Tri-tip is a less-well-known cut of beef that really doesn't get the attention it deserves, in my opinion. Cut from the bottom half of the sirloin, this triangular cut of beef is lean, relatively tender, and full of beefy flavor.
The above picture shows about a 2.5 pounder, with the fat cap removed (shown in the back of the picture). I've seen them sold with and without the fat cap. My dad bought this one with the fat cap thinking we might use it but we decided not to.
I cooked this tri-tip much like I do a beef tenderloin. First, as seen above, I seared at nuclear temps for about 90 seconds a side. Then, after a 20 minute rest at room temperature, I roasted this sucker direct at about 350 for roughly 45 minutes, or until the internal temp was about 135 in the middle of the thickest section. Because it is a lean cut, be careful not to overcook it.
135 was a towards the medium side of medium-rare on this cut, after resting on the counter for about 5 minutes before slicing (an important step so your juices settle back into the meat). Next time I'll pull it at 130 probably, but the tenderness and juiciness was wonderful. But most of all, the beefy flavor is what makes this cut stand out. Try it some time.
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