Sirloin.
The back of the loin. Leaner steaks with big beef flavour, and the tri-tip.
Beef sirloin cooks to the doneness you like, at or above the USDA minimum of 145 F with a 3 minute rest. It is not a low-and-slow cut.
Where it comes from
The rear sub-primal of the FSIS loin. Top sirloin steaks grill well; the tri-tip roast, which the Beef Board describes as boneless, fairly tender and full-flavoured, is the Santa Maria barbecue cut: roast or grill, then slice across a grain that changes direction partway along the roast.
USDA FSIS primal: loin. Nine regions, matching the Beef Board retail chart convention where the loin is shown as short loin and sirloin.
- Best methods:
- grill, roast, smoke then sear (tri-tip)
- Slice:
- Across the grain; on tri-tip, find the two grain directions and cut each half separately.
- Rest:
- 10 minutes for a tri-tip.
Scores are Pit Log editorial, anchored to FSIS tenderness notes.
What you will see at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top sirloin steak | grill | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Lean; do not push past medium. |
| Tri-tip roast | smoke then sear, grill, roast | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Beef Board: roast or grill then slice across the grain. The grain changes direction at the bend. |
| Sirloin bavette / flap | grill | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Beef Board: hearty texture, marinate and grill; fajita meat. |
Safe. Then done.
145 F (62.8 C), then rest at least 3 minutes before carving or consuming
Steaks, chops and roasts (whole muscle). Food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle, read before removing from the heat source. This is a food safety floor, not a preference. Where any other number on this page is lower, this one governs.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, page updated 2025-04-14, read 2026-09-02.
Tri-tip: 60 to 90 minutes at 225 F then a sear. Approximate.
beef industry
Steaks and roasts, final temperature after rest. Culinary preference, as published by the industry body cited below.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Medium rare | 145 F, rest at least 3 minutes | At or above the minimum. |
| Medium | 160 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 170 F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: Roasts rise 5 to 15 F after leaving the heat; allow 15 to 20 minutes standing time.
beef convention
Steaks, steakhouse and pitmaster convention, pull temperatures. Culinary preference, barbecue convention.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120 to 125 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium rare | 130 to 135 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium | 140 to 145 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium well | 150 to 155 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 160+ F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: Craft convention: 5 to 10 F rise on a steak during a 5 to 10 minute rest.
Rare, medium-rare and medium figures are culinary preference ranges that fall below the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 145 F with a 3 minute rest. USDA does not consider them safe. Where the two differ, the USDA minimum governs.
More on the beef temperature page and the full chart.
Smoke
- Oak (Santa Maria tradition is red oak): Balanced, clean, dependable. The all-purpose smoke and the Central Texas standard (post oak).
- Hickory: Bold, savoury, bacon-like. The classic pork and rib smoke; heavy-handed on poultry.
What ruins it
- 01Slicing tri-tip in one direction end to end.
- 02Cooking tri-tip to a collagen window; it is a steak-style cut.
Cook it
- Santa Maria-Inspired Tri-Tip
Garlic, salt, pepper and red oak. Smoked to just under the target, seared, rested, and sliced across both grain directions.
- Instant-read thermometerThe single tool FSIS says is the only reliable way to know food is safe. Appears on every cut page.
- Slicing knife (brisket knife)Slice-against-the-grain pages: brisket, tri-tip, flank, leg of lamb.
- Large cutting board with juice grooveRest and slice surface for large cuts.
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Then write down what happened
Pit temp, wood, wrap, final temp, rest, result. The chart says what usually works. Your log says what worked for you.