Short Answer: The cost of sirloin steak is kitchen magic if you’re running a restaurant or food service operation.
If you want to boost your sales and menu variety while creating food cost magic in your restaurant kitchen, stop overlooking the amazing (but wildly underrated) sirloin steak!
In the ever-evolving and ultra-competitive food business, chefs and restaurant owners continuously seek innovative strategies to enhance their menu offerings, maximize profitability, and cater to diverse consumer tastes. One such strategy involves the inclusion of sirloin steak—a versatile and cost-effective cut of beef.
The food cost advantage is cutting the sirloin meat yourself.
To help explain how the cost of sirloin steak can benefit your bottom line, I am butchering up a sirloin tip that I bought at Costco Business for $69.37 (CDN). As a chef or kitchen manager, you could be doing this too, with very little labour involved. Forget those prepacked IQF steaks. This is where your profit is – cut the steaks yourself.
Culinary professionals like yourself can reap significant cost benefits by purchasing sirloin tips wholesale and then cutting and portioning steaks in-house. If restaurant chains like The Outback, The Keg and Longhorn Steakhouse sell a lot of sirloin steaks, then you already know the product is a proven one. These companies have to be on top of their costs, and the cost of sirloin steak has to be on point as it is invariably a top seller.
How much do restaurant chains charge for sirloin steaks?
For reference, The Keg (Toronto) charges $37 (CDN) for an 8-ounce top sirloin steak. The Outback Steakhouse in Buffalo charges $23.99 (USD). Even if you charge a reasonable $20 for top sirloin steak in your restaurant, your food cost would be ($3.07/$20) 15.4%. Can you now see how this would be a great product for your menu? Even after adding some sides and sauce to the plate, a sirloin steak could be your new cash cow in the menu mix due to its solid food cost percentage.
It’s up to you to recognize the appeal of sirloin on your menus and leverage its popularity and versatility to attract new customers, expand your offerings, and improve your bottom line.
I was able to cut 6 large steaks (9 to 11 ounces) and 15 medium-sized steaks (7 to 8 ounces). I also got 599 grams of stew beef. There was only 131 grams of fat waste. The sirloin tip was 5.786 Kg in the package. That leaves me with 5056 grams of steak for sale. If I count the stew meat as waste, my effective cost for steak meat is 69.37 / 5056 which equals = .01372 per gram. For an (8-ounce) steak that is 224 grams X .01372 = $3.07. A 10-ounce steak would cost your kitchen (280 grams x .01372) $3.84.
Cost benefits of in-house butchering in your professional kitchen.
Wholesale Purchasing: Buying sirloin tips in bulk from wholesalers significantly reduces the cost of sirloin steak per pound compared to pre-portioned steaks. This bulk purchase approach offers economies of scale, decreasing overall ingredient costs. Locally, I use Costco Business, but most meat suppliers have pretty good prices for sirloin. Also, the sirloin tips come vacuum-sealed, which allows them to last in your walk-in meat fridge for up to a couple of weeks.
Custom Portion Control: In-house butchering allows chefs to tailor steak sizes to their menu needs and pricing strategies. This flexibility ensures minimal waste and maximizes the use of each cut, contributing to cost efficiency.
Menu Versatility: Sirloin’s adaptability allows for the creation of a range of dishes, from high-end entrees to casual dining options. This versatility can cater to various price points and customer preferences, broadening a restaurant’s appeal. It’s always better for your food cost to use one inventory product in multiple menu items.
Reduced Dependency on Suppliers: By handling the portioning internally, restaurants reduce their reliance on specific cuts from suppliers, allowing for more consistent menu offerings and less vulnerability to market price fluctuations. As you may well know, IQF packaging adds a purchase premium, so if you have downtime, then train your staff to do the cutting instead.
Sirloin is not a one-trick pony! It’s quite versatile and multicultural for recipe possibilities. Here are just a few ideas:
Sirloin Steak Tacos with Avocado Salsa: Marinate sirloin strips in a mixture of lime juice, fresh garlic and chili powder, then quickly grill to get a charred look and flavour. Serve in corn tortillas with homemade avocado salsa for a modern twist on traditional tacos.
You could make this taco recipe using only 6 ounces of sirloin!
Even More Food Cost-Friendly Recipe Ideas using Sirloin Steak:
- Asian-Inspired Sirloin Salad: Thinly slice grilled sirloin steak and served over mixed greens, mandarin oranges, and crispy noodles, dressed with a ginger-soy vinaigrette. This light yet satisfying dish caters to health-conscious diners.
- Sirloin Steak and Quinoa Bowls: Cube sirloin steak and sauté with colourful vegetables. Serve over a bed of quinoa and drizzle with a spicy chimichurri sauce for a hearty, nutritious meal that appeals to the growing demand for whole grains and high-protein dishes.
- Coffee-Rubbed Sirloin with Roasted Vegetables: Elevate the sirloin steak by coating it in a coffee-based spice rub before grilling. Pair with roasted seasonal vegetables for a sophisticated dish combining bold flavours and classic techniques.
- Sirloin Steak Skewers with Yogurt Dip: Marinate sirloin cubes in a blend of Mediterranean spices, then thread onto skewers and grill. Serve with a cooling yogurt dip for a casual, shareable appetizer that’s perfect for social dining settings.
No matter what recipe you use for sirloin steak – the sous vide technique should not be overlooked.
Let’s not ignore the fact that the cost of sirloin steak is cheap for a reason – it can be tough if not handled well. For that reason, I would always consider sous vide as my first choice. Especially if you’re serving it as a simple steak option.
By vacuum-sealing the steak and cooking at a precisely controlled temperature (under pressure), sous vide ensures that the sirloin is cooked evenly from edge to edge, making for fool-proof service. This method not only enhances the steak’s tenderness by gently breaking down the fibres without losing moisture but also ensures a remarkable consistency in quality and doneness across servings.
Such precision is particularly advantageous in a busy restaurant setting, where delivering consistently high-quality dishes is crucial to customer satisfaction and repeat business. Additionally, sous vide allows for better planning and time management in the kitchen, as steaks can be prepared in advance and quickly finished on a grill or in a pan for service. This blend of improved quality, consistency, and efficiency underscores why many top restaurants are incorporating sous vide techniques to elevate dishes like sirloin steak, further enhancing their appeal and profitability.
Finally, I will add the cost of sirloin steak to my food cost calculator.
This will allow me to quickly add it to any new recipes I need costed out for menu items, catering events or specials.
Below is my cost list for all the meat I normally order. I want to keep all the beef items together so I am going to insert the new sirloin product under the whole chuck listing. Basically that requires going into the table and right-clicking “insert above”. That creates a blank line but this does not disturb any relationships of any of the the other items have to recipe cards – very important when keeping your food cost spreadsheet in order.
I converted it, too, so I could quickly compare cost per pound, kilogram, gram and ounce.
