Sirloin tip, also called knuckle or round tip in North America, is a group of muscles from the front portion of the beef round near the hip and knee. In British butchery it is often associated with thick flank or related leg cuts; French terminology may include tranche grasse, although exact equivalence varies by fabrication system.
The sirloin tip is a relatively lean section with several muscles and connective seams. It is commonly sold whole as a roast, cut into steaks or diced for kebabs and stews. The muscle composition and trim can vary, so the supplier’s cut specification is important.
Sirloin tip can be roasted, braised, sliced for stir-fry or portioned into kebabs. Whole roasts benefit from careful temperature control and slicing across the grain. Steaks and kebab portions should be cut consistently; tougher sections may benefit from marination or moist cooking rather than quick grilling.
Example: roast a sirloin-tip joint and slice thinly for sandwiches, or cut the suitable muscles into cubes for skewers with vegetables.
Despite the name, sirloin tip is part of the round, not the same cut as top sirloin from the sirloin primal. The two cuts differ in muscle structure, tenderness and cooking behaviour.
Chef’s tip: specify whether the supplier is providing a whole knuckle, trimmed centre muscle or diced product. These differences affect yield, portioning and menu cost.
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