Pressed hard against maximum heat for 15 seconds. Left completely alone for three minutes. Finished with herb butter that melts into every cut. This is the smash crust sirloin technique that makes a mid-range steak taste like a higher-end one.
Smash Crust Sirloin Steak With Herb Butter
|HALO
Smash Crust Sirloin Steak With Herb Butter
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Category
Main
Cuisine
American
Author:
HALO
Servings
2 people
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Place the steaks on the griddle and immediately press down firmly on each steak with a heavy spatula or burger press, hold the pressure for 15 seconds This is what produces the wall-to-wall crust rather than the patchy sear of an unpressed steak.
Ingredients
Steak
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2 sirloin steaks, 2.5cm thick (approximately 250g each)
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1 tablespoon neutral oil
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Flaky sea salt
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Coarse black pepper
Herb Butter
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
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2 cloves garlic, finely grated
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1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
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1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
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1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
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Zest of half a lemon
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Pinch of fine salt
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Pinch of coarse black pepper
To Serve
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Flaky sea salt
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Watercress or rocket
Directions
Make the herb butter first because it needs time to firm up. Beat the softened butter with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add grated garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is evenly distributed through the butter. Lay a sheet of cling film on the bench, spoon the butter along one edge, and roll into a tight cylinder. Twist the ends closed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm. It keeps refrigerated for a week and frozen for a month.
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30–45 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Season generously with flaky salt and coarse black pepper on both sides immediately before cooking.
Heat your Elite Griddle to maximum temperature. Add a thin film of neutral oil. The surface needs to be as hot as it will go, the smash crust technique requires immediate, intense heat on contact.
Place the steaks on the griddle. Press down firmly on each steak with a heavy spatula or burger press, hold the pressure for 15 seconds. The goal is maximum surface contact between the steak and the steel. A standard steak has a slightly uneven underside, pressing flat ensures every millimeter of the surface is in contact with the heat simultaneously. This is what produces the wall-to-wall crust rather than the patchy sear of an unpressed steak.
Release the pressure and leave completely alone for 3 minutes. Do not move, press again, or check. Flip once when the steak releases naturally.
Press again on the second side for 10 seconds immediately after flipping. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes depending on preferred doneness.
Check internal temperature: 54°C (130°F) for medium-rare, 60°C (140°F) for medium. Remove from the griddle and rest on a board for 4–5 minutes.
While the steak rests, slice the herb butter into rounds approximately 1cm thick. Place one round on top of each rested steak, the residual heat of the meat melts it slowly over the surface and into every cut you make. The butter is not a garnish. It finishes the steak.
Slice against the grain into thick pieces. Lay on a board or plate with the herb butter pooling around the slices. Finish with a pinch of flaky salt and watercress alongside.
Recipe Note
The smash technique works because sirloin has a firmer texture than ribeye, it holds up to the pressure without losing structure the way a more tender cut might.
Make more herb butter than you need. It freezes perfectly and is exceptional on grilled corn, baked potatoes, crusty bread, and the lemon garlic salmon recipe. Once you have a roll in the freezer you'll find uses for it constantly.
Maximum heat is non-negotiable for the smash crust technique. The whole point is immediate, intense caramelization on contact. A surface that isn't fully up to temperature produces a grey, steamed exterior rather than a crust.
The press on the second side is lighter and shorter than the first, 10 seconds rather than 15. The steak is already partially cooked and firmer.
This recipe is part of the Science of the Sear — Why Your Griddle Makes a Better Steak Than Your Grill guide — [link: full guide].
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