November 21, 2007
Triceratips
You may have read the post below, and thought, "What the hell is tri-tip?" I know I did when I got out here. And the funny thing is, besides everyone agreeing that it tasted good, nobody could tell me what it was. Aside from beef. And that was only after I asked if that's what happened to all of the triceratops, and why rhinos are endangered.
To Central Californians, or at least those around here, tri-tips are the meat when it comes to grilling. Seriously. I asked if they do any brisket out here (I've been craving some barbecued brisket like a person who seriously craves brisket), and I get the "what the hell would you do with a brisket" look. I've been told that the only place you might get brisket would be from a processor. Now that's just sad...
Anyway, back to this glorious tri-tip. This cut that many of my co-workers would take over a filet. It is a roast, from the bottom sirloin... seen below. Most of the roasts that we've cooked at work are right about 2 pounds.
While I'm not exactly a new convert, I will say that it is a great cut of meat, especially for something that used to be ground into hamburger. But I'm still craving some brisket...
So I'm wondering, how many of you have had, or even heard of, tri-tip? I'm just trying to figure out if it is still relatively local, or if I'm the only one to have never heard of it.
'Least 'til now....
Posted by That 1 Guy at November 21, 2007 07:29 PM | TrackBackHaving owned my own meat shop, restaurant & several other businesses and worked as a meat cutter for a quarter of a century. It's gotta ba a local name. I remember when Nixon decided that all cuts should be uniform across the country. So a face of the rump became a sirlon top sirlon and a london broil became a beef shoulder shoulder steak and so forth and so on. That has gone to hell in a shopping basket. I go in now & the names on meats are back to being creative. And I'm not even go into how many turkeys I sold at 39 cents a pound............
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and my daughter just go home and she wants to know who the guys on the refrig are....hehehe
Yeah.....I've even cooked it several times. It's what I use for my beef roasts.....get it from that butcher in DeKalb.
Tender as all get out,especially when slow roasted and grills great (as you point out).
I have just never heard it called tri-tip....
Posted by: Tammi at November 21, 2007 08:48 PMI recognized it from having scores of relatives living in California, and of course there was the whole 4-H Meat Judging portion of my life.
Posted by: Tina at November 21, 2007 10:25 PMI've seen it on menus in Oregon and California, but never heard of it in Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
Tasty cut, though.
Posted by: Barb at November 22, 2007 10:44 AMIt's tender only if you cook it right. Cook it too fast and it's like trying to chew on one of Rosie O'Dumbell's tits.
No, I've never done that. i just have a vivid imagination.
Happy TGD, Joe!
Posted by: Mark at November 22, 2007 12:59 PMI am from Nebraska where you can get prime rib for 5.99$ a pound on occassion, why in the hell would I want to try a tip?
Posted by: awtm at November 22, 2007 03:53 PMTri-tip is indeed a local name. And it's as good as prime when done up the right way.
Marinate in Pappy's (also local... try the SaveMart) and drop fat side UP over white hot coals about 8-10 minutes/ side. YUMMO.
Of course to some, that's blasphemy since you can also wrap it in foil and cook more slowly (45 minutes or so) over a lower fire....
Posted by: caltechgirl at November 24, 2007 09:31 PM
