Steak bites are a weeknight answer to a cut that would otherwise need a long cook. Sirloin cut into cubes hits the pan with far more surface area than a whole steak, which means more browning in a fraction of the time.

Work in batches and resist crowding the pan. Too much meat at once drops the temperature and the cubes release their liquid and simmer instead of searing — you end up with grey beef and a watery pan, which no amount of deglazing will rescue.

A sharp knife is what makes the cubes even, and even cubes are what make them all finish at the same moment. Run the blade over a honing steel before you start; it takes ten seconds and changes how the whole plate turns out.