Tri-tip Steak

[WyoDoug]

Curious, I suspect most run elk tri-tip into grind pile but how many actually cook that as steak. I had some that my buddy fixed and man that was good. If you do not know what it is, it's the inside muscle off the diaphragm. So what do you guys do with that?

 

[2rocky]

No that is NOT Tri tip...

The tri-tip is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin subprimal cut, consisting of the tensor fasciae latae muscle. Untrimmed, the tri-tip weighs around 5 pounds.[1] The cut was known in the United States as early as 1915, called "the triangle part" of the loin butt.[2] In the U.S., the tri-tip is taken from NAMP cut 185C.

You are describing a hanger steak, also known as butcher's steak, is a cut of beef steak prized for its flavor. Derived from the diaphragm of a steer or heifer, it typically weighs about 450 to 675 grams (1 to 1 1⁄2 pounds). This cut is taken from the plate, which is the upper belly of the animal. In the past it was sometimes known as "butcher's steak", because butchers would often keep it for themselves rather than offer it for sale. The reason for this was because the general populace believed this to be a crude cut of meat, although it's actually one of the most tender. [1]

Hanger steak resembles flank steak in texture and flavor. It is a vaguely V-shaped pair of muscles with a long, inedible membrane running down the middle. The hanger steak is usually the most tender cut on an animal, aside from the tenderloin, which has no fat.

Anatomically speaking, the hanger steak is the crura, or legs, of the diaphragm. The steak is said to "hang" from the diaphragm of the heifer or steer.[2] The diaphragm is one muscle, commonly cut into two separate cuts of meat: the hanger steak, traditionally considered more flavorful, and the outer skirt steak, composed of tougher muscle from the dome of the diaphragm. The hanger is attached to the last rib and to the front of several of the lumbar vertebrae. The right side is larger and stronger than the left.

Occasionally seen on menus as a "bistro steak", hanger steak is also very traditional in Mexican cuisine, particularly in the north where it is known as arrachera, and is generally marinated, grilled and served with a squeeze of lime juice, guacamole, salsa, scallions and tortillas to roll tacos. In South Texas this cut of beef is known as fajitas arracheras. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as flap steak or flap meat, which is a distinctly different cut.

The hanger steak has historically been more popular in Europe. In Britain it is referred to as "skirt", which is not to be confused with the American skirt steak. In French it is known as the onglet, in Italian the lombatello, in Flanders the longhaas,in Polish the Świeca wołowa, and in Spanish the solomillo de pulmón or entraña or entécula' '.[2]

Its U.S. meat-cutting classification is NAMP 140.

 

[WyoDoug]

Thank you for the image and correction....it was tri-tip but I mistated where it was cut from. I always had it going to the grind pile myself. But anyways, interested in how many cut it as a steak or run it into the grind pile. Planning on cutting it out as steak this year. The steak I got from my buddy was pretty good.

 

[roravetz]

If you are talking Tri Tip, I like to season it with whatever you like, I put it on my Pellet Grill at 250 deg until it gets an internal temp around 115, then raise the heat and sear each side and it turns out great.

 

[WyoDoug]

I have to learn to cook it myself. I like to sear steak in a hot skillet myself. I am leary of over-cooking it because that is how cuts like that gets tough as hell.

 

[JohnCushman]

I have to learn to cook it myself. I like to sear steak in a hot skillet myself. I am leary of over-cooking it because that is how cuts like that gets tough as hell.

Maybe try a sous vide? Cook it in the water bath and then simply sear it in screaming hot cast iron.

 

[hank4elk]

Can't cook elk like beef either really.
The Santa Maria BBQ I grew up on was tons of Tri-Tip and we charred it a long time over hot oak,constant flipping to burn the fat off & seal juices.
Toughest elk I've cooked was when I tried to do the same with the lean meat. Way over cooked.

 

[2rocky]

Tri tip is a common "big group" meal here on the Left Coast. I usually KISS with Pappy's Seasoning, Grill on high until a goood crust on each side then wrap in foil, and put on upper rack in my grill until 125 F or so.

Important part of serving it though is to carve across the grain. that can be hard to find on this cut because it changes direction.

 

[JohnCushman]

Can't cook elk like beef either really.
The Santa Maria BBQ I grew up on was tons of Tri-Tip and we charred it a long time over hot oak,constant flipping to burn the fat off & seal juices.
Toughest elk I've cooked was when I tried to do the same with the lean meat. Way over cooked.

I agree with Hank. I've tried to sear elk tri tip on a hot grill and it sucked. The best I've done was low and slow in a smoker to about 115-120 degrees and wrapped in a cooler for about an hour. Cooking a beef tri tip is definitely different.

 

[WyoDoug]

You are describing a hanger steak, also known as butcher's steak, is a cut of beef steak prized for its flavor. Derived from the diaphragm of a steer or heifer, it typically weighs about 450 to 675 grams (1 to 1 1⁄2 pounds). This cut is taken from the plate, which is the upper belly of the animal. In the past it was sometimes known as "butcher's steak", because butchers would often keep it for themselves rather than offer it for sale. The reason for this was because the general populace believed this to be a crude cut of meat, although it's actually one of the most tender. [1]

Hanger steak resembles flank steak in texture and flavor. It is a vaguely V-shaped pair of muscles with a long, inedible membrane running down the middle. The hanger steak is usually the most tender cut on an animal, aside from the tenderloin, which has no fat.

Now you got me thinking. This hanger steak is one I seen in butchering videos but my hearing is not as good until I get hearing aids in the near future. I appreciate your correction and information. Now how would I trim this piece once I cut it from an elk? Does that membrane in the middle trim out easy? In the past I have always cut this up for the grind pile but my research on it indicates I should be cooking it as steak. So far I am not finding good articles on how to trim this piece out.

 

[brockel]

If you are talking Tri Tip, I like to season it with whatever you like, I put it on my Pellet Grill at 250 deg until it gets an internal temp around 115, then raise the heat and sear each side and it turns out great.

One of my favorite meals right there

 

[WyoDoug]

I answered my own question on hanger steak. I always trimmed that piece out for grind pile. Now thanks to the correction I received when I misstated where tri-tip was cut from, @2rocky got me to thinking about trimming it out as steak. I did more research and it appears to be very tender trimmed out. Check out this video:

 

[WyoDoug]

Both the hanger steak and tri-tip sound really good cooked right. Going to cut both this year.

 

[chuckchili]

There are few things on this earth better than a tri-tip fresh off the smoker

 

[lastlight]

You guys just over cook your elk steaks. Any venison cut over oak wood 5-7 mins max on each side depending on heat is delicious. I’ve converted dozens of old timers who grind everything but back straps. I guess if you are afraid of blood rare in the center then you should stick to ground because medium rare is over cooked when it comes to any venison. All I do is a heavy coat of olive oil, lots of rosemary grind (flavor and prevents charring), sea salt and pepper. Dip that in some fresh ground horseradish right off the grill and tell me that’s not good.

 

[LuketheDog]

Can't cook elk like beef either really.
The Santa Maria BBQ I grew up on was tons of Tri-Tip and we charred it a long time over hot oak,constant flipping to burn the fat off & seal juices.
Toughest elk I've cooked was when I tried to do the same with the lean meat. Way over cooked.

Listen to hank4elk-only a true Central-Coaster can speak to beef tri-tip, it gets Santa Maria style dry-rub seasoning and grilled over a hot fire until there are crusty bits on the outside and the middle is medium rare, served with fresh pico de gallo. With a tri-tip from an elk or anything else you can do what you please, I've put my elk tri-tips on the smoker and they turned out great.

 

[roravetz]

Listen to hank4elk-only a true Central-Coaster can speak to beef tri-tip, it gets Santa Maria style dry-rub seasoning and grilled over a hot fire until there are crusty bits on the outside and the middle is medium rare, served with fresh pico de gallo. With a tri-tip from an elk or anything else you can do what you please, I've put my elk tri-tips on the smoker and they turned out great.

I've never tried the Santa Maria style dry-rub seasoning. I'm going to have to give that a shot!

 

[WyoDoug]

I eat mine really rare. I don't use high heat to cook. I like to sear it first in a very hot cast iron griddle or skillet then I cook on low to medium heat. I brown one side then flip it and brown the other side. Good for me. That is two to three minutes per side max. I don't like my steak dead LOL.

 

[jryoung]

You guys just over cook your elk steaks. Any venison cut over oak wood 5-7 mins max on each side depending on heat is delicious. I’ve converted dozens of old timers who grind everything but back straps. I guess if you are afraid of blood rare in the center then you should stick to ground because medium rare is over cooked when it comes to any venison. All I do is a heavy coat of olive oil, lots of rosemary grind (flavor and prevents charring), sea salt and pepper. Dip that in some fresh ground horseradish right off the grill and tell me that’s not good.

I disagree, most cuts are unique and deserve separate attention. Sure a backstrap, tenderloin, hanger or flat-iron are great of high direct heat, they're a naturally more tender cut they don't have the higher collagen content and typical muscle shortening that creates tougher meat. Other cuts of meat benefit greatly from a slower rise to temperature, this is why the reverse sear is so popular. It's dependent the calpain system, the enzymes are critical to muscle degradation in the aging process as well as the cooking process. They become most active when cooking between 80-105, a slow rise, even a hold in this temperature range and accelerate the aging process and tenderness of a cut of meat.

 

[2rocky]

It's dependent the calpain system, the enzymes are critical to muscle degradation in the aging process as well as the cooking process. They become most active when cooking between 80-105, a slow rise, even a hold in this temperature range and accelerate the aging process and tenderness of a cut of meat.

This is an interesting point. I haven't followed the Sous Vide trend but how would we maximize that Temp range in a grilling situation? Sear then indirect? Or indirect and reverse sear more likely... How long in that temp range?