Never heard of it.

 

Did you try googling it?

 

I tried "tri tip" and didn't find much. Then I tried "tri tip steak".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-tip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_Style_Barbecue

 

I have only seen it called tri-tip at the market and butcher shop but I also live in the Santa Maria area. Ill ask the meat guy if there's a more common name for the cut. When you cook it cut the fat layer off and place it on the grill for about 1-2 minutes to season the grill surface, place the meat on the spot you seasoned then place the cut fat on top of the meat so it provides more flavor. You can also just leave it on and slow cook it so the fat melts into the meat.

 

You can also just leave it on and slow cook it so the fat melts into the meat.

That is pretty much a misconception. When you leave the fat cap on and cook fat side up it doesn't permeate the meat. The fat starts to render and run off the sides, essentially marinating the meat but not melting into it.

 

Try this link.http://www.bing.com/search?FORM=BABTDF&PC=BBLN&q=steak,+tri-tip&src=IE-SearchBox

 

I have seen it called triangle roast before. Costco will have it if the local butcher shops don't though it does seem a little strange they wouldn't know what it is. Any butcher shop worth its salt in California should know what tritip is.

 

If you butcher didn't know what a tri-tip was I'd start looking for a new butcher. Tri-tip is pretty much it's own food group in Cali, especially anywhere near Santa Maria. I do quite a bit of tri-tip, it has become my family's favorite. I trim my fat cap down to about 1/8 or so, use my special rub on all sides, let it marinade all night and cook low and slow. Always comes out tender and juicy.

 

Sometimes people around here call tri-tip a "skirt steak."

I may be wrong though.

 

Tri tip is definitely NOT skirt steak, but it wouldn't surprise me if people still call it that.

Tri tip appears to be part of the bottom sirloin, I know my local butcher sells it, I might have to try it in the sous vide next (I just got one, can you tell? )

 

It seems that trip tip is a California thing, no one anywhere else ever heard of it. That part has to be cut a different way and called something else in other areas. Are there no butchers on this board?

 

If your butcher doesn't know ask him for the tip of the bottom sirloin. Since beef distributors liked everything in squares and rectangles they would often trim that piece off and use it for stew meat or ground beef. It really doesn't have another name but if you tell him where the meat is located he will most certainly know what you are talking about. Most grocery stores won't call it tri tip either. That is a culinary industry name.

Chef Crisbot

 

If your butcher doesn't know ask him for the tip of the bottom sirloin. Since beef distributors liked everything in squares and rectangles they would often trim that piece off and use it for stew meat or ground beef. It really doesn't have another name but if you tell him where the meat is located he will most certainly know what you are talking about. Most grocery stores won't call it tri tip either. That is a culinary industry name.

Chef Crisbot

I don't know about Texas butchers but any butcher in California had better know what tri tip is. Seems the OP has found the only butcher in southern California that doesn't know what it is. Every grocery store I've seen it in calls it tri tip. As far as other names go digging around produced these names; bottom sirloin butt, corner cut, culotte steak and knuckle cap.

 

Fri-tip is huge in central california. I live in the Fresno area and all of our local butchers and groceries tend to carry it. None of my relatives in other states have ever heard of it.

 

I found it. Theres 3 meat cutter dudes at the local Staters. Only 1 knows what it is and he cut some up for me.

 

I was just reading the new Sporting News and there is a full page ad that features the Tri-Tip, which made me thin of this thread.

If you go to www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, you can search for Tri-Tip and it shows recipes and such. Use http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/meatcase.aspx and the roast and steak pop up.

 

Tri Tip cooked in the sous vide for 8 hours, frozen, then reheated for 2 hours a week later and finished on the grill at 550 for ~5 minutes.

Texture is superb, all the flavor of regular tri tip, but incredibly tender, practically melts in the mouth :drool:

 

Beautiful.

 

That sounds great. I don't usually have the time for sous vide but I am going to try it.

 

Sometimes known as a "Triangle Roast".

 

Just don't call it Barbeque :rofl:


That said, spent some time in Ventura county for work, and eat a lot of tri tip with I am there. It's good food, but more like grilled skirt and flank than what 47 other Continental states call "Barbeque."

 

I agree a California butcher should know what a Tri-Tip is. They sell it by name here in Bakersfield. If you can't find a butcher who know what it is, I would move to a place that has better butchers!

 

I'm a retired butcher of 32 years and for the last 20+ years, that's what I've always called it, Tri Tip.
It originated in Sothern California (I'm NOR-CAL) but caught on quick up here, it's also called a "bottom sirloin".

When cut into steaks, they call it a Culotte steak, before it was popular, we just left half of it on the top sirloin and ground the rest. I've also found it is the best meat for shish-ka-bobs, defat it, cube it and marinate it in Soy-Vay Teriaki, to die for. :drool:

 

I'm a retired butcher of 32 years and for the last 20+ years, that's what I've always called it, Tri Tip.
It originated in Sothern California (I'm NOR-CAL) but caught on quick up here, it's also called a "bottom sirloin".

When cut into steaks, they call it a Culotte steak, before it was popular, we just left half of it on the top sirloin and ground the rest. I've also found it is the best meat for shish-ka-bobs, defat it, cube it and marinate it in Soy-Vay Teriaki, to die for. :drool:

Thanks for the info....Soy-Vay Teriaki is the best! I'm literally drooling right now thinking about it