When I was in grade school, the cafeteria introduced me to the "wonders" of low-budget eats, by which I mean I learned to deal with the slop that was put in front of me at lunch. There was, however, one standout meal that I could get excited about: beef tri-tip with gravy on toast. It was easily one of the best meals we were given during the week, beating out the anemic "pizza" easily. Even now, the thought of preparing tri-tip takes me back to those school days and the good times associated with them. Make some happy memories for yourself with this surprisingly flavorful cut.
The tri-tip cut comes from the bottom sirloin area of the loin primal. Slightly curved and shaped like a triangle (hence the name), the muscle weighs between a pound and a half to 2 and a half pounds. Cheap, full of flavor and yet tender, the tri-tip is a lean cut with little marbling.
For a long time, butchers and meat packers would grind the tri-tip into hamburger meat, or cut it into stew meat. Eventually, someone in Santa Maria, California, decided to try something different. After applying a rub, they put the tri-tip on a rotisserie and cooked until it was medium rare. The finished product was so well received that Santa Maria steaks are still sold to this day, and the majority of tri-tip cuts are shipped to California.
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