What part of a steer provides the tri-tip roast?

The part of a steer that butchers call a tri-tip roast sits immediately below the sirloin along the lower side toward the tail of the animal. Each steer provides two tri-tips. SeriousEats recommends cooking tri-tip to medium-rare with an internal temperature of 115 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alternately called a triangle roast or Santa Maria steak, the sub-prime tri-tip roast is favored by chili cooks for its low fat content. Tri-tip roast is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Most recipes call for a long marinade time, due to the potential toughness of the meat. Food.com recommends Asian or Texas-style marinades for tri-tip roasts.

In New York City, tri-tip roast is sliced and served as Newport steak. In France, the roast is served whole and called “aiguillette baronne.”