Perfect Grilled Sirloin Steak

Labor Day weekend. The unofficial end of summer, the last hurrah before Vermont shifts into its autumn self — the foliage, the cold, the long slow descent into winter that starts beautiful and ends brutal. We had a cookout. Just us and Jerry and Marie — David couldn't come, something with the kids, and Sarah's too far for a quick weekend trip with a four-month-old.

I smoked ribs. This is my one concession to cooking that takes longer than it should and requires equipment that isn't strictly necessary. I have a small smoker — charcoal, not gas, because gas smokers are an abomination — and once a year, on Labor Day, I use it. Baby back ribs, rubbed with a mix of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Smoked for four hours at 225 degrees over apple wood. The ribs come out mahogany-dark, tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, smoky and sweet and the exact right amount of spicy.

Jerry ate four ribs and said, "Not bad." From Jerry, "not bad" is equivalent to a Michelin star. Marie ate two and asked for the rub recipe, which I wrote on a napkin because that's how recipes should be shared — on napkins, at tables, between friends, with barbecue sauce on your fingers. Cookbooks are fine. Napkins are better.

Helen made coleslaw. Her recipe: shredded cabbage, carrot, a dressing of mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery seed. The coleslaw and the ribs together are the kind of combination that makes you wonder why all food isn't this simple. Meat. Cabbage. Smoke. Vinegar. Four flavors. Perfect balance. You don't need anything else.

After dinner, Jerry and I sat on the porch while Helen and Marie talked in the kitchen. Jerry's eighty-two. I'm sixty-four. We've been neighbors for my entire life. His father and my grandfather sugared adjacent lots. His kids went to my school. His grandchildren are scattered the way grandchildren scatter — Connecticut, New York, one in California who Jerry mentions with the bewildered tone of a man who cannot fathom why anyone would leave New England voluntarily.

We sat. We watched the sun go down. Jerry said, "Good ribs." I said, "Thanks." The conversation was complete. In Vermont, that's a full evening of socializing. We said goodnight. They walked home across the field. The summer was over. We'd marked it properly. Ribs, coleslaw, two old men on a porch. Enough.

The ribs are my once-a-year indulgence — the smoker, the four hours, the whole ritual — but Helen keeps asking me to write down something more weeknight-friendly for when Jerry and Marie come by on a shorter notice. A good sirloin over a hot grill captures the same spirit: smoke, char, the smell of something honest cooking outside. If you’re marking a season, you need a recipe that respects the occasion without asking you to babysit it all afternoon. This one does exactly that.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 22 minutes (plus 30 minutes resting at room temp) | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 sirloin steaks, about 1 inch thick (8–10 oz each)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Fresh thyme sprigs, for basting (optional)

Instructions

Bring steaks to room temperature. Remove steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry with paper towels — this is the single most important step for a good sear.
Season generously. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder in a small bowl. Rub steaks all over with olive oil, then coat evenly with the spice mixture on both sides and edges.
Preheat the grill. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat, around 450–500°F. Clean and oil the grates well. You want the grill screaming hot before the steaks go on.
Grill the first side. Place steaks on the hottest part of the grill. Do not move them. Grill for 4–5 minutes until a deep brown crust forms and the steak releases easily from the grate.
Flip and finish. Flip once and grill for another 4–5 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature 130–135°F), or 5–6 minutes for medium (140–145°F). Use an instant-read thermometer — don’t guess.
Baste with butter. In the last 90 seconds of cooking, add butter, smashed garlic, and thyme to a small cast iron pan set on the grill grate. Once foaming, tilt the pan and spoon the butter repeatedly over the tops of the steaks.
Rest before cutting. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest for at least 5 minutes. Cutting too early loses all the juice — be patient.
Slice and serve. Slice against the grain or serve whole. A flaky finishing salt on top is the only garnish you need.

Nutrition (per serving)

Perfect Grilled Sirloin Steak — Because Some Summers Deserve a Proper Send-Off