Californians, what are you paying for tri-tip?

[Michael_in_TX]

McFlyfi 's recent thread on Pastrami for Sandwiches, in which he does pastrami with a tri-tip got me thinking. Tri-tip was nearly unheard of here in southeast Texas until about two years ago and then I only saw Prime. Now, my local HEB is starting to carry Select, Choice, and Prime. But I don't know if the prices are down to a reasonable level yet....as this is still being sold as an 'eclectic' cut of meat.

Here's what my HEB is currently selling the grades of tri-tip for:

Select: $7.27/lb
Choice: $8.31/lb
Prime: $11.43/lb

Is this in line with what yall are paying? (Of course, I recognize things are generally much more expensive in California.)

(By comparison, a prime full-packer brisket runs $4.46/lb here.)

[GolfGeezer]

Just checked my Stater Bros app. $7.99 for choice and $9.99 for prime. Typically, I trimmed is $2.00/lb cheaper than trimmed, but the app is not showing if those I quoted are trimmed or not. Pavilions, another “higher end” chain, shows Choice untrimmed at $11.99 and Prime at $13.99. Albertsons, another Vons chain (Pavilions is a Vons store), shows Choice trimmed at $6.99 and untrimmed at $4.99. Dang, I’ve got to go down the road to Albertsons!!

[HawkerXP]

Wurt is a tri tip?

Out here on the east coast they are hard to find.

[DTro]

HawkerXP The Giant Food near me started selling them. It is hit or miss but I just got one last week. I paid $5.99 Lb for choice.

[Michael_in_TX]

I looked at my records and two years ago the Selects were going for $19.99/lb when they first started showing up. Seems the price is more-or-less in the ballpark.

[McFlyfi]

They're "on sale" nearly every week for between $5.99 to $6.99(choice). The "sales" happen so often that a "regular" price is hard to determine.
Wild Fork is at$6.99 for Choice.
I feel like this is one thing we come out on top of here in CA.

[Donw]

Last week I was thinking I would cook a tri-tip but couldn’t find any in any of our freezer. Kathy said we should reorganize the freezers so this weekend we did. Magically we found 9 Prime Tri-tips in there. I believe they were early gifts from either Santa Claus or meat fairies.

[jfmorris]

Haha. I need to empty my garage deep freeze and inventory it. No TELLING what is at the bottom of that chest freezer... I can guarantee no tri-tip though, as those are hard to come by in these parts...

[hoovarmin]

If I found 9 Tri-tips in my freezer I would retire immediately.

[GolfGeezer]

I just bought 2 Choice, untrimmed trio tips for $4.99/lb from Albertson's. Both started out just under 4 lbs each, but after trimming, they are down to 2.5 lbs. I think I need to look harder at the trimmed ones going for $6.00. If they are around 2.5 l;bs, then my primitive butchering may have worked out..

[TripleB]

Krogers (Ralphs) has TT on sale at least once/month. $5.99/lb for trimmed Choice. Our Vons/Albertsons has TT on sale once/month for $4.99/lb for untrimmed Choice. I always go with the trimmed $5.99/lb. I also always go for Choice. I don't waste my money on Prime. No real difference (marbling) between Choice and Prime.

Now the real deal is when you find a TT in the "manager's special" section (sell by date is getting close). Then in comes down to like $3.99/lb.

[McFlyfi]

I bought a prime Tri Tip at Whole Foods a while ago. It was on sale, and cheaper than the choice. DW and I didn't notice any difference, and certainly not enough to justify the pre sale price. Was worth it for the experiment though.

[OC Sandy]

From this week's ad for Albertson's

[Carolyn]

If it is previously frozen, does that mean it is now thawed, and you can't refreeze it? I am really dumb when it comes to things like this.

[OC Sandy]

Carolyn, it's the ribs which are previously frozen, not the tri-tip.

[Carolyn]

Ah, I see. Thank you.

[hoovarmin]

$14.99 a lb at the Whole Foods Market in Jacksonville Beach, FL

[Michael_in_TX]

It literally does get more expensive the more east you go!

[McFlyfi]

Like I said, this may be the one thing we Californians have on the rest of the country in terms of price and availability.

[Michael_in_TX]

This actually has been very fascinating to see what costs what where.

[Carolyn]

I guess I need to watch Albertsons, right now online says $9.99/lb with untrimmed at $7.99. I'd like to attempt Tri Tip, since I have never had it before.

[Uncle Bob]

HEB ad today/this week, choice grade $5.97 per. Usually we don't get their best prices here in the semi boonies so I would imagine Houston should be at a lower price still.

[Panhead John]

Uncle Bob My local HEB…$6.99 lb. select. $10.99 lb. Prime

[Uncle Bob]

Unusual that we get better pricing, maybe next weeks ad for you guys.