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BEEF · Cut · Compare

Sirloin vs Short plate

Two cuts people weigh against each other at the counter — here is what actually separates them.

Side by side

SirloinShort plate
Tenderness 76 58
Marbling 70 80
Umami 84 88
Price 78 64
Sirloin
Ysangkok · Public domain

Sirloin

Rump · rumsteck · culotte

Where the loin ends and the hip begins. The grain coarsens slightly compared with the striploin, and in exchange the beef flavour deepens — which is why many people prefer it as a steak.

54°CMedium rare

Choose bright scarlet meat with a fine, tight grain rather than a dark or loose surface.

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Short plate
Tim1965 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Short plate

Short rib · plat de côtes · costillar

The muscle between the ribs, built in thin alternating layers of fat and lean. On a grill it throws off more aroma than any other cut, because the fat drips into the fire and comes back up as smoke.

High heatCrisp outside, soft inside

Look for a cross-section where fat and lean stack in clear layers rather than one thick fat seam.

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Which one to buy

  • Better forSirloin : Short plate
  • SteakSirloin92 : —
  • GrillingShort plate80 : 95
  • Roast beefSirloin55 : —
  • BraisingShort plate— : 50

Other comparisons

All cuts

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Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.