What’s the deal with tri too fat cap?

[Smilner]

Horrible Seinfeld impression on the title.

I’ve never cooked tri tip before and watching YouTube videos all morning it’s about 50/50 on trimming off all the fat vs just leave it on there. What’s the favored method amongst my amazing ribs friends?

[Purc]

I love tri tip and I have never trimmed it but then I have not bought an overly fat cap tri tip.

[GolfGeezer]

I always trim most of it off. I usually buy untrimmed tri-tips as they cost less, and it is relatively easy to trim the fat away. Trimming also allows the rub you use (I almost always use a Santa maria style rub) to stick with the meat when served, especially if you dry brine the roast. Trimming that fat also reduces fat flares ups when searing.

[Rob whatever]

I go the opposite way from GolfGeezer. I never trim the fat - I love the fat! I usually reverse sear on my smoker but I done it over live fire as well.

rob

[GolfGeezer]

Heathen!! 😎

[grantgallagher]

same here, i love when i can actually find a fat cap on tri tip. Cut into steaks and seared hot its amazing. I bought some newport steaks mistakenly thinking they were cut from picahna. Bit of research says fat cap on tri tip. One of the better steaks ive had.

[smokenoob]

my butcher must trim them cause there isn’t any fat to trim when I get them

[Steve B]

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten one with a fat cap on it. But if I did I would definitely trim it down to the meat.

[TheCountofQ]

The ones I've gotten usually have fat on them, on one side. I've done it both ways, leaving fat on and totally removing, but have settled on leaving a very thin layer. Maybe an 1/8 inch.

[Smilner]

That’s what I’m workin with

[BBQ Wiz]

If you want to split the difference, trim the fat to about 1/4". But... If you are using a rub, it won't penetrate the fat to flavor that side of the cut.

[Troutman]

bbqLuv looks to be correct, that's a pichana if I ever saw one. Maybe mislabeled. If it is leave that fat cap on, it's delicious after it's seared.

[Mlambert603]

That is not tri-tip!!!! that is sirloin cap also known as Picanha!!! I got in an argument with a butcher one time when I tried to sell me picanha as tri-tip

[Thunder77]

If I get one with fat cap and I am going to sous vide then smoke, I trim the fat off. If I just go with smoke and sear, I leave some of the fat.

[barelfly]

Like most, I don’t trim tri tips, as there really isn’t much to trim. But what you have looks almost like a fat cap from a picanha. If it’s pretty uniform, you could just let it be and sear it good at the end to get it nice and melty good!

but if it’s not uniform, perhaps a little trim just to get it even and then cook to temp and finish with the sear.

[SierraBBQGuy]

The majority of Tri Tip I’ve bought is trimmed by butcher, so no trim is needed. I recently found some untrimmed on sale at grocery store. The fat cap was the really hard type, no way it would render and not very edible IMO. A little of the soft type is good. I think this is why it’s almost always sold trimmed? Just my guess, maybe there is a butcher here that can verify?

[theroc]

I'm in the trim camp (for tri-tip, not picanha). I prefer to trim tri-tip because I want the smoke and the crust from the sear on the meat rather than the fat. The fat cap also tends to insulate one side of the meat making it challenging to get a uniform cook.

[Bad Hat BBQ]

+1

[DaveD]

Also never seen a tri tip (of all five of the ones I've cooked in my life) with any substantial fat cap on it. That pic sure does look like picanha to me as well. I cook them the same way too.

[ecowper]

I trim the fat cap on all meats aggressively. A couple reasons. First, when you are seasoning, salt does not penetrate fat so you won’t get salt to the meat on that side. Second, I find that 75% of the people I cook for will trim the fat away anyhow. Which means all the rub and bark on that side of the meat gets trimmed away. Third, I love seasoning/rub/bark on meat and the fat cap just blocks that from happening.

I cook tri-tip a lot. If I buy commodity in the grocery store, it’s been trimmed pretty good. If I buy from the butcher, it usually has a fair amount of fat on it and I need to trim.

[tamidw]

Generally there’s a bit of fat that needs trimmed since I usually get the I trimmed ones. I like the seasonings on the meat as I don’t care to eat fat.