New York Strip Vs Sirloin Steak

New York Strip and Sirloin are two of the most popular cuts of steak. They’re both flavorful, fairly lean, juicy and tender. And they’re more affordable than prime cuts like a Porterhouse, Tenderloin or Tomahawk Steak. Which is probably why people eat so many of them. But although they’re very similar in appearance, size, taste and texture, these steaks are cut from different parts of the cow. A New York Strip is from the prime rib cut of beef. While a Sirloin Steak is from the round cut. When comparing a New York Strip vs a Sirloin Steak you’ll notice a lot of similarities. But they’re are some differences.

A New York strip is generally leaner with more flavor than a Sirloin Steak. It also tends to be a little thicker. But this depends a lot on the cow and the butcher. In terms of tenderness, the two steaks are about the same. They have a good amount of tenderness if you cook them right but aren’t as tender as a filet.

You can spot a NY Strip by the single thin piece of fat that usually runs along the back of the steak to the tip. The inside of the meat has a nice marbling. I recommend grilling the beef in a cast iron skillet with the fat on because it adds more flavor. NY Strips average around $15 a pound.

Sirloin Steaks are usually rounder than a NY Strip and don’t have the fat strip along their back. But they do have marbling and are fattier in the areas you eat. Because they lack the fat strip they also lose a little flavor. But they’re just as tender and a little cheaper. A Sirloin Steak costs about $12 a pound.

New York Strip Steak

A New York Strip Steak is cut from the top part of the short loin behind the ribs. This is the longissimus muscle of the cow. The muscle doesn’t get worked that hard which is why the meat is so tender.

The steaks tend to have fat along the edge and a little marbling throughout. But it’s not nearly as much marbling as a Ribeye. The muscle NY Strip steaks are cut from is located on the back of the cow. The area is made up of several different muscles including the tenderloin and strip loin.

Strip loin steaks are a prized cut because it’s well-marbled and flavorful. They’re a little bit leaner than a Ribeye or Porterhouse steak. But it’s a very flavorful and tender cut of beef.

A fairly tender steak but not as tender as a a filet.
Has some marbling.
A lean cut of beef with a single strip of fat running along the back.
More affordable than prime steaks like a Porterhouse, Filet or Tomahawk costing around $15 a pound.

NY Strip steaks are boneless center loin cuts with a nice texture and a great beef flavor. They’re usually between 1 and 1 ½ inches thick which makes them easy to cook. I recommend buying them fresh from a butcher.

The best way to cook a New York strip is on the grill, pan-fried or oven-roasted. I like mine fried in a cast iron skillet with salt, pepper, garlic and some herbs. Because it has that strip of fat on the back you don’t have to add fats to the pan.

A New York strip is a reasonably priced, delicious, tender steak that’s easy to cook in a variety of ways.

Sirloin Steak

Sirloin steak is cut from the top of the cow’s back in an area called the sirloin subprimal. The sirloin subprimal is divided into two sections sections, the top sirloin butt and the bottom sirloin butt. The top sirloin butt is the more tender area. This is where Top Sirloin Steak is cut from.

Sirloin is a little fattier than a NY strip but still a fairly lean cut. It’s a lean and tender steak with a good beef flavor.

Fairly lean with some marbling.
Medium tenderness.
Good beef flavor.
Reasonably priced at around $12 per pound.
Easy to cook in a variety of ways.

Sirloin Steaks, especially Top Sirloins, are an affordable cut of beef with good flavor, tenderness and texture. Although they’re not considered the very best cut like a Porterhouse or Filet Mignon, they’re still very good. Which is why Sirloins are among the most popular steaks beef eaters enjoy.

Sirloins Steaks are a lean, healthy cut of beef with lots of protein and very little fat.I recommend buying them fresh from a butcher.

Most Sirloin Steaks are about 1 1/2 inches thick which makes them easy to cook. They’re great on the grill, oven or cooked in a pan.

The best way I’ve found to cook Sirloin is seared on very high heat in a cast iron skillet with a little butter, salt, pepper, garlic and herbs. Sear both sides and the edges. Sirloins are easy to sear because the edges don’t have a fat strip. Then I switch from the skillet to a grill on medium heat to slowly cook the inside.

Once the steak is cooked to your desired doneness, remove it from heat and let is rest for about 5 minutes. This lets the juices settle inside the steak.

The Differences Between A New York Strip & Sirloin Steak

A NY Strip and Sirloin are two cuts of steak with a lot in common. They’re about the same size, texture, quality and taste. Of all the cuts of steak you can buy, these two are among the most popular. For the money they’re both a very high quality cut of steak.

Because of all the similarities many people get the two cuts confused. But there are some difference we’ll outline below.

Texture

Both cuts of meat have a nice texture and are fairly tender depending on how you cook them. But the New York Strip is a little more tender than most Sirloins. Although a Top Sirloin Steak is about the same.

A New York Strip is cut from the top part of the short loin behind the ribs. This area of the cow doesn’t get much exercise so it stays soft and tender. Even a little more tenderness is a big plus because you can cook the steak to a higher internal temperature without it getting chewy.

Marbling

Both a New York Strip and a Sirloin have some marbling throughout the cut. But a Sirloin Steak has more thick fat inside the area you eat. Whether or not you eat this fat is up to you but I prefer my steak leaner.

New York Strip Steaks have the same marbling but don’t have large amounts of fat inside the cut. Instead, they have a layer of fat running along the back of the steak where you don’t eat. For me this is much better because I can eat all the steak without worrying about fatty areas to cut around.

Flavor

Both the NY Strip and Sirloin steak have a great beef flavor. But the NY Strip has an edge because of that cap of fat running along it’s back. Cooking a NY Strip in a pan with that fat left on gives the steak a better flavor.

Because a Sirloin doesn’t have the fat cap it’s a little lean to pan fry. You should add some butter or oil to the pan when you sear it. This is a great way to cook steak but you lose some of the beef flavor when you add in additional fats. Although it’s easier to sear the edges of a Sirloin because there’s no fat getting in the way.

Price

If you’re looking for a cheaper steak choose the Sirloin. It costs about $12 per pound. The New York strip generally costs around $15 per pound.

Both cuts of steak are reasonably priced considering their high quality. I recommend buying them from a butcher to get the best possible steak for the money.

Which Has More Fat New York Strip Or Sirloin Steak?

The New York Strip technically has more fat than a Sirloin because of the fat cap running along its back. However most people don’t eat the fat cap. Both cuts have a nice marbling inside the cut. But a Sirloin has marbling and chunks of fat, a New York Strip doesn’t. If you look at just the edible area of the steak the New York Strip is the leaner cut with less fat.

Because of the fat strip and no chunks of fat in the cut, a NY strip is more flavorful and juicy. This makes it easier to eat because you don’t have to cut around fat inside the steak. All the major fat is along the top edge which is easy to cut off.

Sirloin Steaks have a nice marbling too but that fat inside the steak makes it harder to eat.

Final Thought

Both a New York Strip and a Sirloin Steak are cut from the beef loin, but they differ slightly in terms of flavor, texture and price.

A New York Strip is slightly more tender with a stronger beef flavor. While a Sirloin steak is slightly less tender but it’s cheaper and is easier to pan sear.Both are fantastic steaks for the money and not far off in quality when compared to prime cuts like Porterhouse, Tomahawk and Filet Mignon.

The New York Strip has layer of fat running along the top edge which helps add flavor when you pan fry it. But it’s impossible to get a good sear on that edge with the fat on. If you’re looking for a steak that’s full of flavor and fairly tender with good marbling, choose a New York Strip.

The Sirloin Steak has some marbling and fat inside the cut, but no fat strip. This makes it easier to sear on all its edges but you lose some of that rich beef flavor in the process. I recommend adding some oil or butter to the pan. If you’re looking for a great tasting tender steak choose a Sirloin.

Both cuts are great and well worth the money considering how tender and flavorful they are.

Summary: New York Strip Vs Sirloin Steak

New York strip is generally leaner with more flavor.
NY Strip tends to be a little thicker but this depends a lot on the cow and the butcher.
They both have about the same tenderness but are both less tender than a filet.

Sirloin Steaks are usually rounder than a NY Strip and don’t have the fat strip along their back. But they do have some marbling and are a little fattier in the areas you eat. Because they lack the fat strip they also lose a little flavor. But they’re just as tender and a little cheaper. A Sirloin Steak costs about $12 a pound.

If you have any questions or comments about steak E-mail any time.