Last week, Cub (the local grocery) had advertised "Tri-Tip" for $4.99.
Now, my family and I have searched for tri-tip in Minnesota for the past 20 years and have never found it. Evidently, butchers don't cut the cows the same east of the Rockies.
In California, tri-tip is the bottom butt of the sirloin. It's a large cut, rough cut of meat- about 3-5 pounds with a large slab of fat on one side. We've been so desperate for tri-tip that we had relatives go to the butcher in California and have them deep-freeze tri-tips for us, then bringing them out on the airplane when they came to visit. Ahhhh, Santa Maria seasoning. (Can't get that in Minnesota, either)
In fact, the fat is critical, as the only ways to cook this tough cut are on the barbecue or, evidently, roasting in the oven. Tri-tip the California tailgate food; tri-tip, pilaf, and garlic sourdough bread...San Francisco-style sourdough..the fact that the rest of the country can't get "sourdough" right, is a different story.Anyway, the grocery store's sale.
I cynically went to the grocery store looking for their tri-tip. It wasn't out in the beef section, so I asked the butcher that was stocking the shelf. He acted like I didn't have any idea what I was asking for:
"Where's your tri-tip that's on sale?"
"Well, I'd have to go get you one."
"Oh." (I was in a hurry and made to walk off)
"It's a steak about an 1" thick about about this big (two hands-sized)."
"That's not a tri-tip. A tri-tip is the bottom butt of the sirloin. It's a huge roast, like 3-5 pounds, with a huge slab of fat on one side."
"No it's not- it's a little steak about a pound"
"I suggest you check the internet or call a butcher on the West Coast. Thanks, anyway"
Sigh
So close and yet so far.
Butchers in the twin cities: with all the California immigrants in Minnesota, whoever figures out how to cut the cow the California way is going to make a fortune...particularly for their tri-tips.
Last week, Costco (which is also in California) had their "tri-tip" for sale. I was impressed that they had Pappy's seasoning, although the sample server didn't have a clue about the significance of Pappy's to a Californian. Anyway, their "tri-tip" was also 1 inch steaks with no fat and she was "grilling" on an electric skillet. Made me walk away shaking my head that Minnesota still doesn't GET IT.
ReplyDeleteI would be that this is why tri-tip is not available in Minnesota. They don't know how to cook it- The butchers are giving consumers the wrong advice on how to prepare it and it comes out inedible. I can't imagine trying to cook a tri-tip like a steak. It would be like shoe leather!
ReplyDeletePerhaps if people knew how to prepare it, it would be more popular.