Ahhhh, yes, the noble Tri Tip cut!
Until Gundy told me, I’d didn’t know this was a west coast cut, I thought everybody was in on the fun! The tri-tip is a small triangular cut from down by the sirloin, usually about a pound to maybe three in size. It’s a very flavorful, lean and relatively cheap cut that deserves your attention. If its not readily available, approach your local butcher and ask them to cut you a couple.
Tri tip was relegated to mostly becoming burger or maybe cut into steaks when a California butcher decided to share the love with his customers. Lightly rubbed and grilled low and slow, sometimes on a rotisserie, the meat is slices thin across the grain and served nice and hot.
The real beauty of this cut is its versatility though; it’s a great choice for a grill night followed by a couple wonderful leftover meals.
Throw our basic beef rub on about thirty minutes before grilling for starters:
2 Tablespoons Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Pepper Blend
1 teaspoon Onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated Garlic
Toss the tip onto the grill and go low and slow. Shoot for a 225 F to 250 F grill temp, and cook the roast with a single flip until you reach an internal temp of 145 F to 150 F; an internal probe thermometer such as you’ve seen us use here a bunch will be a big help.
Remove from the grill and allow to rest a full five minutes, then cut about 1/2″ slices across the grain and serve it up. You can do the traditional fare with this, but one of the best treatments I know is to provide everybody a nice, fresh crusty roll, and set out lettuce, onion, tomato, cilantro, sweet peppers, pickles, mustard, mayo and horseradish and let everyone make a big, hot, sloppy sandwich – Heaven!
And here’s the best part; the next day, the sky is the limit on great follow up fair. Cube up the remainder, toss it in a medium sauté pan and heat through with lime juice, garlic, cilantro and a little beer and you’ve got killer taco meat, or maybe go whole hog and make chili; it’s incredible!
Tri tip will soak up marinades like nobody’s business, so try something new for the next round.
Pop over to this Al Carbon recipe and do that up – your dinner crowd will give you a standing O.
Enjoy!
UrbanMonique 
I prefer mine a little on the rare side and use a hotter grill, salt/coarse groung black pepper/grated garlic and olive oil rubbed onto it, getting just a little scorched, pulling it off and resting it when the internal temp is just up above 120 (like 20 minutes of so)…the temp usually goes up a bit as it rests and ‘anneals’…but without doubt one of the best uses is as a leftover the next day…I’m droolin’, no foolin’.
Coolness! And good points, Doug – it’s a cut that does rare really nicely, and truth be told, that probably sets up following meals in a better light too.