Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
📖

Sirloin steak

language culture Maturity 5-7 Next article →

A sirloin steak is a popular piece of meat. It comes from a specific part of a cow. In America, this meat is part of the sirloin section. This section sits behind the short loin area. The short loin is where people get T-bone steaks. You might also find porterhouse steaks there.

People value these cuts for different reasons. Some parts are softer and easier to eat. Others are larger and better for different meals.

There are different ways to cut this meat. The top sirloin is a very special cut. It is the most prized type of sirloin. Shops mark it clearly so you can find it. The bottom sirloin is a different type. It is much larger than the top part. This part is less tender than the top. It often connects to the sirloin tip roast.

Names for this meat change depending on where you live. In Britain, South Africa, and Australia, the names are different. They call the American sirloin the "rump." In those countries, sirloin means meat from the upper middle. This is similar to the American short loin. Because of this, they call a T-bone a sirloin.

The word sirloin has a very old history. It comes from the Middle English word surloine. That word came from the Old French word surloigne. The word "sur" means "above." The word "longe" means "loin." So, the name means "above the loin." In Modern French, people call it aloyau or faux-filet.

Some people tell a funny story about the name. They say an English king knighted the meat. He supposedly called it "Sir Loin." This is a made-up story. People have told this joke since 1630. Another version says a king did it in 1655. The real name was used long before those kings. The story only changed how we spell it.

309 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.