The cost of living is getting higher. How many times a day do we hear or read that in the news and on social media?
The majority of posts on this blog feature expensive cuts of meat.
With the cost of food rising, I need to increase my consumption of more economical cuts. I will limit buying the more expensive cuts of meat.
Most days, lunch is supermarket bought beef mince (ground beef for North American readers).
To break up the monotony, other “economical” cuts include chuck and brisket.
This beef brisket cost about $AUD30 for about 1.8 kg. That’s roughly $AUD17/kg.
Most of the scotch fillet steak or rump steak I buy is more expensive than that. This is particularly true if the meat is Coorong Black Angus beef.
This piece of brisket will give me with eight serves ($AUD3.75).
Recipe
Tonight I prepared some beef brisket meat with a creamy sauce, some broccolini, and sourdough bread.
Ingredients
Brisket — Initially cooked in a slow cooker for 8 hours. It was then refrigerated. For this meal, the brisket is finely diced.
Sourdough bread — organic sourdough bread frozen to develop resistant starch, and then thawed and toasted.
Broccolini
Swiss brown mushrooms
Cream cheese
Blue vein cheese
Pure pouring cream
Beef fat — the fat separated from the cooking liquor from the slow cooker.
Beef broth — the cooking liquor from the slow cooker.
Butter
Equipment
Frypan
Kettle
Instructions
Add the diced beef, beef broth, and beef fat to the frypan. Gently heat the contents until the liquid has evaporated. Continue heating until the meat has softened. Set the reheated brisket aside.
Sauté the mushrooms in butter. The mushrooms will soften when they have absorbed the water from the butter. Then, add crumbled blue vein cheese and the cream cheese. Stir slowly and thoroughly. Finish with a dash of pure pouring cream and season with freshly cracked black peppercorns.
Parboil the broccolini with boiling water from the kettle.
Place the toasted sourdough bread on a dinner plate. Place the broccolini on the toast. Spoon the brisket next to the bread. Spoon the sauce over the broccolini and bread and let the rest settle next to the meat.
Thoughts on the meal
While beef short rib meat is more unctuous, as a cheaper cut, brisket is pretty good.
Beef and blue vein cheese go well together and combine well on the toast which adds a crunchy mouthfeel.
The broccolini adds some colour to the dish.
Photographs
These are photographs of the meal. Select one and then scroll through the rest.
Questions
What is your favourite “cheap” cut of beef?
Do you like brisket? How do you cook it?
Do you eat leftovers for lunch?
Some of the other meals from this brisket
Other photographs
Some other photographs from this week.
Beef brisket. Slowly cooked beef brisket reheated in a frypan with beef fat and beef broth. Served on sourdough bread, which had been frozen to develop resistant starch. The photograph features a Dolphins NRL plate.
I was participating in a Microsoft Teams chat with some colleagues, and the subject of “butter making everything better” came up (again). Friends at work know I’m fond of butter.
One friend (BC) said she feels the same way about cheese. I agreed and mentioned how I like a soft cheese with steak.
Another friend (ER) queried the combination, to which BC specified blue cheese (also BC) with steak.
As much as I’m happy to place a hunk of blue cheese next to a steak, tonight I thought I’d go a step further and make a blue cheese sauce with cream (also known as pre-butter) plus actual butter.
Tonight I served myself the blue cheese sauce with a piece of Coorong black angus rump cap, which I cooked sous vide for approximately 3 hours at 57 °C. The steak weighed approximately 320 grams.
Recipe
Ingredients
60 mL (¼ cup) cream
30 g (2 tablespoons) blue cheese crumbles
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (optional)
15 g (1 tablespoon) of butter (optional — but not)
Instructions
Place the butter, cream and blue cheese crumbles in a small saucepan.
Warm over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until the cheese begins to melt.
Continue to cook for 3–5 minutes, until the mixture bubbles gently and thickens to a saucy consistency.
Remove from heat, season with a crack of black pepper, and spoon directly over your cooked steak.
Nutritional Information (per serving)
Net Carbs
Total Carbs
Fat
Protein
Calories
2 g
2 g
26 g
4 g
254 kcal
This recipe yields approximately 2 g of net carbs per serving, making it suitable for a ketogenic way of eating (assuming the daily intake of carbohydrates remains <20 g).
Tips and Variations
To serve two people, double the amount of all ingredients.
For extra richness, whisk in 1 tablespoon (15 g) of unsalted butter along with the cream.
Stir in chopped chives or a dash of white wine vinegar at the end for freshness.
Best served immediately—if reheated, the fats may separate.
Pairing Suggestions
A juicy scotch fillet steak, cooked to medium-rare, amplifies the creaminess of the sauce. Cooking meat too rare can result in an unattractive mix of red meat juices and pale sauce. While choosing well-done is an option, I do not like well-done steak. I find for a fat-rich steak, 57 to 58 °C a good temperature. You’ll find a lot of sous vide experts who recommend 55 °C. The fat doesn’t render as well at that temperature in my experience.
Pair with a low-carb side, such as garlic and butter sautéed spinach or roasted asparagus.
Photographs
Thoughts on the meal
I enjoyed tonight’s meal. Cutting the steak into slices so I could dip each piece into a small pot of blue cheese sauce felt luxurious. The umami-rich, beefy, thick, and juicy steak pairs perfectly with the salty-umami and funky flavours of the blue cheese, creating a harmonious blend of flavours and textures. It was almost Holy Matrimony. Being a lover of fat, the fat and the blue cheese also combined well.
Questions
Have you tried blue cheese and steak? What did you think?
Do you have any tips on making a blue cheese sauce?
How would you serve blue cheese and steak if you were cooking?
In Australia, the boneless sirloin steak is a popular, versatile cut of beef prized for its balanced flavour and firm but tender texture. it is trimmed and free of the bone, lending itself to a wide range of cooking methods and everyday meals. Internationally, a very cut is often simply known as the “sirloin steak” or “striploin steak” – with the United States frequently referring to a similar cut as the “top sirloin steak”, and European markets leaning towards the “sirloin” or “striploin” designation. These nomenclature differences are largely a matter of regional butchery traditions rather than fundamental differences in the meat itself.
Anatomy in Bos taurus
The boneless sirloin steak is sourced from the sirloin region of Bos taurus, the domestic cattle. This area is found in the hindquarter, just in front of the rump. Within this region, the meat is typically divided into the top and bottom sections, with the top sirloin being the preferred portion for its superior tenderness and moderate marbling. Anatomically, the muscle fibres are long and fine, offering both strength and a satisfying chew. Removing the bone results in a clean, easily portioned cut that highlights the natural grain and lean quality of the meat, while still preserving enough intramuscular fat to impart a rich flavour.
Cooking and Eating Characteristics
The boneless sirloin steak exhibits a fine balance between flavour and texture. Its characteristics include:
Flavour and texture: The steak offers a pronounced beefy flavour that’s both rich and satisfying, yet it remains lean enough to avoid overt greasiness. Its firm structure—with well-defined muscle fibres—ensures a pleasant chew without being tough when cooked correctly.
Eating Experience: When cooked to a medium-rare or medium doneness, the steak arrives at the table juicy and tender, providing a contrast between the flavour and the texture of the meat. Overcooking, can quickly render the cut dry due to its lean nature.
Cooking techniques
To optimise the texture and flavour of boneless sirloin steak, several cooking methods are favoured:
Barbecue cooking: A high-temperature barbecue grill plate is good for achieving a seared exterior that locks in juices and producing a caramelised crust. This method preserves the steak’s inherent tenderness while accentuating its beefy flavour.
Pan searing: Using a heavy-based skillet allows for a rapid sear on high heat, which creates a flavourful crust. Finishing in a moderate-heat environment (or even in an oven) ensures that the steak cooks evenly throughout.
Sous vide with a finishing sear: Cooking the steak in a water bath achieves a consistent internal temperature, followed by a quick sear in a hot pan or on the barbecue grill. This method preserves juiciness and tenderness.
Grilling: When using an oven, grilling mimics the high-heat effect of using a hot barbecue grill plate. By monitoring the steak, you can achieve a similar crust and maintain the integrity of the meat’s interior. In North America, this method is called broiling.
Each of these techniques focuses on balancing a well-developed exterior sear with a juicy, evenly cooked interior, all while acknowledging the inherent lean quality and flavour profile of the cut.
Nutritional Profile
The boneless sirloin steak is nutrient dense. There is some variation based on the specific cut and cattle diet, an approximate breakdown per 100 grams is as follows:
Nutrient
Approximate Value per 100 g
Energy
~210 kcal
Protein
25–30 g
Total Fat
10–12 g
Saturated Fat
~4 g
Carbohydrates
0 g
Why Some People Do Not Like Boneless Sirloin Steak
The boneless sirloin steak, though widely appreciated, isn’t universally loved. Some common reasons include:
Texture variability: Its firm consistency can be a drawback for those who favour the ultra-tender nature of cuts like the fillet. When overcooked, it can quickly become dry.
Insufficient marbling: Although the sirloin offers a rich beef flavour, some prefer a more buttery, soft texture—often found in more heavily marbled cuts such as scotch fillet.
Flavour intensity: The beefy flavour might be too pronounced for individuals who enjoy subtler flavours or who are sensitive to the inherent intensity of red meat.
Cooking challenges: Achieving the perfect doneness across the entire steak can be challenging. An improperly cooked sirloin may result in an inconsistent texture, causing disappointment.
Ethical and environmental concerns: A subset of consumers opt out of red meat due to ethical, environmental, or dietary reasons, favouring plant-based proteins over traditional meat products.
Many Australians favour the boneless sirloin steak. Its lean yet flavourful properties lend themselves well to various cooking techniques that accentuate its natural qualities.
Recipe
Ingredients
Sirloin steak (550 grams, Coorong Black Angus)
Salt — cooking salt to dry brine, and flaky salt for final seasoning.
Pepper
Beef fat
Butter
Equipment
Water bath
Precision cooker
Barbecue grill
Gas torch
Instructions
Dry brine the meat.
Vacuum bag the meat.
Cook the meat for 3 hours at 57 °C.
Dry the surface of the meat with kitchen paper.
Sear the meat on a barbecue grill with a gas torch.
Slice the meat.
Salt and pepper the meat.
Eat the meat.
My thoughts on the meat
The meat was firm, yet tender and juicy.
I liked having a bit of fat on each piece.
Photographs
This is a gallery of images. Click on one and scroll through them.
Non-food photographs of the day
Why vegans have smaller brains: and how cows reverse climate change
I’m reading this book. When I finish I’ll share a review.
Ellis, David, Alison Morgan, and Anita Tagore. Why Vegans Have Smaller Brains: And How Cows Reverse Climate Change. Whitefox Publishing Ltd, 11 December 2024, 2024.
This meal nearly didn’t happen. I’ve been using my barbecue grill most days and the 9 kg ULPG tank I got about a year ago is nearly empty. I only realised just in the nick of time.
To compound the problem, the 468 g canister of propane I use for my gas torch was empty.
Vacuum bag the steak and cook it for 3 hours at 57 °C in a water bath.
At the end of the 3 hours, heat the cast-iron griddle pan on the barbecue grill.
Remove the meat from the bag and use absorbent kitchen paper to dry the steak’s surfaces.
Place the steak on the hot cast-iron griddle pan and sear the upper surface with a gas torch.
Turn the steak and sear the other side.
Place the steak on a cutting board.
Dissect the meat.
Slice the meat.
Salt the meat.
Eat the meat.
Thoughts on the meal
I thought the meal was good. It was a large piece of steak (568 grams [20 ounces]), so I kept some for lunch tomorrow.
Normally I eat grass-fed steak. This grain-fed steak was tender and juicy, but it didn’t taste as beefy. In the absence of a rib bone, the flavour was a little lacking.
Photographs
This is a gallery of images. Click on one and scroll through the rest.
It has been a long time since I enjoyed a crumbed steak. As a kid Mum would make crumbed steak. She’d tenderise the meat by beating it with an empty glass soft drink bottle. Mum would make the breadcrumbs from stale bread which she lightly toasted.
The process was simple, beat the meat, flour the meat, egg the meat, crumb the meat, fry the meat, serve the meat, and then eat the meat.
Mum’s crumbed steak was so good, when she made it there was always a spare couple of steaks so whoever was still hungry would have more. I used to spit on those steaks while my brothers were watching so I could get those extra steaks.
These days I don’t have bread at home nor flour and does anyone make glass soft drink bottles anymore?
I bought this single steak from my butcher. It weighed 216 grams and cost me $AUD4.32.
An easy way to cook crumbed steak is to shallow fry it in beef fat.
I keep a small shallow cast iron griddle pan on my barbecue grill. After I cook a scotch fillet steak I leave the rendered fat in the pan. I had enough accumulated fat to fry my steak. For a flavour kick, I also added a good wodge (British English informal for a large piece or amount of something) of butter.
This piece of crumbed steak took about 8 minutes to cook.
