The Tri Tip roast is referred to by other names in different areas of the country. I found a website that lists a bunch of the steak names...scroll down to #4, Sirloin. Providing your butcher with that information might help. I have also heard a Tri Tip referred to as a Triangle Roast. It's not as though cattle in other States don't have the same muscles, lol, so it's simply a matter of getting the butcher to understand what it is you're looking for. I don't know about pricing in other areas, but here I can generally get them for under $3 per pound, untrimmed...sometimes as low as $2.50. I prefer them untrimmed because it is a lean cut, and why lard/oil/baste if I can get it with it's own layer of fat to do the work for me!! Some recipes on the web claim that the cut gets tough if cooked to med or well, but I have had it many times both ways (even if I prefer my beef mooing) and that is not the case. The only time I have had Tri Tip really tough is when it has been carved by someone who didn't know what he was doing. It is absolutely essential that it be sliced across the grain, and thin slices are better than thick. As I said, it isn't as tender as a Filet Mignon or Prime Rib, but it certainly isn't "tough" as long as it is carved properly. Another Central Valley staple is the bbq Tri Tip sandwich. Thinly sliced Tri Tip (freshly cooked or leftover) slathered with your favorite smoky barbecue sauce in a bun. Mmmmmmmm. Here is a link that might be useful: Tri Tip names

This was really, really good! I was happy with the recipe, but the meat itself was fantastic. I have never felt completely successful with pot roasts. I always seem to have dry meat under the gravy. This roast, which I wound up cooking almost three hours at 225° and then letting it rest for another 20 minutes while I strained all the juices out, let the fat rise to the top, removed the fat and returned the juices to the pot with all the chopped onion, was delicious. I cooked it to an internal temp of 175° worrying that it would be overdone, but it was perfect. I found a reference on the web suggesting an internal temp of 165° but it was not tender enough and the juices were too bloody for a pot roast. I blitzed the juices and the onion into a smooth sauce and added just a little, about a teaspoon, of cornstarch stirred into a couple of ounces of red wine to thicken it. The meat sliced smoothly and perfectly and was meltingly moist and tender. It was certainly the best pot roast I have ever made and I thought this is what you would get if you ordered a fancy braised beef in a good restaurant. Everyone enjoyed it and the simple sides of baked sweet potato and steamed green beans were perfect. I'm looking forward to cooking my other piece in a more savory manner, undoubtedly with mushrooms and red wine. I will be looking for more PRIME cross cut chuck. Thanks again for all your help and if you see a prime grade cross cut chuck, grab it, in fact grab all you can. Lee

Wheeew-!!.. In that case then you can mail all correspondences, gifts and gratuities to... We had a built rotisserie in our kitchen that was used quite frequently as well as many others for outdoor use. So yes, I've done a few in my day... If I could get a spit through it or put it in some type of basket I tried it at least once. It did get me a lot of free passes to fairs and pig roasts although I'd much prefer a steamship round or side of beef. I actually hadn't done any for a few years but this past Oct. we had a snow storm that cut power for about a week. We had just filled the freezer and it kept popping the generator so when things began to thaw I figured I'd better start cooking. Had to buy a new gas grill for the occasion because no one had anything wood fired in stock that was big enough and set up for rotisserie yet smaller than an old Buick Roadmaster. I ended up having to sacrifice on some features just to get one that is great for rotisserie. Unfortunately I had to return the rotisserie though because the motor was about the size of a matchbox so indeed it was a "flopper" and the spit just fit so there was no way to add an old rotisserie gearbox/motor I had (that was made by the same company) that's been kicking around, adding counter weights or anything else. The absolute best/bonus feature though is the stainless steal removable drip pan. Ended up using it to make some stocks with it that were some of the best I've ever made. Well.. Would love to stay and chat about food all day but need to finish up a few things around here for the holidays because A Dr. on TV said to have inner peace for the new year we should finish the things we started this past year and hey, who couldn't use a little more peace in their lives especially around the holidays. I must say that I was skeptical at first but wouldn't you know it, upon looking around my house I realized there were a lot of things I'd started but hadn't finished, so I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bodle of Baileys, a butle of wum, tha mainder of Valiuminun scriptins, an a box a shocletz. Yu haf no idr how fablelus ah fleel wite now dat doze sings wur finiched stho ah dethided to thtart zze nu yar ahf wif thum iwish riskey. Thnendinin dith ta owl who needzez inert peath. An telininum i luvzum.. ~hugs~ Hope you all have a great holiday

Posted by joanm "----Dcarch, interesting information. I would be one of those people that would try sous vide just for the ability to get it "exact". I just don't have time to even read about it these days. Was that really london broil? And was it really tender? That would be worth the wait." Indeed, "exact", "prefect" and "repeatability" is what sous vide is all about. The only time you can run into problem is the power goes out when you are cooking. Yes, very tender medium rare London broil that was. Posted by jkom51 "My DH was born and raised in Hong Kong, so everyone eats their meat (no matter what kind) cooked well-done. ------" Well-done meat can be very delicious. Beef, chicken, cooked at 160F is well-done, not bloody and taste very good. Beef, chicken cooked at 212F is way overcooked and dry. dcarch