PSA - TriTip & Sirloin Cap (Picanha)

evan_aggie

8:13a, 3/8/23

I'm always amazed how many steak eaters I've met haven't ever tried making their own TriTip or Sirloin Cap.

They are packed full of flavor and you can get a great result doing a smoke / sear combo. Usually cook to 120-130 in 90 minutes. Plus HEB sells prime TriTip $7.99/lb and Costco started selling Sirloin caps for $5.99/lb.

One thing I'll note: if you want to smoke a sirloin cap I'd remove the layer of fat. It serves a purpose on a hot grill, but is otherwise not helpful. I did my first Picanha while with the cap on.

bularry

10:35a, 3/8/23

haven't seen Prime Tri tip at my HEB.. is it common?

evan_aggie

11:00a, 3/8/23

In reply to bularry

It is at the few I frequent.

I see it right next to the whole briskets and pre-packaged flats/points in a separate section from the shelves of patties, sirloins, ribeyes, etc.

They are vacuum packed.

Costco's sirloin caps are next to the briskets as well.

ToddyHill

12:00p, 3/8/23

Quote:
I'm always amazed how many steak eaters I've met haven't ever tried making their own Tri Tip or Sirloin Cap.

I'm sure many have had a Tri Tip or a Sirloin Cap...they just never knew they were eating them. These have been Foodservice items for many years, and only recently have they moved into Retail stores.

If anyone ate a steak at Applebee's (prior to about 6 years ago), they were eating a Tri Tip. If you ever went to a Brazilian steakhouse you probably had a Sirloin Cap.

They are great cuts of meat if properly prepared. I'll add a third one...Bottom sirloin flap meat. Great for fajitas.

Beckdiesel03

4:42p, 3/8/23

I cannot for the life of me find a sirloin cap at my heb. I look just about every time I'm there. I don't know if my visits are too early before they put what they have out or what.

Bunk Moreland

4:54p, 3/8/23

bought 2 this past weekend and a friend took over the cooking.....salt, pepper, seasoning....seared the outside for 7 minutes each side on the grill. Took it off, sliced into steak strips and back on the grill till done. Was phenomenal.

evan_aggie

5:55p, 3/8/23

In reply to Beckdiesel03

Beckdiesel03 said:
I cannot for the life of me find a sirloin cap at my heb. I look just about every time I'm there. I don't know if my visits are too early before they put what they have out or what.

I have a hard time finding them at HEB. I've asked the butcher before and they've given me one, but otherwise I've seen the caps at Costco.

By the way, Costco's TriTip price is $11.99 / lb, vs HEB is $7.99 / lb. My guess is they are carrying over west coast pricing on the TriTip.

Next Year is the Year

7:52p, 3/8/23

Tri-tip and Picanha are both great. As seen above, cooking to medium rare or medium is really good. I've also smoked Tri-tips just like a brisket and had good results. The meat is tender and ends up with a texture somewhere in between lean and moist brisket (flat and point). It's also a nice option when I'm just cooking for my wife and I and don't want tons of leftovers compared to a brisket.

Garrelli 5000

8:27a, 3/9/23

I've had a prime picanha I picked up last year and froze that I need to cook soon. I've never had it other than at brazilian style steakhouses.

I've been cooking prime costco tri-tip for several years and it is wonder. A few months ago there was a wagyu tri-tip that I grabbed at HEB and it was even better. Normally wouldn't go that fancy for tri-tip, but the vacuum seal on my frozen costco prime busted while thawing in a bowl of water. Probably would have been ok, but one look at the gray meat and my wife said "get your arse to the store, this thing needs to be cooked by 7pm".

Lastly - for a while costco carried prime ribeye cap and it was amazing. We'd buy a pack and freeze individually. Those I would cook via sous vide then do a hard sear in a cast iron skillet. Sadly I haven't seen it there for a while.

Take the trash out staff.

CrawfordAg

12:02p, 3/9/23

You sir are mad to cut the fat cap of the picanha. That is the best part, cut the roast into steaks two fingers thick cutting with the grain. Grilling hot and fast or reverse sear are both easy methods. Slice across the grain and cover with a good chimichurri. Great value at Costco, you can get 2 1.5-3lb roasts around $30 bucks.

JYDog90

3:21p, 3/10/23

Getting this to the top for next week's cooking!$

evan_aggie

4:59p, 3/10/23

In reply to CrawfordAg

CrawfordAg said:
You sir are mad to cut the fat cap of the picanha. That is the best part, cut the roast into steaks two fingers thick cutting with the grain. Grilling hot and fast or reverse sear are both easy methods. Slice across the grain and cover with a good chimichurri. Great value at Costco, you can get 2 1.5-3lb roasts around $30 bucks.

It depends on how you cook it. If you sear direct to flame..absolutely leave the cap on.

If you want to smoke it low and slow then absolutely take it off. It doesn't do anything. Try it one time before saying blasphemy. That was one of the points of my post.

Also, depends on whether you sear but pulling at 125 has worked well. 122 if thinner bc it will shoot up faster.

FIDO*98*

7:35p, 3/10/23

In reply to evan_aggie

Bruh, you said it doesn't do anything but your picture shows you cut it off. Sear it to a crisp and eat that **** with the meat In the same bite. You just tossed beefy bacon in the trash (or hopefully gave it to a dog at least)

Still, your pictures look great and love a Picanha.

Mark Fairchild

4:01p, 3/16/23

Love them both. In answer to one poster, yes, I get tri tip at my HEB, just did last week. Picanha I have to purchase at our local Mexican meat market here in Rockport. I am leaning more to the tri tip lately, the Picanha has been terribly tough.

Gig'em, Ole Army Class of '70

Mark Fairchild

4:04p, 3/16/23

In reply to Garrelli 5000

Garrelli 5000: I wish I could get my wife to go along with my sous vide, every time I do it she says, 'Are you doing boiled meat again?' I can NEVER, EVER get her to understand that I am NOT boiling meat. Love her to death, but she does have some funny quirks, this after 51 years, so quirks and all, I will keep her!

Gig'em, Ole Army Class of '70

coastalAg

4:05p, 3/16/23

I get the two pack of tri-tips at Costco almost every week. One of the few things my kids will eat consistently.

I will have to try the Picanha next week!

Bunk Moreland

4:11p, 3/16/23

In reply to Mark Fairchild

Your local HEB should have it:

https://www.heb.com/product-detail/h-e-b-beef-sirloin-picanha-roast-nbsp-usda-choice-avg-2-6-lbs/2224742

Edit: Or are you saying it hasn't been great when purchasing from HEB?

Mark Fairchild

12:55p, 3/18/23

In reply to Bunk Moreland

Howdy Bunk: We have a small H-E-B in Rockport. Probably if I go to Super H-E-B in Corpus Christi they would have it. However, like I said, lean more to Tri-Tip as the Picanha has been really tough lately.

Gig'em, Ole Army Class of '70

The Real Napster

1:46p, 3/18/23

Picanha fat is delicious

evan_aggie

10:27a, 3/19/23

Went to Costco and noticed they had fairly well trimmed 2-packs of tri-tip select for $7.99 / lb. HEB is $7.99 for prime, but they leave a thick layer of fat on the top, so you probably pay 15-20% of the weight out of 2.5 - 3 lb.

Broncos

10:44a, 3/20/23

Tri tip was once easy to find in BCS. It's become a little more difficult to find as everyone seems to be using it now.

SpiderDude

11:05p, 3/22/23

Made my first ever Picanha today. Was very pleased. Nothing super fancy. Just kosher salt then on hot wood coals fat cap side down. Coals were pretty hot and started to flame up as the fat rendered. Flipped and cooked on the other side then Took it off and after resting a bit sliced against the grain into 1.5" thick steaks then back onto the coals for a good sear. Served with grilled asparagus and sweet potato fries. Would have preferred mashers but didn't have time. I did whip up a quick batch of aioli with garlic confit and herbs. Went great with all three! No pics this time. Was too hungry to stop for the scenery!

AggieBarstool

11:00p, 3/24/23

Hmmmm, I'll have to check Costco for TriTip and Sirloin cap. Never seen either at the one in Dallas (Coit).

I went to the Plano HEB and was excited to find TriTip. Gonna smoke that bad boy soon!

Tailgate88

10:46a, 3/27/23

In reply to SpiderDude

SpiderDude said:
Made my first ever Picanha today. Was very pleased. Nothing super fancy. Just kosher salt then on hot wood coals fat cap side down. Coals were pretty hot and started to flame up as the fat rendered. Flipped and cooked on the other side then Took it off and after resting a bit sliced against the grain into 1.5" thick steaks then back onto the coals for a good sear. Served with grilled asparagus and sweet potato fries. Would have preferred mashers but didn't have time. I did whip up a quick batch of aioli with garlic confit and herbs. Went great with all three! No pics this time. Was too hungry to stop for the scenery!

I love Picanha and ironically also grilled one last night. I like your idea of slicing into steaks and the sear, will try that next time.

bmc13

1:49p, 3/27/23

did a smoke and sear tri-tip last night, then rested, cut into one inch thick slices, and served. everyone seemed to like it. I really enjoyed the flavor.

evan_aggie

12:14p, 5/13/23

I wish I knew what I did differently on this one, but my best yet.

Smoker for 90 minutes and seared for 20.

Pulled 126 rested up to 135.

Reel Aggies

8:03p, 5/15/23

Finished my fire pit rotisserie Saturday and picanha was on menu for Sunday. HEB $15 total.

Maximus Johnson

1:31p, 5/16/23

In reply to evan_aggie

That's how its done!!

Matsui

2:38p, 5/16/23

Beautiful

jaggiemaggie

9:12a, 4/25/24

Bought a sirloin cap from Costco a few weeks ago but had to throw it in the freezer due to last second out of town trip for the eclipse. What is the best way to cook it from the freezer?

HTownAg98

9:44a, 4/25/24

In reply to jaggiemaggie

Thaw it and cook it just like it was fresh.