Coulotte steak is tender with a robust beefy flavor and plenty of marbling. This underappreciated cut is meant to be pan-seared with garlic and butter.
Coulotte steak can be grilled, broiled, or cooked in the oven, but nothing beats pan-searing. Although the steak only needs salt and pepper, I like to finish coulotte with aromatics and a quick butter baste. The aromas that waft from the plate are mouthwatering, the sear on all sides is beautiful, and the rich beefy flavor is sublime. Better yet, every forkful is tender, and the thin layer of fat that covers each steak will melt in your mouth. It’s so soft and buttery!
What Is Coulotte Steak?
Coulotte steak, also recognized as top sirloin cap steak, is cut from the triangular muscle that envelops the upper portion of the sirloin. It is the prime section taken from the cap muscle of the sirloin.
All the steak lovers out there may notice that coulotte steak resembles picanha. That observation is spot on because they are both from the top sirloin cap. Well, picanha is the Brazilian name for the top sirloin cap and the steaks carved from it. However, there are a few key differences. First is the thickness of the fat cap. The fat cap is trimmed on coulotte, whereas picanha has a thicker cap intact. Second is the cooking method. As mentioned, coulotte steak can be cooked in many ways, and although the same techniques apply to picanha, picanha is usually skewered and grilled over ripping hot coals.
Why You’ll Love Coulotte Steak
Great texture and taste – Lean yet juicy, tender, and well-marbled, coulotte steak delivers in all aspects.
Fast cook time – Coulotte steak is a lean primal cut with no bones, so a hot and fast cooking method is the way to go. The fact that the steak has no bones also allows it to cook faster since there’s no connective tissue to deal with, resulting in tender, juicy steak on the table in less than 15 minutes.
Versatile – All sirloin cap steak needs is salt – it is that delicious. That said, it can handle various flavor combinations, and that versatility is a huge selling point.
Presents the opportunity to play butcher – Don’t worry, you’re not in for a lot of work, but coulotte steak is often sold as part of a larger top sirloin steak or top sirloin roast. This gives you the chance to whip out your sharpest kitchen knife and cut the beef down into individual steaks. Although doing so is easy, you’ll feel a sense of achievement when you’re done.
Coulotte Steak Ingredients Notes
- Steak: Sometimes you can find coulotte steaks at the store, while in other instances, the large top sirloin steak or roasts (average weight is about 3 pounds) may be the only option available. Regardless of your choice, check for a nice fat cap with no discolorations or slimy areas. Additionally, the meat should have a good color and appear moist, not wet, with nice marbling and no ragged edges. Lastly, the beef should be cold and firm.
- Salt & Pepper: You can’t cook a tasty steak without salt! Sea salt offers a clean flavor and helps form a nice crust.
- Olive oil: Unlike extra-virgin olive oil, plain olive oil has a high smoke point, making it suitable for pan-searing steak at high temperatures. Any high heat oil such as avocado, vegetable or canola oil will work as well.
- Aromatics: I used garlic, shallot, and thyme for this recipe. Garlic brings sweetness and signature pungency, shallot brings an oniony flavor accompanied by the peppery quality of red onion, and thyme brings a herby earthiness to the coulotte steak.
Refer to the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list with measurements.
How To Cook Coulotte Steak
1. Season: Sprinkle both sides with salt and black pepper after patting the steak with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
2. Sear: Transfer the steaks to a hot, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, and sear the side with the fat cap to transform it into the flavorful, buttery goodness that this cut is known for. Then, continue to sear on all sides for a few minutes.
3. Baste: Remove the steaks from the pan while it’s still on the heat, then add the butter and aromatics. Once the butter melts and starts to bubble, return the steak to the skillet and baste.
4. Rest: Remove the coulotte steaks from the skillet, loosely tent with foil, and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Slicing makes eating easy and convenient, but you can also serve them whole with the proper cutlery.
Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips
Change up the seasonings – This cut doesn’t need much, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room to experiment. Try different seasonings to discover your favorite: compound butter, cowboy butter, sauces, herbs, spices.
Grill – Coulotte steaks are best grilled over hot, ash-white coals. For this method, all the beef needs are salt and black pepper.
Broil – Start it in the oven, and as it approaches the desired internal temperature, broil at 450-500 degrees Fahrenheit, positioning it as far from the heating element as possible until a crust forms.
Check for silver skin – Usually, this is done by a butcher, but it’s always worth checking. If it’s intact, the silver skin will be on the bottom side of the meat. To remove it, slide the tip of a paring knife underneath it on one end to create a flap you can grab hold of, peel it off, and discard it.
Monitor the internal temperature – Cooking coulotte steak until nicely seared on all sides will yield perfectly cooked steak every time. However, if you’re aiming for precision, use an instant-read thermometer. Aim for 130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-rare or 140 degrees for medium. This cut shouldn’t be cooked past that temperature.
Coulotte Steak (Sirloin Cap Steak)
Coulotte steak is tender with a robust beefy flavor and plenty of marbling. This underappreciated cut is meant to be pan-seared with garlic and butter.
Ingredients
- 2 6-8 ounce Coulotte steaks
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
- Pat the steaks dry and season all sides with salt and black pepper.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the pan once the pan starts to smoke.
- Place the steaks (fat-side down) in the skillet and sear for 2 minutes.
- Flip and continue to sear the other three sides of the steak for 2 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare.
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and reduce the heat under the skillet to medium.
- Add the butter to the skillet, followed by the garlic and shallots.
- Once softened and fragrant, add the thyme and return the steaks to the skillet.
- Tilt the skillet away from you and baste each steak with the butter.
- Return the steaks to the cutting board, loosely tent with foil, and rest for 5 minutes. Slice steaks on the bias against the grain and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 816Total Fat: 60gSaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 250mgSodium: 1181mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 60g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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