How to Trim a Tri-Tip

Tri-Tip is a beloved California favorite. It is widely available in most grocery stores, delicious with a huge variety of rubs & marinades, and easy to prepare by beginner BBQ-ers and Pitmasters alike.

The Key to Perfect Tri-Tip

But the key to a delicious smoked or BBQ’d Tri-Tip actually starts before it’s ever seasoned or hits the grill. Taking a few minutes to properly trim your Tri-Tip can really take the finished product to the next level. Many cuts you’ll find in your grocery store or butcher shop are already trimmed and lack the large, obvious chunks of fat and membrane. But, a good once-over before you season or marinade will ensure the perfect Tri-Tip when all is said and done.

How to Trim a Tri-Tip

First, take a look at your Tri-Tip. What do you see? Probably some small to medium size pieces of hard, white fat. You may also see some semi-transparent pieces of membrane or “silver skin”. Next, using a small, sharp boning or trimming knife begin removing the hard fat pieces, careful to not remove too much meat along with it. Also trim off as much of the membrane and silver skin as possible. The silver skin can sometimes be tricky to remove, but do your best to get as much as you can. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. When you’re finished, the Tri-Tip should look something like this:

The reason this easy step makes such a huge difference in quality has to do with how your Tri-Tip will be cooked. Unlike larger cuts of meat such as brisket or short ribs, that cook low n’ slow for a long time, Tri-Tip is typically cooked more like a steak – smoked to an internal temp and then seared, or straight up grilled (check out one of my favorite Tri-Tip preparations here). This means there isn’t as much time for the long hours at low temps to work their magic on the fats and connective tissue in the meat, rendering them tender and easy to eat. Without proper trimming, your finished Tri-Tip will still have chewy or hard chunks of fat and membrane that can ruin the perfect bite.

Best Knives for Trimming Meat

When prepping and trimming meat, I find that using a smaller knife is easier. Boning knives are typically around 6 inches long and have a more curved blade. This curve is super helpful when cutting around bones, connective tissue, or rounded edges of the meat.

And these things are scary sharp! Seriously, be careful. I highly recommend that you store them safely in your knife block (check out some beautiful knife blocks here). If you don't, at least make sure you buy a cover for the blade before putting them away. DO NOT just store these things loosely in a random knife drawer!

Best Boning Knives

Once I started trimming my Tri-Tips, I never looked back. The difference in the final product is obvious, and it only takes a few minutes. Give it a try and I’m sure you’ll feel the same.