Tri-Tip with large, thick fat cap

[Hulagn1971]

This is a Tri-Tip I purchased recently from a local butcher. It was around $5 a pound. Very reputable store. This piece of meat is not common on the east coast, very common on the left coast. I've bought them before from Lowe's Foods which is a local NC grocery store. The difference is they are in cryovac sealed packs, not fresh, you can't see the marbling of the meat and they're almost $10 per pound. The pictures are pre trim then trimmed then sealed.
My question is this. Where in the world does this big fat cap come from? The internal marbling is pretty impressive. I just don't don't like that I paid for almost a pound of hard fat that I had to hand trim. I'm rendering it down on the stove to use for beef love stored in a mason jar.

[Huskee]

I'm with you! It's frustrating paying for useless fat. I too trim it all off meat that I take to 'grill' temps like medium rare (tri tip, steak, chops, loins, etc). 99% of everyone I serve roasts & steaks to will leave the fat on their plate uneaten, including my family & I, so I've begun trimming it off at the start. Brisket of course in another story, the more cap the better!

[Hulagn1971]

Huskee I saw it had a fat cap but since it was on the bottom of the packaging I could not see how thick it was. Next time I'll ask the butcher to take it out and trim it. Hopefully he will do so. My deal at $5/lb turned out not to be such a great deal after having to pay for almost a pound of fat.

[Troutman]

I'm the opposite, I like a fat cap. Generally on tri-tips and culottes I trim it to 1/4-3/8" (not too unlike a brisket) and grill them that way, fat cap down. When slicing you just end up with that little 1/4" piece at the bottom, don't eat it if you don't want it. I'll take it !!

[Hulagn1971]

Troutman I will keep that in mind next time. It was hard on the outside but as I trimmed it down it got soft and pillowy. Probably very tasty now that I think about it.

[Cheef]

Trimming fat is a SIN!

[CaptainMike]

Tri tips come either trimmed or untrimmed. Retailers that trim will account for that in their price/lb because they don't like throwing it away either. I try to buy untrimmed and then I get to decide how much I want left on the roast and what to do with the trimmings.

[Hulagn1971]

CaptainMike my trimmings went into a CI skillet on the warmer burner stove top covered loosely with foil. Still rendering.

[Troutman]

Beef love !!!

[Larry Grover]

I live near Santa Maria. Crusty old ranchers here say the secret to good tri-tip is cooking it with the fat. Costco here sells prime trimmed & untrimmed. I always go untrimmed and like Troutman will shave it down a bit.

[HouseHomey]

The only thing that fat is good for is the grind pile. IMHO it does not render that well/as well. Damn good in meatballs though!

trimmed will have a minimum amount removed and it at the least is usually one side as wee see them packaged here. Like yours.

I just buy trimmed these days unless I need the fat. Comes out about equal.

tour handywork looks fantastic!!

[Hulagn1971]

HouseHomey thank you!

[jgg85234]

It's weird to see all the fat on a tri-tip. In Arizona, I've been buying and cooking tri-tips for decades, and I don't ever remember seeing one for sale that was "untrimmed".

Must be a new marketing ploy to sell some more fat at the same price as the meat

Best regards,
Jim

[TripleB]

Out here on the best coast, you can find trimmed and untrimmed Tri-Tip. I always buy trimmed and then trim off all the remaining fat and silver skin. If it was a brisket, I’d leave some of the fat cap on to help shield the meat, but not on a short cook. Also look for a cut from a steer, rather than a heifer.

[Timbo54]

The local Safeway market here sells untrimmed tri-tip for 3.99/lb USDA choice. I feel alittle ripped off after trimming. Costco sells trimmed Choice 5.19 / lb. I think is a better deal.