Sirloin Beef Sticks Recipe

Marinate

Place the sirloin strips in a bowl. Add minced garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour (minimum 30 minutes) to let flavors penetrate.

Prepare for cooking

Remove beef from refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Pat the strips lightly with paper towel if excessively wet from marinade; reserve remaining marinade.

Sear or roast

Preheat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy ovenproof pan over medium-high heat until smoking hot (or preheat oven to 425°F / 220°C if roasting). Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pan. Working in a single layer and in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear the strips 1–2 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms but center remains medium-rare to medium (internal temp ~130–140°F / 54–60°C) — total cook time per batch about 3–4 minutes. If roasting in the oven, arrange strips on a rimmed sheet in a single layer and roast 6–10 minutes, flipping once, until browned at edges.

Rest and slice

Transfer cooked strips to a tray and let rest 5 minutes to redistribute juices. If desired, slide each strip onto short skewers or toothpicks to serve as 'sticks'. Keep warm while preparing crispy shallots and aioli.

While beef rests, heat neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan to 325°F (160°C). Test oil by dropping one slice of shallot—should sizzle gently. Fry the thinly sliced shallots in small batches until golden brown and crisp, about 2–4 minutes per batch, stirring to prevent sticking and uneven browning.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried shallots to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt while still hot. Let cool; they will crisp further as they cool. If oil smokes or shallots brown too quickly, lower heat.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili crisp, lemon juice, grated garlic, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds (if using), 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust salt or chili crisp to your heat preference. If mixture is too thick, thin with up to 1 teaspoon water or additional lemon juice.

Chill the aioli for 10–15 minutes to let flavors meld while finishing plating.

Arrange the garlic roasted sirloin sticks on a platter. Spoon a little chili crisp aioli on the side or pipe small dollops atop each stick. Scatter crispy shallots over the beef sticks for crunch and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over the meat and additional chili crisp on the side if desired.