Top Sirloin Filet Steak (Baseball Cut)

A name this visual earns its own introduction. The "baseball cut" is American butchery slang from the late 20th century — back rooms and meat counters — and it stuck because the cut earns its keep on the plate. The center of the top sirloin, cut thick, rounds and puffs as it cooks until it sits in front of you like something you could field with a glove. The shape is not incidental. It tells you exactly what you are getting before you have read another word: a serious, substantial steak with presence.

It comes from the gluteus medius — the center of the top sirloin butt, seamed away from the surrounding muscles and cut thick. That precise butchery is the point. The cap, the mouse muscle, the edges are removed. What remains is the heart of the sirloin: lean, deeply beefy, with a firm texture and a clean finish that rewards a hard sear. It is not a ribeye. It does not pretend to be. The flavor is more forward and less fatty, the kind of steak that tastes like the animal ate well and moved properly.

At 8 to 10 ounces and around an inch thick, it needs nothing more than a hot cast iron and a little patience. Sear it in tallow or butter over high heat, three to four minutes per side until the crust is deep and dark, and pull it at 120°F internal. Rest five minutes before cutting. Medium rare is the ceiling — beyond that the lean muscle fibers tighten and the steak works against you. Slice across the grain or serve it whole. Either way it arrives at the table looking exactly like what it is.

Sold individually and priced by weight. Select the size that best suits your needs.

If you enjoy the baseball cut, our filet mignon and petite tender cover similarly refined territory from different parts of the animal. If you want more richness and marbling in the same price range, the Delmonico is worth a look.