tri-tip roast: This is a very flavorful cut that's great for barbecuing as long as you take pains to keep the meat from getting too tough. The trick is to not trim the fat until the roast is cooked so that the juices can tenderize the meat. When it's done, slice it thinly against the grain. This cut is popular in California, but you might have trouble finding it elsewhere. (from foodsubs.com)



I enjoy tri-tip, but I like it marinated when I grill it over charcoal and wood. I also use this cut (not marinated) when I make pot roast.

Marinating is easy, but to really get the marinade into the meat it takes a little work.

First you need a flat dish or Rubbermaid container that is big enough to hold the cut of meat.

Cover the bottom of the dish with rock salt. You can use coarse Kosher salt, ice cream maker salt, etc. Don't use fine ground salt as you won't be able to get it off the meat after you've salted it.

Place the roast on the salt in the container and pour salt all over the cut, covering it completely.

Place the lid on the container and leave it for at least an hour. This will suck the juice out of the cut of meat to a depth of about an eighth to a quarter of an inch.

Remove the meat from the salt and carefully brush off all the salt. Don't leave any salt on the cut!

Dump the salt from the container. All of it.

Pour your marinade into the container. Put the meat in the container and pour more marinade over it. Turn the meat over a few times to make sure the marinade has touched every surface.

Replace the lid and refrigerate about four hours, re-opening the container and turning-over the meat several times.

Remove the meat, dump and clean the dish.

Fire up the barbecue and let the coals get hot.

Barbecue the meat carefully, as one side of a tri-tip is covered in fat and it will flame up your fire.

Slice across the meat's grain. I cut it in thin strips, about a quarter-inch thick.

It also makes great leftover sandwich meat, Stroganoff and/or strip meat for serving on pasta with tomato sauce.