Help with tri-tip roast

Although I have read about this cut of meat I have no experience etiher eating or cooking. A local meat market just started carrying it.
I have a triangular cut, very highly marbled with one side covered in a layer of fat. It is less that 2 " thick at it's widest.
What is the best way to prepare to underestand the flavor and texture of this cut ?

Many people love to grill this cut of meat and we have done our share of them that way, but for this time of year, a friend told me about another method that is excellent and which we use all year long, even in summer.

Cut off as much of that mass of fat that you can. Season the tri-tip all over with McCormick's Grill Mates Steak Seasoning and Garlic Powder. Now, line a small roasting pan with non-stick foil. Cut up two onions and lay the slices all over the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Place the seasoned tri-tip on top of onions, and layer a few onion rings on the meat. Drizzle some Ponzu Sauce (soy sauce with citrus) all over the meat and onions. If you don't have Ponzu, use regular Soy Sauce. Wrap the foil over the meat tightly. and cook in a 250° oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Be prepared for mouth watering aroma to fill your house.

We like to slice the meat on the first night and serve with mashed potatoes or oven fries. You can then shred the leftovers, mix with the onion and store in the juice until the next day, for tacos or something similar.
Note...I've also added whole garlic cloves to cook with the meat and onions.

It's only a couple of hours after breakfast, but I wish you could email me some of your tri-tip.

[Jenise]

Christina, wish I could get them with the fat cap left on! Here on the left coast it's always sliced off because people won't buy fat.

Several ways I prep it: grilled rare. Marinate in anything you love for 24 hours, or just coat with olive oil, garlic and salt. In the cold months you can sear it off on the stove top and oven-roast it to rare too. A typical tri tip will be rare in 45-60 minutes. Always slice very thinly for best tenderness: 1/4 to 1/2 thick at the most. Always cut across the grain.

Braised: Tri tip is an excellent braising beef. Treat it like brisket--any bath of broth with herbs or garlic or both or tomato and onion or wine or what have you, it does well in all and slices beautifully at well done.

Thanks. I had no idea that it could be braised. I'd like to do a simple sear/oven roast for the first go around but will definitely try other methods in the future.

Lots of herbs, even a dry rub if you like meat that way. Wrap and chill for a couple of hours to overnight. Grill or sear and oven roast - I like the start roasting with high temp, then turn down the oven after 10 or 15 minutes technique. About 15 min/lb for medium rare. Fat cap up if you have it- and like Jenise, I'd LOVE to have it without preordering.

The meat itself is mostly bottom sirloin - tasty but you have to be careful not to make it tough. I like to pot-roast it.

John

I did a dry rub with salt/pepper then Auto Roasted. This is a program on my oven that first sears on high heat then drops to roasting temp. Did the 2.3 # roast in 35 min to a perfect rare-med/rare roast that was very tender and flavorful. Porcini risotto and Brussels sprouts from the garden - a nice dinner.
The super thin, cold slices were even better at breakfast.
Plan to try braising next.
Thanks

Cool!
John

Mmmmmm.......cold tri-tip sandwiches....

I'm trying to picture what this cut looks like. Is it a pyramid-shaped hunk of meat with fat on one side?

[Jenise]

I'm trying to picture what this cut looks like. Is it a pyramid-shaped hunk of meat with fat on one side?

I'd say triangular more than pyramid, as it's flat on both sides, but kind of....

Matilda,

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/tritip1.html

Best pictures I saw on a quick Google.

John

We have cooked tri-tip frequently for parties. Usually, we put a dry rub on it. And we usually do 2 at once by making a roll out of them.

Lay a tri-tip on the counter. Lay a second tri-tip on top of the first but "pointing" in the other direction. Pull the two points of the base of the triangle of the bottom piece up around the single point of the triangle of the top piece and tie. Repeat at the other end....pull the two points of the base of the triangle of the top piece down around the single point of the the triangle of the bottom piece and tie. You will end with a beef roll. Apply a dry rub and grill. Slice thinly for sandwiches.