Sirloin primal · Beef cut guide
Top Sirloin
Top sirloin is a beef steak cut from the upper portion of the sirloin primal, behind the short loin and above the bottom sirloin. It is leaner and firmer than ribeye or strip and more flavorful than tenderloin, with moderate marbling. Top sirloin is the centre-cut sirloin steak in US butchery; in the UK the same anatomical cut is sold as rump steak and in Argentina as cuadril.
Anatomy and naming
What this cut actually is
The sirloin primal sits between the short loin and the round and is split into top sirloin (gluteus medius) and bottom sirloin (where tri-tip and ball-tip come from). Top sirloin is the upper, more tender portion. Steaks cut from the centre of top sirloin are the most uniform; those toward the edges have more connective tissue.
Top sirloin is the everyday workhorse steak in most countries. It eats with more chew than ribeye or strip but punches well above its price for flavor and value. Trimmed of its fat cap and sold in 6 to 12 oz portions it is one of the most commonly ordered restaurant steaks worldwide.
Also known as
Top sirloin steak · Sirloin butt · Centre-cut sirloin · Rump steak (UK) · Cuadril (Argentina)
Top Sirloin sits in the sirloin primal, highlighted in red
How to spot a good one
Visual markers
Moderate marbling, lighter than ribeye but more than tenderloin
Bright cherry-red lean color, fine but firm grain
A thin fat cap on one edge; some retailers trim it off entirely
No large connective-tissue seams running through the steak
A consistent thickness end-to-end if the steak is portioned from the centre cut
Cooking, on Pro
Cook top sirloin like its grade
MeatGrader Pro gives you a cooking guide tailored to the exact cut and quality grade in front of you. Temperature, time, primary and alternative methods, resting, pairings.
A USDA Prime top sirloin gets a different guide than a Choice top sirloin, and an A5 BMS 9 wagyu cut gets something else again. Generic recipes do not know which one you have. Pro does.
Free with 3 analyses on signup. Pro is $1.99/month for unlimited analyses + the cooking guide.
How it grades
Grading top sirloin
Top sirloin carries the carcass grade assigned at the ribeye cross-section. Within a single grade, top sirloin shows visibly less marbling than ribeye from the same animal because the primal naturally carries less intramuscular fat. MeatGrader calibrates expectations to the cut, a Choice top sirloin is correctly identified as Choice rather than penalized for not looking like a Choice ribeye.
FAQ
Common questions about top sirloin
What people ask most about picking, cooking, and grading this cut.
Related cuts
Other cuts to know
Score any top sirloin from a photo
Photograph your top sirloin and see how it grades against the regional system you select.