Sirloin is the premium beef cut from the back of the animal, behind the ribs and before the rump, prized for steaks that balance tenderness, flavour, and leanness. Cut into steaks it grills and pan-fries superbly, needing only high heat, brief cooking, and resting to shine. As a roasting joint, sirloin on the bone is a classic centrepiece. The name’s folk etymology claims a king knighted the loin, Sir Loin, for its excellence; the truth is the more prosaic Old French surlonge, above the loin. Whatever the story, the cut’s reputation is earned: well-hung, well-marbled sirloin from a good animal is among the finest eating beef offers.