Top Sirloin

~Grilled Teriyaki Beef Sautes~

Prep time: 20 Min's

Top Sirloin

Bamboo Skewers 

Teriyaki Sauce

WHOLE TOP SIRLOIN

 With the Summer grilling season quickly approaching, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share a quick and tasty way to prepare a Summer favorite. I took the luxury of purchasing a whole Top  Sirloin just for the heck of it, oh... and to give you a crash course in processing one. 

The benefits to working with a whole Top Sirloin, of course, is  typically a better price per pound. Believe it or not, the majority of the average consumers don't realize the versatility of this particular cut. Virtually every restaurant has Sirloin on the menu in one form or another. Whether it be your basic Sirloin steak to the ever popular Sirloin burger, Top Sirloin represents the "Happy medium" of lean meat, tenderness, and flavor. 

*Note- Soak bamboo or wooden skewers in water prior to use. I had mine soaking before anything else. Doing so will help prevent the skewer from burning when cooking.

 The Breakdown

The Top Sirloin can be broken down  by removing the  lifter meat, also referred to as the "Cap", from the Top Sirloin. The lifter is a triangular shaped muscle, that, in my personal opinion, is preferable to a typical Top Sirloin cut. Removing the "Cap" is quick and easy to separate, as demonstrated by my 16 year old son Elijah. 

First, locate the natural "seam" where the "Cap" and the Top Sirloin meet. Don't be shy... shove your fingers into the seam and pull open. Next, cut through the fat connecting the bottom edge of the "Cap" to the Sirloin. You'll notice the triangular shape to the lifter once you do so. Finally, while holding the "Cap" away from the Sirloin, cut to separate as shown. 

Remember to always keep safety in mind when handling anything sharp! Hopefully, like that knife your using to cut with. Lol!

As a professional, I have the proper safety equipment like the steel mesh cutting glove being used. Please keep track of your finger location with every knife stroke. Always cut with safety in mind!

Trim it up

If your looking to please, your best bet is to give it a good trim. Being careful not to over trim, remove everything. Then cut into long, thin strips. I split the cap twice horizontally giving me three thinner whole cuts to work with. 

The length of the strip is defiantly not as important as the width and thickness. If its to thin, your chances of overcooking increase, to thick will be difficult to weave on the skewer. I like 1/2 inch thick by 1 inch wide and don't be afraid to fill them up with more than one strip on the skewer.

Bob and Weave

Using bamboo skewers are great  but always keep in mind to pre-soak them in water. Doing so will help them from burning over an open flame. Now, with your pre-soaked skewer in hand and starting at the end of the Sirloin strip, weave on to the skewer. Be careful! 

The Grill

Call me crazy but, there are only a few things in life that I truly Love... A Hot Grill is one of them! 

It is very easy to forget the world around you and the task at hand once you hear the sizzle of the grill so here's a reminder. Don't forget the Teriyaki sauce! 

Dinner Is Served!

Click to discover all of ~ My Alternate Personalities ~

Thank you for stopping by and don't be shy to leave a comment , some feedback, experiences, or just a hello. About me... I am a single father of two amazing teenage boys and recently married with a new addition to the family on her way. I love my trade as a Meat Cutter but realize it won't last forever. So I have ventured into affiliate marketing and my blog. Check back in a few months and lord willing we'll still be here doing great. Until next time. Grill On!                                                                                                                     ~FABIAN                            

Bacon Cheese Stuffed Tri-tip

Most certainly my favorite dish, well, next to Ribeye, is another top family pick. Stuffing a Tri-tip, like any other stuffed dish, is easier than one might think. Therefore, don't allow yourself to shy away from preparing such an enjoyable meal. 

Throughout the pages of Carnivorous Intent, I have often promoted enlisting the family in the dinner making process. Not only to enjoy some quality time with my wife and 2 teenage sons, but to build relationships and to share my skills with them. Tonight was one of the nights and they chose to make Bacon and Cheese stuffed Tri-tip. 

Beef Tri-tip

Applewood Smoked Bacon

Provolone Cheese

Bell Peppers

Mushrooms

Onions

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Choice of Sauce

Donna cooking the bacon

Elias cutting onions

Elijah cutting bell peppers

Prep time is much quicker when the whole family lends a hand. Donna,my fiance, is precooking the apple wood smoked bacon just the way she likes it. Elijah and Elias practicing their knife handling skills just like dad and when I wasn't playing photographer, I was preparing the meat. When it comes to stuffed Tri-tip, I prefer to trim the fat completely. I remove the silver side also, because when cooked, the silver side contracts and not only takes away from the presentation, but seems to affect the tenderness of the meat. 

The greatest benefit of the entire process is the team work that the whole family element brings. Trust me when I say it's an awesome feeling to have my kids come and ask, " What else can I do to help, dad?" I love it! Yes it can happen. A family approved meal that satisfies everyone and they are willing to help prepare... ding, ding, ding! Winner!

Sliced mushrooms

Sliced onions

 "A good meal can bring the whole family together!"

Butterflied Tri-tip

Tri-tip and Provolone cheese

Tri-tip, Provolone, Apple wood Bacon

Once all the prep work is complete, precook the bacon, cut all the vegetables, and trim the meat, it's time to stuff the Tri-tip. 

First, I begin with a layer of Provolone cheese. Next I add the cooked apple wood smoked bacon. Typically I would then incorporate my sauteed vegetables, but the kids talked me out of it. Probably to try and sneak by without having to eat any. Don't worry, they didn't! 

If there is nothing else to learn from this recipe, realize this, there is the possibility to combine any number of ingredients to suit every taste. I use a lot of bell peppers, onions and mushrooms in my dishes, not only for their ease of use, but because of the sweetness produced from cooking them. A raw bell pepper is certainly not appealing to any kids I know. Neither is, well, anything classified as a vegetable. I personally love the "stuffed" approach to cooking because with the mix of flavors that I am able to expose my kids to in a pleasant, enjoyable way, teaches them that produce is not only good for you, but good tasting too.

Fit to be tied

"Umm... I think it goes like this."

Elijah and Elias practicing a Butcher's knot

 Learning how to tie a butcher's knot is not such a difficult thing. It's teaching someone else that brings it's challenges. Check out the intense concentration on all our faces. It took a little time, but they got it.

"Over, around, under and through. That's how I teach my son's to tie their shoe... I mean tri-tip!"

Stuffed, Tied, and ready to cook

Sweet chili sauce

Mandarin teriyaki sauce

400 degrees for 20 mins per pound. Delicious!

Stuffed Tri-tip, sauteed veggies and salad

Update: Left Overs

Left overs are sometimes just as good, if not better, than the original dish. Here is what we did. I diced up the remaining tri- tip into small pieces and fried that up with some leftover spanish rice. Add cheese and plain yougurt, wrapped in a tortilla to make burritos! Yum!

Click to discover all of ~ My Alternate Personalities ~ Thank you for stopping by and don't be shy to leave a comment , some feedback, experiences, or just a hello. About me... I am a single father of two amazing teenage boys and on schedule to be married to my love Donna after a short 5 years together. I love my trade as a Meat Cutter but realize it won't last forever. So I have ventured into affiliate marketing and my blog. Check back in a few months and lord willing we'll still be here doing great. Until next time. Grill On!                                                                                                                     ~FABIAN                            

Pineapple Teriyaki Swiss Burger

Your Choice of Ground Beef

Mushrooms

Onion 

Pineapple

Swiss Cheese

Teriyaki Sauce

Olive Oil

Whole Wheat Buns

 Prep Time: 10- 15 mins

Thinly slice mushrooms and onion. Saute with olive oil over a medium-high heat until tender.

Kneed and shape burger patties to your preference. I like to shape into one large patty to desired thickness and then cut into patties with a knife.

Fresh cut Pineapple is the only way to go. Canned pineapple just doesn't give the same pop as fresh does. Fry or grill whole pineapple slices to soften the middle and if not cooked, cut the core out.

Top patty with cheese, sauteed veggies, pineapple, and teriyaki sauce.

                           

Click to discover all of ~ My Alternate Personalities ~  Thank you for stopping by and don't be shy to leave a comment , some feedback, experiences, or just a hello. About me... I am a single father of two amazing teenage boys and on schedule to be married to my love Donna after a short 5 years together. I love my trade as a Meat Cutter but realize it won't last forever. So I have ventured into affiliate marketing and my blog. Check back in a few months and lord willing we'll still be here doing great. Until next time. Grill On!                                                                                                                     ~FABIAN            

Tools of the trade

The Toolbox

What good would a mechanic or construction worker be without their tools? The same holds true to anyone in the business of retail production. As a Meat Cutter, I am no good without sturdy, dependable, and of course, sharp knives. Lets explore the hardware needed to keep up with production.

Every task requires the proper instrument in order to accomplish the task. I have a few, but certainly not all. So in order to perform  my job efficiently, I have the basics. A boning knife, a fillet knife, a butcher knife and a sharpening steel. Without these basic tools, I would be unable to produce.

 6" boning knife

The boning knife is an important item to have in the toolbox because of it's many uses other than what it's name implies. More often then not, this is the most used and there for, vital to a Meat Cutter. I realize that the larger "butcher" knives are much more appealing because,as we all know, the sight of those large blades brings horror flicks and zombies to mind. Unfortunately for you, that is not the topic of the day, so to speak. 

Think of the boning knife like a precision instrument. There's a range of sizes depending on what is being processed. The 6 inch is gonna be the most practical for processing beef, pork, and any other large animal. Of course the typical application would be to remove bone with a matter of precision, thus the light, shorter blade. With the availability of rigid and non- rigid, depending on the task and sometimes preference. A rigid blade won't give you much bend, if at all and a non-rigid will allow for some flexibility. I prefer a firmer blade because I find that without, it performs more like a fillet knife therefore, limiting the control. Regardless of which you prefer, the design is to allow maneuverability between, underneath, and around bones. These attributes provide for sharp, quick movements from one task to the other. Like removing the bone, trimming the fat and processing trimmings for stew and stir-fry. The boning knife is the most practical of the bunch.

8" fillet knife

The fillet knife is not a must have, but serves well in the toolbox. I do not use mine for 
it's general purpose of filleting fish, but rather, to accomplish any miscellaneous job duties such as splitting or piecing out a whole chicken. It is not rigid, allowing it to bend and is ideal for skinning fish fillets. Also, it can serve as a boning knife with a little more reach for those times you may need to bone out a bone in chuck.

The one shown here is a bit sentimental to me because it was the first knife I was given by my first mentor.  I have literally cut everything with this knife due to the fact that I did not have any other, nor could I afford any during the time I began my apprenticeship. Believe it or not, if you have bought or seen an item in the meat department of your local grocery store, I have cut it with only an 8 inch fillet knife at one time or another.

"The Big Dogs"

10" Forschner Victorinox  Granton edge w/ Fibrox handle #40638

10" Butcher Knife

Now, lets talk about the money makers! The butcher knives are the powerhouses in the meat cutting industry. Tempered steel with a Granton edge which helps to prevent suction allowing for a clean, even cut. Of them all, this is my choice. There isn't anything I couldn't cut with one of these. An excellent example of a tool of the trade. Big, sturdy and built to work. Trust me I've been there. 

Let me explain something. When I was apprenticing to learn this trade, I was instructed by an old meat cutter who had one saying, "I can teach any monkey to cut meat". That will either amuse you or upset you. Me, I wasn't amused. I am a proud man and I'm better than a monkey! Having said that, there are a lot of "monkeys" out there cutting meat, but there aren't a lot of Meat cutters! 

The 10 inch butcher knife is the balance I find between all the blades I have worked with. You must have a solid knife to cut everything. I mean everything. Short of cutting through bone, a Meat cutter will knife all his cuts. Why? A knife cuts a prettier piece that will retain better color for a longer period of time. I might not sell everything that I cut today. So, tomorrow, that cut will look just a fresh as it did today. On the other hand, cutting everything on a band saw is a bit more efficient, but definitely does not have the presentation that a knifed piece has to offer. 

"Machete"

12" Forschner Victorinox  Granton edge Scimetar w/ Rosewood handle #40232

12" Scimetar

This knife belonged to one tough lady. You read correctly. There are female Meat cutters too. She was all of about 5'2" and wielded a 12 inch blade that looked like a machete in her hand. You have to realize that this knife is all of 18 inches from end to end. Cutting with something like that is what we call "pushin' steal". It should not be used as a primary, but rather a specialty tool. 

I personally would use this on large primals in which you need some reach. Perfect for a whole round cut steaks or big chucks. Over use of a knife this large will certainly take its toll. So be careful! 

"Safety"

The only thing left to address is safety. There are various items on the list of personal protective equipment (PPO). Safety goggles, which I used when I wore contact lenses. Non-slip footwear should be worn daily to prevent slip and fall injuries. But, the biggest to, well, this Meat cutter, is the cutting glove. It seems to intrigue most because of it's steel mesh design. There are also fabric gloves, but I prefer the steel mesh. The down side is you can still jab your finger or hand. The up side is a poke instead of slicing your hand open is a plus in my book. Though they may appear uncomfortable, I can attest to the fact that it becomes a part of you just like a knife becomes an extension of yourself. When you bring all of these tools together, the toolbox, in the hands of a skilled Meat Cutter can produce some amazing results!

  Click to discover all of ~ My Alternate Personalities ~ Thank you for stopping by and don't be shy to leave a comment , some feedback, experiences, or just a hello. About me... I am a single father of two amazing teenage boys and on schedule to be married to my love Donna after a short 5 years together. I love my trade as a Meat Cutter but realize it won't last forever. So I have ventured into affiliate marketing and my blog. Check back in a few months and lord willing we'll still be here doing great. Until next time. Grill On!                                                                                                                     ~FABIAN