Tri-Tip question

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culpepersmoke

Smoking Fanatic
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Jan 16, 2010
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Split between Michigan and Texas
With all the talk on line about tri tip roast and the qviews that look so good got me thinking I have to try this. I know it’s a west coast thing and I’ve never seen a tri tip here on the east coast but thought I could ask. I figure a cut of beef is a cut of beef, may have a different name but still….

Stopped by the local butcher at the grocer and he tells me that a tri tip is part of the brisket. He claimed that there is the flat, point and tri tip?????? I thought the tri tip was a cut from the bottom sirloin? I’m thinking I need to find a new butcher or do I have my steer mixed up?
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Thanks all,
 
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Now I'm not great tis but I thought that it was part of the sirloin too.
 
The tri tip is cut from the bottom sirloin butt.  The BSB is typically separated into the ball tip, the tri tip, and the flap.  For ordering purposes you can ask for NAMP/IMPS 185C or 185D.  The C is untrimmed which I prefer.  The D is trimmed.

Good luck in your search and good smoking!
 
Venture

I have a question, you say you prefer the untrimmed 185C, I checked that out and they are about 5 pounds, whereas the 185D is 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 pounds after trimming.  What do you use the trimmings for?  The reason I ask is I'm going to ask the butcher to order a case of them and I'm wondering now what I would do with the trimmings if I order the 185C or maybe it would be more economical for me to order the 185D.

Thanks,

Gene
 
The tri tip is cut from the bottom sirloin butt.  The BSB is typically separated into the ball tip, the tri tip, and the flap.  For ordering purposes you can ask for NAMP/IMPS 185C or 185D.  The C is untrimmed which I prefer.  The D is trimmed.

Good luck in your search and good smoking!
 
We may be talking a matter of degree here.  I say I like "untrimmed because I like a fat cap.  The weight differences you describe do seem to be a lot.  Most we see in this part of CA run about 2.5 to 3.5 lbs. I would not buy a case of meat I had never tried.  There must be a place you could find one or two to try first, but you are not the first person to experience frustration when trying to find these in the east.

Good luck!
 
LOL!!!  Yeah it's hard to find tri tip in Tahiti, ...I lived 7 years in San Luis Obispo County and I've eaten my share of Santa Maria style BBQ, last Thursday I made and ate my first hot dog in over 20 years, ...I have drooled over the tri tip Q-view posted so now I'm inspired, on a quest, to BBQ some tri tip, I have the printout from the New Zealand meat supplier and a case of tri tips is 8 individual pieces at about 5 # each, then when I searched the IMPS numbers your posted I found the difference between the two, the tri tips I grilled back then were about 2 #, hence when you said you preferred the untrimmed I was wondering what you cut off, was it just fat or meat that could be cooked, I'm a little reluctant to buy fat just to throw it away, but my cravings for tri tip will probably win over.

The butcher is in a large French chain super market, but at my request he has cut butts into country style ribs and rather than cut up the briskets into stew meat or grind into hamburger he has sold me a whole one that I lovingly clutched in my arms, shaking his head, crazy American, so I'm pretty sure he will order tri tip for me but I'll have to buy the whole case, ...until I take him a sample, he he, BBQ is the big thing here right now, it's spring time!

Thanks,

Gene
 
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