This Cut Of Steak Is One Of The Trickiest To Slice Properly

When it comes to steak, the three cuts that most people buy in the United States are ribeye, filet mignon, and T-bone. One cut of steak that deserves more attention, though, is the tri tip. Also known as Santa Maria steak, the meat is shaped like a boomerang, and is the budget-friendly cut of steak Guy Fieri loves to grill. However, whether you reverse sear or smoke tri tip, it's one of the trickiest cuts to slice because it consists of two grain directions that intersect.

A more popular cut of steak in California than anywhere else, tri-cut comes from the bottom of the sirloin subprimal of the cow, whereas top sirloin comes from the top. It's lean and has a tender texture when cooked correctly, and the dense marbling gives it a bold flavor. The name comes from the triangular-shaped muscle — tensor fasciae latae — attached to the butt of the bottom sirloin. That's also the reason it's more difficult to cut this piece of beef against the grain than other parts: While the muscle fibers run at an angle to the butt, the fibers in the rest of the bottom sirloin run vertically.

So, with tri-tip steak, to cut meat against the grain means that you have to slice one way across the muscle fibers and another across the rest of the steak. It can be easier to find where the different directions of the grain are while the meat is still raw. Just look for a pattern in the flesh, similar to the grains you see in wood. After cooking, you can cut the sirloin vertically in two, and slice each side perpendicular to the fibers or grain.

Like with any type of meat, it's important to cut against the grain to shorten the long fibers for a more tender texture and easier chewing. However, you should be slicing meat rather than sawing it, and using the proper knife is essential.

For tri-tip steak, a chef's knife is all you need. In fact, Daniel T., CEO of Ready-Home.com, told Daily Meal in an exclusive interview that it's one of only four knives you need in your kitchen, and other experts agreed. It's basically an all-purpose cutting utensil in the kitchen because you can use it for chopping, dicing, and slicing all kinds of ingredients that don't require a delicate touch. When it comes to cutting tri tip, the large size of a chef's knife covers more surface area of this bigger piece of meat so that you get clean, smooth, and uniform slices. Just make sure that it's sharp before you begin so it slices through the steak easier, reducing the chances of using a sawing motion.

If you don't already have a chef's knife or need to replace the one you have, the options available can be overwhelming. Among the quality brands out there are several celebrity chef-brand knives that are worth buying. In the end, a quality chef's knife is made with high-carbon stainless steel, and has an ergonomically designed handle that feels balanced and comfortable to hold.