Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Beef

Sirloin steak grilling on the rack in the Charlie Oven

Flame Grilled Sirloin Steak with Thai Salad

Charcoal-grilled sirloin with crisp salad, herbs and a sharp Nam Jim dressing. Chilli, citrus and a little sweetness balance the beef's seared crust. From our Mat Blak Flavour Masterclass, this is a steak dish that feels fresh right down to the last bite.

Mat BlakChef, Kai by matblak
Grill
Prep20 minutes plus tempering
Cook8 minutes plus resting
Serves4
DifficultyMedium

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/blogs/charcoal-recipes/flame-grilled-sirloin-steak-with-thai-salad

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Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Light half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal in the centre of the Charlie Oven. Close the door and open both vents. When the temperature reaches 210°C (410°F), close the vents to a small gap and let the oven settle at about 220°C (430°F). Fit a cooking rack on the lowest runners, just above the charcoal, where the heat is most direct.
  2. Make the nam jim. Blend the chillies, garlic, coriander stalks, ginger and lime juice until smooth. Add the palm sugar a little at a time for sweetness, then the fish sauce in small amounts for saltiness, tasting as you go.
  3. Take the steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and season with salt. Grill them on the low rack for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, 54 to 57°C (130 to 135°F) in the centre. Rest the steaks for 5 minutes in the ketjap manis, turning them once.
  4. Cook the rice noodles following the packet instructions, then rinse in cold water and drain well. Slice the spring onions, chop the cucumber and halve the cherry tomatoes. Pick the coriander and mint leaves.
  5. Slice the rested steak thinly across the grain. Toss the noodles, bean sprouts, herbs, spring onions, cucumber and tomatoes together. Top with the steak, scatter over the peanuts and spoon over the nam jim to serve.

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The cook

Mat Blak

Chef, Kai by matblak

Mat Blak (Matt Burgess) is a New Zealand Māori chef with over 30 years' experience, from Soho House and Gordon Ramsay's Maze Grill to Group Executive Chef at Caravan. He now runs his food consultancy, Kaiwhenua, makes the Blak Fire condiment and led Charlie Oven's Flavour Masterclass.

More recipes by Mat Blak

Frequently asked questions

  • How long do I grill sirloin steak for medium rare?

    Grill 2.5cm thick sirloin steaks on the low rack for 3 to 4 minutes each side, until 54 to 57°C (130 to 135°F) in the centre. Then rest them for 5 minutes in the ketjap manis, turning once.

  • How do I set Charlie up to grill steak?

    Light half a football of lumpwood charcoal, close the door and open both vents. At 210°C (410°F) close the vents to a small gap so Charlie settles around 220°C (430°F), with a cooking rack on the lowest runners.

  • Can I make the nam jim dressing the day before?

    Yes. Nam jim keeps in the fridge overnight and the flavours develop and intensify. Add the palm sugar and fish sauce gradually, tasting as you go, until it balances sweet, sour and salty.

  • Can I make the Thai salad without noodles?

    Yes. For a lighter salad, swap the rice noodles for shredded cabbage or lettuce. Keep the bean sprouts, herbs, cucumber and tomatoes, and keep the sliced spring onions in cold water so they stay crisp.