Brontosaurus tri tip, anyone??? Wowzers!

[realdocBBQ]

Ok, maybe not Brontosaurus, but definitely a monster - maybe Triceratops, or at least Diplodocus or something?

#1.




#2.




I was shocked at the size of these two behemoths! I mean, most tri tips I see are like 1.5 up to maybe a hair over 3 lbs. But damn, FIVE POUNDS????

Well, the 'smaller' of the two went home with me, as it was the thicker of the two. I am going to do it like a briskie, take up around 200ºF or so. I just can't wait! I've got an awesome tri tip rub to put on it, too. So good.

Tomorrow? Maybe? Yes, I think so.

I need a smaller smoker out at the shop. With the 320-gallon being the main one left, as I've sold my others, I need something in the 40-60 gallon range to run while I'm out working. Just doesn't make practical sense to fire up Big Bertha for a single piece like this, and I can't justify doing a ton of meat if I don't have something big going on. <sigh> And I don't want to just throw this on the pellet cooker and leave for hours, it deserves to be watched, prodded, babied and smoked on real wood. But I can't just stay home all day on Saturday, either, to cook it on The Duk, my 80-gallon fully insulated backyard offset. I have work to do. <sigh> Dammit.

I need to make a smaller smoker for myself to use at the shop.

[ecowper]

Dang, I do not believe I've ever seen a tri-tip that big.

[Jerod Broussard]

Those are quadtips not to be confused with their smaller cousin tritip.

[barelfly]

Must have been a killer at the gym!

[BFlynn]

Dry brine.
Rub.
Smoke to 110.
Sear!

I've always wanted to try dinosaur

[texastweeter]

Brontosaurus wasn't real, get with the times Doc!

[realdocBBQ]

texastweeter -
"Initially, there was confusion between Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus, but recent research has reinstated Brontosaurus as its own distinct genus of dinosaur."

She's back, baby...

[texastweeter]

You just saved my childhood!!! Now, I need you to get to work on Pluto next.

[TripleB]

Most likely from large steer(s). Your 1.5 - 3 lb. TT's are generally hefers.

[RichieB]

I'd pass.

[Santamarina]

3-4 lbs is standard around here. This is on the high end of the scale, but not crazy high. Maybe they ship all the big tri-tips here to CA since it’s such a popular regional cut. 🤷♂️

[SJUfeller]

That is absolutely huge! (and actually raises a bit of a red flag.)

Tri-tip comes from the Sirloin primal -- it is found part of the bottom sirloin of the hindquarter. (The Bavette is the other portion of the bottom sirloin, and is usually larger.)

5.2# for a tri-tip is almost unheard of. Beyond the size of the animal, that weight is likely the result of how it was trimmed and cut. I am not a butcher, but I wonder if some of the muscle that is usually part of the Bavette ended up with that Tri-tip.

The larger the animal, the larger the tri-tip -- whether a steer or heifer. As someone mentioned though, it was probably off a steer, as steers are, on average, larger. (Although, like with people, size and gender do not always directly correlate.)

When I saw this post, I asked my butcher/partner if he thinks we've ever had a tri-tip that large. He highly doubts it.

We've butchered over 550 head in the last three years, and our cattle are larger than the average commercial feed lot cattle. (We are trying for maximum marbling . . .and larger, older cattle -- up to a point -- more likely to have better marbling.)

We've butchered a fair number of steers that were 2,000# or more . . . and if we've never had a 5.2# try tip, that suggests that the animal that tri-tip came from was even larger (even 2,500# or more). Or, the way it was cut resulted in extra muscle or fat being included.

Another scenario is that the that tri tip came from a bull. Bulls attain weights exceeding 2,000# quite often . . . sometimes attaining over 2,500#, depending on the breed.

If it was from a bull though, I would not expect it to taste as good as you'd expect. (will look forward to hearing the results.)

*** Interesting tib-bit of the day: Bulls can live to 10 - 12 years, but most get culled by age 5 or 6. A number get culled not due to a loss in productivity or injury, but due to "attitude problems".

So . . . a suggestion to "middle-aged" men: If the wife threatens you with the "bull treatment", don't take it as a complement!

[texastweeter]

Belgian Blue Bull tri tip anyone?

[SJUfeller]

As far as I know, I've never had beef from a Belgian Blue. Is it good?