Go with the Tri-Tip, In the old days we would pull this roast from the bottom of the Sirloin, it is a fantastic roast and also makes good steaks.  Even better when marinated and slow roasted.  On the other hand Ball Tip is something to stay away from, although it is generally inexpensive it does not cook up as well, it is a sub-primal coming off the knuckle (sirloin tip) it cooks like a round, if you like your meat well done it is a very dry and tough piece of meat, compared to the tri-tip which can be more versitile.  If you like your steak rare to medium rare the ball tip fares much better, the ball tip is also called a petite sirloin.   I personally never heard of a petite sirloin or ball tip until coming to the pacific northwest.  

Use the ball-tip for grind. The tri-tip is amazing on the grill. One of the best pieces of beef I've ever grilled. I have a prime tri-tip in my freezer right now. Just waiting for the perfect grilling moment!

JimmyMac wrote:

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Tri-Tip... aka la Santa Maria... aka Newport, Conneticut.

 

Clean-it up, wrap-it-up, and sell it as a roast. Bam! done.

 

 

I cut them everyday. When I break beef I leave them attached to the horsehead when I break the short-loin from the sirloin, I first remove a small chunk of flank that stays inevitibly attached and then seem out the ball-tip (aka petite sirloin... aka a part of the knuckle/sirloin tip). Ball-tip is real easy to pull. It's just a cone of fat and a small cartildge part attached on the butt-tender. The tri-tip comes off the sirloin real-easily as well once it is started.

If you're in a hurry to yank the butt-tender you don't have to totally pull either the ball-tip or tri-tip. You also bone out of the whole thing leaving them attached to the sirloin.

Ball-tip when you lay it out on the block looks like half-a-softball. Face the open side (the side that looks like Pac-Man opening his maw) and cut a couple (or three) of small steaks out of it: His and Her type of deal.

 

 

I should say for the record... tri-tips and ball-tips end up going through the cuber... because I am surrounded by meat-heads who don't fancy fancy meat.

-- Edited by JimmyMac on Wednesday 14th of March 2012 12:27:30 AM

-- Edited by JimmyMac on Wednesday 14th of March 2012 12:29:35 AM

-- Edited by JimmyMac on Wednesday 14th of March 2012 12:32:59 AM

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 "Horsehead" now there's a term you don't hear everyday in most shops!

Burgermeister wrote:

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 "Horsehead" now there's a term you don't hear everyday in most shops!

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Tri Tips are very popular in my area. We sell tons of them. I can't imagine any meat dept not selling them.  They are so good and kind of medium priced. I've never had a complaint about tri tip.

 

I never heard the term "horsehead"

Does anyone here know a term for ball tip that cant/shouldn't be posted here? Don't even write it. Just say yes or no. It was never an official name, I hope. Just slang. I doubt it was ever labeled that way. One time around 1980 an old cutter told it to me and then once around 1994 a customer asked for it. The wrapper told us that a customer asked for something but she won't say the word. Finally she did and the 3 guys who were on duty had all heard it before and told her he wants ball tip.

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 Ok Burgermeister you got my curiousity what is it? lol! If you can't post it email it to me! Trust me I won't be too surprised!  A "Horsehead" is like JimmyMac said is what the whole b.i. sirloin is called when you cut it off the beef loin at the end of the pin bone.

Burgermeister wrote:

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 Ok Burgermeister you got my curiousity what is it? lol! If you can't post it email it to me! Trust me I won't be too surprised!  A "Horsehead" is like JimmyMac said is what the whole b.i. sirloin is called when you cut it off the beef loin at the end of the pin bone.

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It's so not PC that even if someone knows, they may be afraid to admit it.

 

 

I boned out one horsehead on Tuesday. I feel lucky that we still get one beef per week. In meat cutting, breaking beef is my favorite thing. After it's broke, I kind of like boning the head loin (horsehead)

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 Not the case where I work, people aren't afraid to say anything!!  At my last job we would get 2or 3 head a week. I cut as well as anyone but I don't really miss it.

I cut both (actually there is a third muscle on the bottom of the sirloin I cut too)

We sell the Tri-Tips whole as roasts and they are great on the grill rubbed with a little salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil
We also take that Ball tip and marinade it in the vacuum tumbler and sell as spoon roasts (so tender you can cut them with a spoon)
The other muscle is the Sirloin Bavette, or Sirloin Flap, which has become my favorite steak of late. It is tender, very flavorful and inexpensive (on sale this week in my shop for $5.99/lb)
We even take the bavette and marinate it for Carne Asada

hola desde españa el bottom sirloin no es lo mismo que lo que llaman try-tip
el bottom sirloin es una pieza utiulizada en las mas apreciadas parrillas de brasil loque lo brasileños llaman "FRALDINHA"
aqui tienen un video de un cocinero muy famoso de brasil mostrando algunas "FRALDINHA" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaZVNw1dckY&feature=related
y este es mi video mostrando de donde sale el bottom sirloin ("FRALDINHA") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhMIo7pkZfw
saludos espero que les sea de utilidad

gracias por traducirme lo haces mejor que google translator  lol

te olvidaste de traducir la ultima parte  el segundo enlace es un video mio mostrando como saco el bootom sirloin o "FRALDINHA" saludos!

aqui va el link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhMIo7pkZfw

Funny how your cuts are so different from ours. Tri tip is what i believe is Cuvette in Danish. It is the cut sitting under the knuckle when you rolle it of and beside the Rump or what it is called. Best Regards Jesper