How to Carve a Tri-Tip

A tri-tip is a boomerang-shaped cut of beef and is super delicious and flavorful. Tri-tips are comprised of two different grain directions, which makes slicing it a little tricky. To ensure each bite of steak is tender, you need to cut across the grain of the meat, and because there are two grain directions in a trip-tip, you have to cut two different directions.

In tri-tip, approximately half of the steak contains muscle fibers running vertical, and the other half contains muscle fibers at an angle. The different grains can be easy to detect when the meat is raw, but once it’s cooked and seasoned, it’s more difficult.

How to correctly slice a tri-tip:

  • Remove from the grill and let it rest at least 5-7 minutes
  • Locate where the two grains intersect and cut vertically, splitting the steak in half
  • Figure out the direction of the grain on each piece and slice perpendicular to the grain
  • Slice thinly, for thinner slices are more tender

By following these easy steps, your tri-tip will be perfectly tender every time. Be sure to check out our website for the best tri-tip recipes!