Sirloin, Popeseye or Rump: How to Choose Your Steak

We get asked most days which steak to go for, so here's the short version. All three of these cuts come from the hindquarter of the animal, and we cut all of them ourselves, usually to 7oz, though we're happy to cut thicker or thinner if you ask at the counter.

Sirloin

Sirloin is the classic choice, and for good reason. It carries a bit more marbling than rump, which bastes the meat as it cooks and makes it more forgiving if you leave it on the pan a minute too long. If you want a reliably tender steak without overthinking it, this is the one.

Popeseye

Popeseye is a Scottish butchery term you won't see much outside Scotland. It's a lean, boneless cut, similar in character to a topside or rump, with very little fat running through it. It's a great everyday steak and tends to be kinder on the price than sirloin, but because it's lean it cooks faster and is easiest to get right at medium-rare rather than well done.

Rump

Rump has a firmer texture and, in our view, the deepest flavour of the three. It rewards a good rest after cooking, five minutes under foil makes a real difference, and it's usually the best value cut of the three per pound.

• ●Want the most reliably tender steak: go for sirloin.
• ●Want a lean, everyday steak that's easy on the price: go for popeseye.
• ●Want maximum flavour and don't mind a slightly firmer bite: go for rump.

All three also show up in several of our meat packs, including the Manager's Special and the Muscle Pack, if you'd rather stock up than buy one at a time. Whatever you pick, we cut it fresh on the day you collect or have it delivered.