FYI - East Coast Tri-Tip's!


 
D

D Jennings

TVWBB Fan
As most know Tri-Tips on the east coast are almost impossible to find, and if you do they are in the $6/7 doller p/lb. range. Today I found out that Costco's carry them, but do not put them in the display case. Just knock on the window and ask for them. The only problem being they come in large cryocac's around 20 lbs., giving you 7 or 8 roasts per pack. Priced at $3.59 lb. Plan to Foodsaver individual roasts and put in deep freeze.
 
Where on the East Coast are you? I'd be really surpsised if my costco sold tri tip... I've tried, as I know they aren't in the display and I don't think they are using them for any other premade foods... not sure why they'd have them. But it's worth a try... only place I can get tris out here is Trader Joes.

Are you sure they are tri tips? I know they often sell sirloin tips and round roasts... never ever seen tri tip at costco.

This would be a HUGE find if all the costcos out here started selling them...
 
Not east-coast, but my indy costco(s) have sold tri-tips for at least the last few years. They usually have them packaged in two's and roughly around the price you gave.

It surprises me that they have them in back but aren't selling them. Did he happen to say what they do with them?
 
Originally posted by adam clyde:
Where on the East Coast are you? I'd be really surpsised if my costco sold tri tip... I've tried, as I know they aren't in the display and I don't think they are using them for any other premade foods... not sure why they'd have them. But it's worth a try... only place I can get tris out here is Trader Joes.

Are you sure they are tri tips? I know they often sell sirloin tips and round roasts... never ever seen tri tip at costco.

This would be a HUGE find if all the costcos out here started selling them...
Click to expand...

I'm in Virginia, like I said they are not in display case. You must knock on window ask ask meat man for them. Not sure what they use them for except to maybe grind for hamburger. Not even sure why they don't put them in case, I guess they don't get much demand for them. Remember you better have lots of freezer space or have bunch of friends over. BTW - They are Tri-Tips. Note: If the first one you ask says thay don't have them, ask someone else. My guy wasn't sure but he ask his boss and low and behold they had them.
 
Originally posted by adam clyde:
I'd be really surpsised if my costco sold tri tip... I've tried, as I know they aren't in the display and I don't think they are using them for any other premade foods... not sure why they'd have them. But it's worth a try... only place I can get tris out here is Trader Joes.

This would be a HUGE find if all the costcos out here started selling them...
Click to expand...
Same here. I asked at Sam's, Costco, and BJ's for them. I get the same answer from them all. We don't carry them because there's no demand for them, It's a West Coast thing.
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Been getting them at Trader Joe's for about 2 years now. Pricey at $5.99 lb though.
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Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by adam clyde:
I'd be really surpsised if my costco sold tri tip... I've tried, as I know they aren't in the display and I don't think they are using them for any other premade foods... not sure why they'd have them. But it's worth a try... only place I can get tris out here is Trader Joes.

This would be a HUGE find if all the costcos out here started selling them...
Click to expand...
Same here. I asked at Sam's, Costco, and BJ's for them. I get the same answer from them all. We don't carry them because there's no demand for them, It's a West Coast thing.
icon_rolleyes.gif

Been getting them at Trader Joe's for about 2 years now. Pricey at $5.99 lb though.
icon_eek.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bryan, I saw them a Costcos several times. They were not in the roast, but thick sliced already. Don't see them all the time, but have seen them. they were $5.99/# also.
 
Originally posted by Bob T.:
Bryan, I saw them a Costcos several times. They were not in the roast, but thick sliced already. Don't see them all the time, but have seen them. they were $5.99/# also.
Click to expand...

Bob, i had asked at least 2 years ago. Bummer they sell them sliced. Next time you go ask if they would sell them whole in the cryovac and send me a email Bud, thanks.
 
If they sell them sliced that's the answer. They come to Costco whole and they slice them in the store. I just got mine before they sliced them and saved $2.40 a lb.
 
Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob T.:
Bryan, I saw them a Costcos several times. They were not in the roast, but thick sliced already. Don't see them all the time, but have seen them. they were $5.99/# also.
Click to expand...

Bob, i had asked at least 2 years ago. Bummer they sell them sliced. Next time you go ask if they would sell them whole in the cryovac and send me a email Bud, thanks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Next time I go, I'll do that, and ask what for price difference they'll give me for not slicing. I don't know if they always carry them, but I know that I have seen them because I have pointed them out to the Wife several times. If your not a member, let me know and I'll take care of getting them.
 
As a side note, if you ever see them already sliced in the given stores packaging, you can bet they have whole ones in the back.
 
It should be a crime to sell sliced tri tip. I've never seen them sliced or in any other form out here. I've asked... multiple times, but maybe I should try again as they may have expanded their distribution of tri tips? Worth a call...
 
OK, I just called and got the info. The Costcos in this Northeast region don't carry them. Darn them.

Maybe I should aspire to become regional meat manager for Costco and then I could positively impact the world by stocking them with tri-tip for the tri-state area. I'd be a hero.
 
I asked my local butcher why they do not sell tri tip on the east coast and he chuckled at the question. Butchering a cow on the east coast yields the same cuts of meat as a cow on the west coast is what he told me. Tri-tip is called sirloin roast in WNY.
 
I have shopped all over western and central NY and have never seen tri-tip (just saying I've never seen them, not that they are definitely not there). I have seen many 'sirloin roasts' but that is a very generic term. Those roasts have been top sirloin, sirloin and sirloin tip but not tri-tip.

Relatively few cattle are butchered in the east but, regardless, the packers cut the carcasses up in house, mostly into sub-subprimals--the various roasts and such. Those are then cryo'd, boxed and shipped and the west indeed gets the lion's share of tri-tips. If your butcher has tri-tip available for you K, consider yourself fortunate as most in the east have no idea what they are since so few 'butchers' no longer cut down primals or even subprimals. Fortunately, as Trader Joe's has spread through the mid-west, northeast and central Atlantic, and now the southeast with their new stores near Atlanta and Raleigh, tri-tip can be found by more people.
 
A local supermarket featured tri-tip, and as I was loading up my cart with the stash the meat manager and I started talking. He informed me that he could order just about anything, but I would be required to purchase the case. It is pricey.... It may be worth while asking those grocery store meat managers.


Kevin,

Rumor has it that Trader Joe's is heading to FL. A fellow So. Ca. transplant told me that one in on it's way to Orlando...... Let's hope....

Q'n, Golf'n & Grill'n.... too many choices!
Gary
 
Harris Teeter in Northern Virgina regularly carries tri-tip. Harris Teeter has locationsin Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
 
Kevin,

What is the difference between the sirloin roasts that you mentioned? How will I be able to tell whether I am actually getting a tri-tip as opposed to say a sirloin tip? Being a relative newbie, I took my butcher at his word. He seemed quite confident in his answer, but I now have my doubts. You always seem dead on in your posts so any help is greatly appreciated.

One more question...

What would bring you to WNY?

K
 
Another thing you might try is look in the yellow pages for local butchers or local meat processors (someone the processes local beef). We have two in my area, I called them and while they rarely get a request for Tri-Tips they can supply them, my local guys quoted $4.59 lb., much better than Trader Joe's or Harris Teeder's $5.99 lb. Most butchers know what they are if they don't see if they know it as a Botton Sirloin Butt. If they still don't know tell them according to the Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards, tri-tip's UPC number is 1429 and tri-tip's IMPS/NAMP code is 185C.
 
K-- I drive 175,000 miles a year so I get around. I own a truck/trailer combo, the main gig, and also cook privately here and there.

Tri-tip is distinctive in appearance. They all pretty much look the same. Check the pics on the Cooking tab above where Chris has his recipe. They can be narrower but that's the shape. Most are a bit over 1.5 lbs to a bit under 3 lbs but can run slightly higher.

D/K-- I am less sanguine about 'butchers' (read: meat dept employees) and butchers in the east. I can't tell you how many have insisted that sirloin tip is tri-tip. Few actually have a NAMP guide at their disposal. My butcher, who cuts many of the cattle that are raised around me, I had to show directly but the suggestion to contact a local processor is a good one nevertheless. Many meat dept managers--if they look at their order sheets or contact their buyers--will find that they can order them (they are listed as tri-tip or bottom sirloin butt as D notes; though it is said that they are sometimes called 'triangle roast' I have never actually seen them called or listed this way).

K-- If you have no luck in your area but travel ever to central or eastern Mass, Westchester county or the Island, or Cleveland or Columbus bring a cooler and hit the Trader Joe's there.

Gary/Rick-- The Publix in Okee and in Ft Pierce has been stocking them periodically. Unfortunately, they cut them into steaks first--fine but I much prefer them whole. However, they do this in house so if you tell them you want them whole you should be able to get them that way. All of us get meat from the same DC in Lakeland so they've been available--at least sometimes.

I was originally told 3-4 years ago that TJ's was moving to Fla. Doubtless they are--their plans are to be fairly national--but I've been waiting. Now that they've opened two stores in Atlanta (with two more opening soon) and one outside of Raleigh, I expect they'll move to Charlotte, at least, and either at the same time or shortly thereafter to Orlando. Just a guess but that's their pattern.
 
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