give you a well-done steak.
Sirloin steaks (also called Strip Steak or New York Strip) is a great cut of beef to grill. The meat is more tender than rump but more flavorful than fillet/filet mignon. Sirloin can be cooked on a charcoal grill or a gas grill.
Marinating steak in a marinade with vinegar or lemon juice will help to tenderize the meat before grilling. Adding aromatics like garlic and herbs will also flavor the meat giving you the most delicious steak once cooked.