Top Sirloin Roast Vs Sirloin Tip Roast: How They Compare

Steaks get all the glory, but beef roasts like top sirloin and sirloin tip are the real showstoppers. Bringing out a perfectly browned centerpiece of beef and slicing into it to reveal a juicy red center is as perfect and dramatic as hosting gets. And let's be honest, most people are a whole lot more excited to see that medium-rare beef than they are for a slab of turkey breast. But unlike roast chicken or turkey, beef roasts present you with a lot of options for cuts of beef to choose from, and the differences between them are genuinely meaningful. Some like rib roast and tenderloin are well known enough that you probably have a good idea of what you're getting into, but once you delve into unclear terms like top sirloin and sirloin tip, it can get overwhelming.

And confusing those two names are, because despite the word appearing in both, only the top sirloin actually comes from the sirloin section of the cow. Both are flavorful cuts of beef from near the back of the cow and both can make juicy and deliciously seasoned roast beef, but the different sections they come from mean they differ in texture and marbling, which makes a big difference when you are trying to cook them. It also means that the price won't be the same, which is meaningful when you are buying multi-pound roasts. So what are you getting with top sirloin and sirloin tip?

Top sirloin cuts of all kind come from the sirloin itself, which is the large primal section of the cow between the ribs and hips. Beef that gets more work and carries more weight tends to be tougher, so cuts from the back of the cow tend to be leaner and not as tender as cuts from the center and front. However the sirloin is close enough to the rib that it's more tender than the other cuts at the back of the cow, and it still has some fat, although it's not as soft as the nearby tenderloin. Top sirloin is tender enough that it is usually divided into steaks, including top sirloin steaks and coulotte steaks, but you can also get larger top sirloin roasts made from the same undivided cuts.

Top sirloin roast is lean, but it's position on the cow means it's very beefy and flavorful, making it an excellent choice for roasting. The leanness of the cut means you should be careful not to overcook a top sirloin roast and should aim for a medium-rare finish around 130 degrees Fahrenheit, as it will go from firm to outright tough at higher temperatures. Top sirloin roasts' mix of tenderness and strong flavor makes it very versatile, and it's good as a straight up roast but can also be slow-cooked as a pot roast, smoked, and grilled. However, it's desirability means it can be more expensive than other, tougher roast cuts.

Sirloin tip is one name for a cut of beef that actually goes by several other names, and you may see it labeled as beef knuckle or round tip. That last term would be more accurate because, despite the name, the sirloin tip isn't cut from the sirloin: It's a type of round roast. It only gets that sirloin name on a technicality since it's located next to the sirloin. On the rear of the cow, the round gets a lot of work and produces some of the leanest and toughest cuts. While most cuts from the round are either top round or bottom round, the sirloin tip is separate from both, being cut from the front of the cow's legs.

Sirloin tip roasts are similar to top sirloin and are quite flavorful but, because they come from the round, they are even leaner and tougher. This has the benefit of making them more affordable, but they are also more difficult to cook and less versatile. While they can be cut into steak, the sirloin tip is really only best for braising, slow roasting, or being made into ground beef. As a roast, the sirloin tip should be cooked to medium-rare at most to prevent it from getting tough and should be sliced thin and against the grain to make it easier to cut and chew. But if you take those precautions, it can produce a tasty piece of roast beef at a good price.