Chargrilled Coulotte Steak
by Anh Le @ flicker

Coulotte steaks are among the most popular steaks served in restaurants and steakhouses and purchased at retail stores across the United States. They are also marketed at lower prices compared to the other steaks from the loin and rib primal because of the steaks’ versatility. Check out the ways of How to Cook Coulotte Steak?

The tenderness inconsistencies that characterize the coulette steak are, more often than not, resulting from unsuitable cooking methods and exaggerated meat doneness. 

The beef coulette has many characteristics that make it one of the most popular and affordable beef cuts. It is reputably flavourful, and the meat cuts are mostly thick, making it one of the top choices for grilling. 

However, the essential attribute of this cut is the price tag. 

This article fills you in on the most affordable and flavorful beef steak cut. 

Learn the recommended cooking methods to get the best results out of your coulette steak and follow tested beef coulette recipes for tenderer results. 

Coulotte Steak: An Overview 

Coulotte steak goes by many names. The most notable ones are the beef loin, top sirloin cap steak, and top sirloin cap. This beef cut is the star of many steakhouses and is renowned for its strong beefy flavor. Any barbecue lover will recommend culotte steak for its juiciness, marbling, and consistent texture.

With its hearty flavor and excellent broiling properties, this cut is ideal for different cooking methods and resembles, in its texture, its more expensive cousin, the filet-mignon. 

This 1 to 1-and-a-half-inch thick steak is sectioned from the boneless bottom portion of the sirloin. 

In a 2006 national beef tenderness survey, Top sirloin steaks were observed to possess less fat compared to Rib-Eyes and top loin steaks. Top sirloin steaks also had the most significant percentage of “tenderness” in steaks than other cuts. 

Tenderness is indeed a major contributing factor in popular meat products, along with juiciness and flavor. 

What builds this tenderness are general characteristics inherent in beef cuts like marbling (the intramuscular fat), the muscle’s contractility, and the connective tissues.

This is why some parts of the same beef carcass don’t have the same consistency and degree of toughness. 

Although coulotte steaks have some palatability inconsistencies, they remain excellent choices for the average joe. They are more affordable than other steak cuts like top loin tenderloin steaks and, Rib-Eye steaks.

How to Cook Coulotte Steak? Cooking Methods

Many deem culotte steak to be sometimes a little chewy but with excellent flavor. However, it all depends on the cooking method you choose for this cut.

Start by picking the right coulotte steak. Your butcher will probably recommend cutting off the layer of fat that covers this boneless piece. But, we advise against it as fat keeps the culotte steak’s juiciness and leanness when grilled. 

This fat coat will help keep the steak moist and prevents it from becoming dry.

However, if you opt for a fat-free culotte steak, you should watch out for the degree of doneness.   

For the juiciest culotte steak, the best method of cooking is pan-frying or broiling. This method preserves the fat, which in turn makes the best gravy for your beef coulette. 

While your steak releases its sauce, don’t forget to repeatedly baste it, to keep its moisture from drying out. 

Conversely, fat from the coulotte is lost during grilling and roasting. That’s why it is advisable to keep the top layer of fat while using these two methods to prevent your steak from becoming tough. 

The best degree of doneness for coulotte steak is medium and medium-rare. 

If you choose to cook this steak to well done or higher degrees of doneness, don’t be surprised if your meat’s consistency becomes rubbery. Marinades work like a charm on this beef cut as it helps it tenderize it by breaking the protein known as elastin and making the meat’s connective tissue softer and leaner. 

Beef Coulette Recipes 

1. Coulette Roast 

If you’ve watched the culinary movie Chef (2014) by Jon Favreau, then you have probably been craving that pork roast made in the famous El Jefe food truck. An original recipe created by Kogi’s chef Roy Choi, this roast packs a punch of flavors that will delight your taste buds. We have tuned the recipe for you to suit the coulette beef cut. The aromatic mixture combined with the bold taste of the coulette beef creates the ideal coulette roast for your family dinners. It takes time to brine, marinate and roast this coulette cut, but the result is definitely worth it. 

Brace yourself for this mouth-watering beef coulette recipe. 

Ingredients: 

• 6 lbs (2 kg and 700 grams) of thick Coulette steaks 
• Marinade for Coulette 
• 2/3 cup of olive oil
• 2/3 cup of cilantro
• 4 tbps of mint leaves
• ½ cup of orange juice
• ½ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 7 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 and ½ tbp of grated orange peel
• 2 tsp of fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 2/3 tsp of black pepper, ground
• 2/3 tsp of fine sea salt

2. Brine for Coulette 

• 4 cups of orange juice
• 3 and ½ cups of water
• ½ cup of rice vinegar
• ½ cup of spiced rum
• ½ cup of salt
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• Lots of minced garlic
• 1 tbp of fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, fresh oregano, fresh sage, peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix all the brine ingredients and submerge the coulette beef steaks in the liquid. 
2. Refrigerate for no more than 2 hours. 
3. Combine the ingredients for the marinade. 
4. Remove the coulette steaks from the brine and pat dry them.
5. Marinate the coulette steaks for 1 hour. 
6. Roast the coulette steaks in a low-temperature oven at 250-300 degrees.
7. Pour the marinade juice over the coulette steaks during the cooking process so as not to dry out. 
8. Your coulette steaks will finally be cooked when their internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. 

3. Korean Beef Coulette Barbecue or Bulgogi

Bulgogi, which means “meat grilled over the fire” in Korean, is a traditional Korean dish. It is usually cooked by marinating thinly-sliced pieces of beef in a soy sauce-based seasoning. We have altered the original recipe that usually uses leaner meat cuts to use Coulette steaks. The Acetic acid found in rice vinegar helps tenderize the meat while marinating.  

Ingredients:

• 2-pound of Coulette steaks trimmed
• 2 tbp of molasses
• 6 tbp of soy sauce
• 2 tbp of rice vinegar
• 1 tsp of sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp of ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Cut the cleaned coulotte steak into 2-inch-thick pieces. 
2. Combine the other ingredients in a resealable bag and place the coulette beef inside it. 
3. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Preheat the grill to 350 degrees.
5. Remove the coulette steak from the marinade and transfer it to the grill. 
6. Leave the coulette steak for 5 minutes on each side for medium and about 2 minutes for medium-rare. 

4. Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf bourguignon is a braised beef recipe of the French region of Bourgogne. This traditional dish is cooked with red Burgundy wine, mushrooms and onions and can be served with pasta or steamed potatoes. Bourgogne is known for its authentic products and especially its cattle breeding and vineyards. It is said that this dish was a favorite of Bourgogne farmers in the holidays. The Burgundy wine’s pungent aroma, coupled with the flavorful gravy released by the coulette beef, creates an umami-rich dish enjoyed by French cuisine lovers.

It is worth mentioning that because it is boneless, coulotte steak will need less time to cook than most steak cuts.

Ingredients:

• 1 and ½ pounds of Coulette beef
• 2/3 cup of bacon
• ¼ cup of butter
• 2 carrots 
• 6 small onions 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 tbp of flour 
• 1 and ¼ cups of Burgundy wine 
• 1 and ¼ cups of meat broth 
• ¾ cup of mushrooms
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1. Cut the beef coulette into cubes.
2. Peel the onions and the carrots into medium slices.
3. In a large casserole dish, melt the butter. Add the onions and the bacon. 
4. Brown, stirring constantly. When they are golden, remove them from the casserole and set them aside.
5. In the same casserole dish, brown the pieces of coulotte steak over high heat. 
6. Add the carrots and brown for another 5 minutes.
7. When the meat is golden brown, sprinkle with flour and leave them to be brown, stirring constantly. 
8. Pour the meat broth. Scrape the bottom of the casserole. 
9. Return the bacon and onions to the casserole dish. Pour in the red wine.
10. Season with salt and pepper. 
11. Add the crushed garlic cloves. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently for 3 hours.
12. Add the sliced ​​mushrooms, and cook for another half an hour. 

In a nutshell

It is common knowledge to a butcher that the best-value steaks in terms of price come from the sirloin, the rear section of the loin.

More economical than strip loin steaks or rib steaks, sirloin steaks are renowned for their excellent flavors and, in particular the coulotte steak. It’s a hearty and versatile cut that takes well to rubs and marinades. This flap of muscle covering the sirloin is ideal for braised dishes, BBQ, and even pan-frying.

One thing to be sure of when buying coulotte steak is that you get your money’s worth.