High Sierra Topix

Yes it is indeed interesting. The unfortunate result of the popularity of tri tip is the increase in the price as the demand has gone up. I don't recall far enough back to when it may have been thought of as a "trash" cut, but I sure remember consistently picking it up for less than $2 a lb in the Bay Area. That is wasn't popular earlier is a mystery. Tri tip tends be consistently well marbled and gristle free and in beef, the more marbled (and tender), the more a cut seems to be esteemed (see Filet mignon, Ribeye). Because of the tenderness I'll take tri tip over New York and certainly Sirloin, and it has the old standbys such as rump roasts and cross rib roasts beat by a long shot. Fortunately it is still cheaper than ribeye and filet, as well as being cheaper than standing rib roast. Regarding public tastes in meat, I wonder how long it will take for people to realize that they have it backwards with pork. For beef, folks throw out health worries and covet the fattiest cuts, as well they should (see Homer in the Odyssey and Iliad, for example) but for pork the superlean, dry, and chewy pork loin commands the higher price whereas the succulent cuts (the ones the generals would eat in the Homeric epics) such as the shoulder blade and butt roasts are much cheaper. I hope folks don't figure that out anytime soon.

Ah, a mouthwatering thread indeed! For me it's a nice pork shoulder or beef chuck roast low and slow in the smoker....MMMM! BTW the tip about Costco meat is a good one.

i was born and raised by santa maria lol i miss tri tip so much, but this changed my mind http://grilling.safeway.com/recipe.cfm?recipeid=9 cherry cola ribs

Tri-tip, when I can find it here at a decent price, I will sub london broil for it, but it is a poor substitue. Country style pork ribs, pork spare ribs, and beef ribs. I will sometimes do chicken as well as salmon, but my favorites are tri-tip and the pork spare ribs. I do tri-tips with either dry rubs or with just kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. The pork spare ribs I use a light coating of maggi sauce(type of soy sauce) and a light rub. The grill is a webber 22" kettle bbq set up for indirect heat, mesquite chips are used for smoke.

country style pork ribs.