quote:

So now I'm wondering... What else am I missing?

I found it interesting that you knew about Flank steak but weren't familiar with:
Hanger
Skirt
Lifter

Unfortunately what used to be great buys in steak are becoming better known with the resultant increase in prices

quote:

If you have access to a Costco or Sam's Club, they typically carry tri-tips.

That's where I always see it...but then it is very popular in CA

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Originally posted by ElToro:
When I do find it it’s with a. Complete fat cap I need to trim but the discount grocery store I find it at usually sells it for 5.99 a pound so that’s a great price.

I was talking to a caterer at an event who specialized in smoked meat...he caters our annual IDPA Reginal match. Their banner reads, "If it's meat, we smoke it." He makes an annual trip to Arkansas to pick up wood from the family property.

He told me the secret to great Tri-top or brisket was to not trim the cap off before smoking. The fat renders down into the meat adding to the flavor

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Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
tongue

There's a large Hispanic population in the area, with lots of authentic taquerias around. So Lengua tacos/tortas are pretty common around here.

It is also popular in Chinese cooking.

I remember being surprised how other cultures served it when I went into a deli and saw it as an option served in a bagel

We love tri-tip around here, but I grill it instead of smoking it. The key to keeping it tender is to sear the outside over high direct heat and then move it to indirect. Easy to do on my kamado. About 45 minutes total and you have a tender, medium-rare inside with a nice crust.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Sirloin Cap Steak aka Pichana is special and the queen of all steaks.

Learned something new today. I'd heard about Pichana and had been looking for it, but hadn't found a ready source.

I knew about Sirloin Cap and found it a great option when I wasn't looking for a large steak for dinner. Sirloin Cap is easy to come by at the local chain grocery (Raley's/Belair) and is often on sale for about $5/lb in MaxPacs (4 or more)...actually the sale is on sirloin, you just have to pick out the cap packages; they are nice enough not to mix them

Pichana was going to be my addition, along with whole short ribs and Denver steak. Not just chopped up short ribs, the whole plate with beef attached, aka Dino bones. {drool....}

Beef shank is great for a smoked or grilled version of Osso Bucco.

Ribeye cap is technically ribeye, but surely the decadent cut of the piece!

While not a beef cut, bone-in pork belly is an incredible cut for slow cooking or cure/smoking if you can find it. YUM!

Porter Road is a great and reasonably priced source for all these.

Tri-tip, flank and skirt steak are all popular cuts in SoCal.

I’m getting ready to BBQ a Tri-Tip as I read this thread.

About 40 minutes @ 350 on indirect heat.

Yummy goodness!

Yes, I’m in California…

a lot of meat 'names' are regional,

the biz realized this and attempted to get all the companies to follow a guideline on what to call each cut by location, and cut, and by doing so standardizing the names of each,

what we used to call a Chuck Chicken Steak in the south, became Flat Iron when cut and marketed slightly diffrently, and is , IIRC, Beef Chuck Top Blade Steak ,

basically is the shoulder blade, on the other side of the Mock Tender,

we used to peel them off, and slice them, with the big peice of gristle still in the center, then someone got smart and seamed out the gristle, leaving 2 long flat peices to grill,
hence the flat iron,



I spent 35 yrs in the Gro Biz, 19 of that in the meat dept as a Journeyman Cutter and Meat Manager, and we never had a tri tip available, by that name,
and we bought beef from Carghill, IBP, Monfort , Morril and others,


also keep in mind, Meat Cutters are not usually Chefs, but can cook, and both have different names for the same piece of meat, sometimes,


and sometimes it can be very confusing for the consumer,

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks for that flat iron background. My local butcher manager explained much the same although without the Southern "Chicken Steak" history.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
I spent 35 yrs in the Gro Biz, 19 of that in the meat dept as a Journeyman Cutter and Meat Manager, and we never had a tri tip available, by that name,
and we bought beef from Carghill, IBP, Monfort , Morril and others,

It's the bottom right portion of the bottom sirloin.

Tri-tip as a distinct cut also apparently didn't really catch on outside of California until a few decades ago. So it may have just not made it fully out your direction until after your meatcutting days.

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Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
I spent 35 yrs in the Gro Biz, 19 of that in the meat dept as a Journeyman Cutter and Meat Manager, and we never had a tri tip available, by that name,
and we bought beef from Carghill, IBP, Monfort , Morril and others,

It's the bottom right portion of the bottom sirloin.

Tri-tip as a distinct cut also apparently didn't really catch on outside of California until a few decades ago. So it may have just not made it fully out your direction until after your meatcutting days.

please re read, I said not available, not that we never heard of one,

it just was not something the regional or division offices ordered,

when I started in 1981, Winn Dixie was still breaking down 1/4's (delivered to a Fab room at the Raliegh warehouse, via rail) and they did not package them when they broke down the quarters into primals,

Flap meat. It reminds me of a looser type of flank steak. Really good in Asian beef stirfry, steak fajitas, or tacos, etc.

I’ve been enjoying Tri-Tips for decades. I’ve done them in the Webber, using indirect heat, the oven during winter months, and even in the Ninja Grill. I’ve never had a bad one. I tend to go easy on the rub/seasoning as it takes away from the beef flavor the cut has.

Not beef, but Pork Steaks.

My neighbor is from St Louis, he goes back every 2 months or so to visit his kids.

He bbq's the Bone In Pork Steaks.

He said he goes to Schnucks grocery stores in St Louis, plus a few others, where he says they cut it best.
Brings back several big assed ice chests and stocks his freezer up.

I told him our local grocery sells pork steaks, but he said they are "no good" and no one around here (Oklahoma City) knows how to properly cut the Pork Steaks. I didn't, and still don't, really understand that.

OP, since you are in NW Arkansas, maybe a southern to southwestern Missouri grocery may know about this and sells them. Might be a fun day trip and a few gallons of gas to find out.

Anyway, my neighbor feeds me often, of course I have to accept, lucky me.

BTW my local grocery sells Tri-Tips for usually $6.99 a pound and I love it. They are really good, I use a Tri Tip seasoning from California that I mail order in.
.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
Not beef, but Pork Steaks.

My neighbor is from St Louis, he goes back every 2 months or so to visit his kids.

He bbq's the Bone In Pork Steaks.

He said he goes to Schnucks grocery stores in St Louis, plus a few others, where he says they cut it best.
Brings back several big assed ice chests and stocks his freezer up.

I told him our local grocery sells pork steaks, but he said they are "no good" and no one around here (Oklahoma City) knows how to properly cut the Pork Steaks. I didn't, and still don't, really understand that.

curious as well, they are just Boston Butts sliced , and quite delicious grilled ,

we sold a ton of them here in VA at every store I ran

wondering if the locals (to you) cut at the wrong angle?

I have never butchered a cow but I watch these guys YouTube channel as they also have some good cutting and cooking tips. Here’s their video on Tri Tip from whole side of cow to finished ready to grill. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cQgqaTGlaW4

I love tri tip, it's my favorite cut to smoke. We take it off after a moderate bark forms and the internal temp is about 141. It stays nice and juicy pink.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
curious as well, they are just Boston Butts sliced , and quite delicious grilled ,

we sold a ton of them here in VA at every store I ran

wondering if the locals (to you) cut at the wrong angle?

I've found pork steaks off the shoulder or butt to be much better than pork chops. Because pigs are raised to be lean, the majority of chops we get/see these days are pretty lean and have very little intramuscular fat, ergo flavorless without any rub or marinade.

This is an oustanding thread, Rogue. I've learned a lot. Never heard of tri-tip until tonight. That's on the list now.

I'll jump over pork or chicken to get to beef. I have a Pit Boss and smoke a good brisket, but I'm inconsistent. When learning to smoke beef, I threw almost as much to coyotes as I have on plates to people.

I did find out that I have a local grass fed beef farmer who sells 1/4 & 1/2 cows for those on a budget. I'm gonna reach out to him, make a purchase, and start learning more. I'll be watching this thread. Thanks for all the info.