Herb-Crusted Sirloin Tip Roast and More than you Wanted to Know

With beef being one of the 

Midwest’s favorite meats, 

definitely mine, 

here’s an intensely flavored sirloin tip roast!  

A lean cut from the bottom sirloin, this economical choice is delicious when roasted with a rub and carved into thin slices to enjoy its rich, deep beefy flavor.  

The rub is made with ingredients you have on hand:  garlic, salt and pepper, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper.  After resting a short while, it’s hands-off roasting ~ all that’s needed is a meat thermometer to take the guesswork out of cooking time.

Ready to roast

Ready to eat

And the best part:  Bill turned the leftovers into this:  Beef salad sandwiches, an absolute favorite of ours!

If you’re a beef lover too, hope you give this a try!

Herb-Crusted Sirloin Tip Roast
Printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked or coarsely-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
1 (3-pound) sirloin tip roast

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a small bowl, mix together the herbs and seasonings.
Place roast on plate and rub the roast on all sides with the herb mixture, let set for 30 minutes.  
Transfer to baking sheet and roast for 1 hour or until internal temperature is 145°or desired doneness.
Let roast rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve

Enjoy!

Farm Living and more:

My early years were on our farm in Pickerington, Ohio ~ 200 acres of corn, soybean and hay fields, and plenty of animals:  Jersey cows, sheep, pigs and chickens, cats (one inside, some outside), plus 2 great dogs, Border Collie's that herded farm animals and me.  

I was reminded many times that twin heifers were born on the same day I was.  Never thought to ask Dad if he stayed on the farm that morning or went to the hospital in Columbus... 😉

Cows are very social animals and don't like to be alone, they naturally form large herds.  And like people, they will make friends and bond to some herd members, while avoiding others.  

If one is isolated, it's usual sick or about to give birth, they're pregnant for 9 months just like people.  They spend about 10 hours a day lying down, they will stand up and lay down about 15 times a day.  And they can sleep while they're standing!

Jersey, dairy cows, identified by their black nose and white muzzle.  From the island of Jersey on the English Channel, they're docile, and superior grazers.  They're small-framed and quite dainty, making them an attractive breed, especially with their striking long eyelashes.  Jersey cows are a popular addition to any farm!

A Holstein's (dairy cows) spots are like a fingerprint ~ no 2 cows have exactly the same pattern.  They're from the Netherlands, and extremely large.  A mature cow weighs about 1,500 pounds.  Holstein milk is lower in fat and great for cheesemaking, such as Edam and Gouda.

Guernsey, dairy cows, hardy and docile. They come from the small island of Guernsey in the English Channel, off the coast of France.  They are admired for their pleasing delicate looks and graceful gait.  Guernsey's are easy to manage, rarely nervous or flighty, with a kind and gentle disposition.  Guernsey milk makes great butter and cream, and is just right for making a stable foam in specialty coffees.

Angus beef cattle grazing.  Superior beef, you know, the fast-food restaurants claim ~ "100% Angus."  They have a great reputation for compliancy.  The Angus bulls are aggressive, stay away from them!

Hereford beef cattle, exported from the United Kingdom in 1817, starting in Kentucky in the U.S.
They're docile and pleasant, vigorous and known for their foraging ability and longevity, many live 15 years.
Hereford cows make great moms!

Here are basic cattle terms:

Cow:  Adult female that has produced a calf

Bull:  Male animal

Steer:  Male animal that has been castrated and cannot breed.

Heifer:  Young female that has not produced a calf.

Veal:  Calves that are raised to 475-500 pounds.

Per a study by Oregon State University earlier this month, over 98% of the beef animal is used when processed.  Approximately 45% is used for meat and the remainder is used for byproducts including leather, glue, soap, china, film, and gelatins.  More than 100 medicines, including insulin, come from cattle. 

The average American eats about 65 pounds of beef each year.  It's my favorite meat and I probably eat more than my share of it.

The combined value of the cattle and beef industry is over $200 billion.

For you sports people:  The hide from one cow make 20 footballs, 12 basketballs, 18 soccer balls, or 144 baseballs. 

Disneyland in Anaheim, California sells more than 4 million hamburgers each year.

Cattle are thought to have descended from Middle Eastern aurochs, which were large ox-like creatures. They were one of the animals painted on the famous cave walls near Lascaux, France.  These animals were domesticated between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago.  Sheep, goats, pigs and dogs were domesticated before cattle were.  

Columbus brought cattle to the western hemisphere on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, but not to North America.  Hernando Cortez, the Spanish explorer, took the offspring of those cattle to Mexico in 1519.  Then Jan Bautista de Anza herded 200 head of cattle to California to supply the California missions.

Beef is a nutritional powerhouse, and is among the top food sources for protein, zinc and vitamin B12, plus other essential nutrients.

A three-ounce serving of lean beef contributes more than 10% of the daily recommended value of protein, vitamin B12, zinc, phosphorous, choline, selenium, niacin, iron, riboflavin and vitamin B6.  

It would take 8 ounces of chicken breast to get the same amount of iron as 3 ounces of beef, and it would take close to 7 times the amount of chicken to get the same amount of zinc as a serving of beef.

The United States exported 3.16 billion pounds of beef in 2018.  This is the most beef exports on record and the first time that exports have exceeded 3 billion pounds.  Japan was the top destination for U.S. beef exports, followed by South Korea and Mexico.  

Cows can smell something up to 6 miles away.  The average cow moves its jaw more than 40,000 times a day.  Just chew on that for a while...

The character of 'Uncle Sam' is modeled after Sam Wilson, a meatpacker from Troy, New York.  During the War of 1812, the meat he shipped to the government was stamped 'U.S. Beef.'  Soldiers began to call this beef Uncle Sam's beef.  

More beef is consumed on Memorial Day than any other day, with the 4th of July and Labor Day tying for 2nd place.  

Excluding burgers, here's the top 10 list of beef entrees:

• Prime Rib
• Strip Steak
• Filet Mignon/Tenderloin
• Roast Beef
• Rib/Ribeye Steak
• Meatloaf
• Sirloin/Top Butt Steak
• Chicken Fried Steak
• Meatballs
• T-Bone/Porterhouse Steak

Cuts of lean beef include top sirloin steak, 95% lean ground beef, rib eye steak, T-Bone, and tenderloin steaks.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Database states the many cuts of beef are 20% leaner now than they were 15 years ago.  Half of the fatty acids found in beef are monounsaturated, the, the very same "good healthy fat" found in olive oil. 

USDA Prime is the best.  It's easy to get confused about the beef grading system.  They all sound good, but here's how they rank:  Prime, Choice, Select.  

Prime grade is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle, the marbling on the beef is excellent.  Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking:  broiling, roasting, or grilling.

Choice grade is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy and flavorful, and are also suited to dry-heat cooking.  Less tender cuts are rump roasts, round and blade chuck will be most tender if braised, roasted, or simmered with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan.  

Select grade is normally leaner than the higher grades.  It will be less tender and lack the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades.  It's best the meat be marinated before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor.

And, by the way, George Washington's dentist made him dentures of hippopotamus, walrus and cow teeth. 

Lastly ~ cows don't eat meat ~ ever!  They're always "vegetarian fed."  They eat about 40 pounds of food in a day.  

So....Where's the beef?  Enjoy it a your local steakhouse, or better yet, prepare the roast above with its great rub of spices!

Now you know more about cows than you probably ever wanted to know, they are generally a sweet docile animal, but they can kick you or head-butt you in a minute!

Here's to a wonderful day...