I got this from another list: For years the beef tri-tip found itself being ground into hamburger or cut into cubes and sold as soup meat. The reason for this is that there is only one per side of beef and in the days when butchers carved their own meat it was considered a waste of display space to sell the tri-tip by itself. Now that the carving is done by packers you are much more likely to find the tri-tip at your local butcher. If you don't, ask for it. This often over looked piece of meat is not only relatively inexpensive but also very flavorful and has become a favorite amongst the few in the know. The tri-tip roast or steak (also called a triangle roast) is the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds of meat that sits at the bottom of the sirloin. Not only does it have a great flavor, but also tends to be lower in fat than most other cuts, so it's a good lean cut. Of course this means that it can dry out faster, but with a good marinade you really can't go wrong with this cut. Particularly good flavors for tri-tip are Southwestern or Asian.
The versatility of tri-tips is another factor that makes them great. Uncut it's a fantastic roast that should be grill indirectly for 30 to 40 minutes. You can also cut the tri-tip into 1-inch steaks that grill up in about 8 minutes over a low to medium direct heat. As always, let your steak (or roast) sit for 5 to 10 minutes before you carve or serve it. This lets the juices return and evens out the heat. Because tri-tip is lean, be careful not to over cook it, particularly when preparing the full roast. Medium is as far as you should go with this cut. Use a meat thermometer to make sure you get it right where you want it. If you are used to grilling other cuts, this one can throw some grillers off by appearing underdone when it is ready to serve. I know a lot of people who complain about not being able to find this cut. In past almost all of it was shipped to California or ground for sirloin burger patties. With the recent interest however, you can find this cut in many places including the large shopping club stores like Costco and Sam's Club. If you have to, try calling around. It's a great cut of meat and worth the search. Recipes Tri-Tip roasts might be hard at time, but if you happen upon it, grilled low and slow, you'll get a great piece of meat with fantastic texture and flavor. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 4 hours, 00 minutes Ingredients: 4 pounds tri-tip roast 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt Preparation: Lightly oil the cooking grate on your grill. Preheat grill and prepare for indirect grilling. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt. Rub it over the surface of the tri-tip roast. Place tri-tip on grill, fat side up. You can place a drip pan under it to catch the drips which will make a great gravy later. With the grill on low cook for about 4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Loaded with cilantro and lime, this tri-tip steak is marinated in beer, wine and spices. Choose a dark beer for a richer flavor and add more pepper flakes to heat it up. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Ingredients: 1 pound tri-tip steak 2 cups red wine 1 can of beer 1 small red onion, sliced juice from 6 to 8 limes 1/4 cup fresh cilantro,chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin Preparation: Combine all ingredients except the tri-tip steaks and stir. Place steaks in a large baking dish or a resealable bag. Pour marinade over steaks. Let sit for several hours (up to 24). Preheat grill. Place steaks on grill over a medium high heat. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until they reach desired doneness. Let steaks rest for about 5 minutes before you serve them. If you want to add some extra heat to the marinade chop up a seeded jalapeño pepper and toss it in. Use a Tri-Tip steak or roast for this recipe and adjust the cooking time accordingly. The Asian inspired flavors in this marinade makes this a great steak for any occasion. Serve over rice for a complete meal. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Ingredients: 2 pounds beef tri-tip 4 green onions, sliced 1 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds Preparation: Trim beef tri-tip of excess fat. Combine other ingredients, except sesame seeds and mix well. Place beef tri-tip in a resealable plastic bag and cover with oriental marinade. Refrigerate for several hours (up to 8). Preheat grill. Remove beef tri-tip from marinade and discard marinade. Grill beef tri-tip over medium heat, turning occasionally for about 25 to 30 minutes depending on thickness of the cut. When done, remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Carve cross-grain, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
