Spice-Rubbed Grilled Flap Meat (Sirloin Tip) Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Aug. 30, 2018
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Flap meat, also known as sirloin tip, is one of the most tender and flavorful cuts for your dollar. The key is to use a great spice rub for flavor and to slice thinly against the grain for tenderness.

Recipe Details

Spice-Rubbed Grilled Flap Meat (Sirloin Tip) Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, toasted

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seed, toasted

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted

  • 1 teaspoon cumin pods, toasted

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

  • 1 whole flap meat steak, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. Combine pepper, coriander, fennel, cumin, red pepper flakes, and oregano in a mortar and pestle and grind until coarsely crushed. Alternatively pulse in a spice grinder or food processor until coarsely crushed (not powdered). Transfer to a small bowl. Add garlic and oil and mix with a fork to combine. Rub spice paste over all surfaces of meat, massaging it to work mixture into crevices.

  2. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

  3. Season steak liberally with salt. Place over hot side of grill and cook, turning frequently, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 125°F and a charred crust has formed on the surface (if threatening to burn, cook over middle of grill or over cool side of grill as necessary), about 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.

  4. Cut steak into quarters cross-wise (with the grain), then rotate each quarter by 90°F and slice thinly against the grain. Serve immediately.

Special equipment

Grill

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
637 Calories
40g Fat
3g Carbs
64g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 637
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 51%
Saturated Fat 13g 63%
Cholesterol 145mg 48%
Sodium 627mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 64g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 9mg 47%
Potassium 992mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)