9.5lb Round Sirloin Tip Roast - what do I do with this thing?

[sjwebb15]

So this story starts out with me wanting to do a whole packer brisket. I head over to Sam's Club (in NC) and all they have are flats. I don't have time to make corned beef/pastrami, which is all flats are good for in general, or to go anywhere else on the HOPE of finding a brisket, so I settled on what is labeled a "round sirloin tip roast." Unlike pictures I've been seeing online, my roast appears to be well marbled with a thin layer of fat on one side. Honestly, it looks somewhat like a pork butt, which is promising as I was starting with brisket in mind.

However, now I am not sure what to do. Everything online seems to say that the best treatment for this cut is to 135 with a nice reverse sear. But I want(ed) brisket, or something similar, so I am wondering what will happen if I treat it like a brisket and do low and slow up to ~200? Has anyone ever done this with this cut? Should I definitely not do this? I don't have any experience with it so any comments or suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance for the help!

[smarkley]

If you treat it like a brisket it may turn out to be tough as leather... that is a fairly lean cut and not that much connective tissue. Also, 9.5 is huge... can you cut it into 2 or 3 smaller roasts?

[Huskee]

Go for it bro! If you think it looks well marbled, you could try taking it up past well done and making pulled beef. I doubt you'll get sliceable brisket style texture with this but I could be wrong. Do it the exact same as you would do a pork butt, with the temp, the tight wrap, the faux cambro hold, etc. Just dry brine well in advance to help hold moisture and then use brisket seasoning like BBBR or whatever you were planning to use. I have done this with excellent results although not with round sirloin tip. Those have a reputation for being lean. Like smarkley says though, you cold cut it up into 2 or 3 roasts, and try one this way then you know how to proceed with the next one.

It takes a LOT of marbling and fat to make it to high temps and be brisket or pulled beef quality. A tougher cut like that may be best suited for a medium rare roast experience. I have used the 135* medium rare roast approach with eye of rounds and chuck tender roasts (each of which turned out great but have their own drawbacks like any cheaper cut would).

Please update us however you go and let us know (with pics!) how it turns out.

[sjwebb15]

Thanks guys for the replys. I think splitting it is a good idea all the way around. I wouldn't be committed to one temp, I can see just how well marbled it really is, and the salt will penetrate better on the smaller roasts. I'm just pissed Sam's didn't have the packer. I am probably in the minority, but rdI would rather buy the bigger cut and choose how I want to break it down, vs. Having Sam's break it down for me. Oh well, onward with the sirloin! I will update with pics, the cool should be tomorrow/Saturday morning.

[sjwebb15]

So here is the roast. I split it in two, as I didn't see a good way to do 3. What do you guys think of the marbling? I think it looks pretty good for what is supposed to be a lean cut. But maybe I'm crazy....

[Huskee]

Yeah that does look really good. I wouldn't feel bad about doing either method with that if it were mine.

[Huskee]

sjwebb15, since you're new to The Pit, please check out our homework assignment post for new members, it contains a few how-tos and please-dos!

Can't wait to see how this turns out with this/these roasts.

[bbqoaf]

I did a sirloin tip roast to med rare and it was delicious. I would suggest the steak/roast temp (125-135 IT) rather than the brisket/rib/pulled pork or beef temp of 203 or so.

[Breadhead]

Hmmm... I would treat it just like a Prime rib roast. My bet is if you take it to 200 degrees it will be dry and tough.

[Mosca]

Wartface is correct, do it like a prime rib roast. 225* to 135. I rub with a mix of kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and minced fresh garlic. You can sear it at the end, but I've always had a nice crust without the sear.

[sjwebb15]

So here are my thoughts after reading some more:

Put them both on at the same time, smoker at 225. Smoke roast 1 (both are about 4.5 lbs) as suggested to about 130 and sear (or not) with the broiler in the oven. When pulling roast 1, wrap roast 2 in foil, add a little liquid perhaps, and take it all the way to ~170 and hold it there for a while in the high humidity environment created with the foil wrap, the idea being to create a hybrid brisket/pot roast type texture that is fork tender. Sear roast 2 or not, game time decision.

Has anyone tried this before? or care to predict my dazzling success (or failure)?

[Huskee]

If you're going to try this (and I do recommend trying both methods) don't stop at 170, take it to 190-203, then hold it in a faux cambro at least an hour, still wrapped, or don't do it at all. That extra time and temp will make it fork tender. 170 will just be a tough well done clod.

This is my advice for what it's worth.

[sjwebb15]

Thanks for the advice, Huskee. I'll give it a go and let you know how it turns out!

[Huskee]

Remember there's a big difference in well done and eat it, and past well done hold it brisket & pork butt style, then eat it.

[Mosca]

I predict roast #1 will be excellent, and should be thin cut for roast beast sandwiches. I have a friend who made that as his go-to for summer pot luck feasts, he actually called it roast beast.

I don't know what will happen to roast #2. I'll be interested to hear how it turns out. Y'know, even if it is tough you can save it by using it in soup or chili.

[Jerod Broussard]

I ain't never taking another sirloin tip roast past medium-rare. I had to for the well done crowd. It was home grown so it wasn't a total lost. But never past medium-rare again.

Not the thing to do that with in my pit.

They can eat something else.....the well-done crowd, hot dogs are well done....

[Jerod Broussard]

Meathead will tell you that some high dollar restaurants will NOT give someone a Prime steak past Medium, maybe medium-rare, they will give them a Choice. Wrong, but they ain't wasting a Prime grade on anything close to well-done.

[sjwebb15]

I agree in general. I wouldn't cook a steak past medium rare (except by mistake), but I am going for a pot roast like finished product on this one (which it is sometimes used to make), not slicing and eating. Plus, it's worth knowing if this is possible, as whole packer briskets aren't easy to come by in NC and it would be nice to have readily available alternatives.

[Jerod Broussard]

I hear you on that sjwebb....nice to have alternatives.