Beef tri-tip

Tri-tip is a triangular muscle from the bottom sirloin, usually sold as a small roast or cut into steaks. It has a distinct grain that changes direction, so look closely before slicing.

Pat it dry, season it, then brown it all over in a hot pan. Roast at 200 °C until the centre reaches your preferred doneness; for a food-safe whole cut, cook to 63 °C and rest for at least 3 minutes. Use a meat thermometer rather than relying on time, as thickness makes a big difference.

After cooking, rest the roast for about 10 minutes, then find the direction of the grain and cut across it. Because the grain changes direction near the middle, turn the roast as you slice rather than cutting every piece the same way.

For a Santa Maria-style meal, serve grilled tri-tip with pinquito beans, salsa and garlic bread. It also works well in sandwiches, sliced thinly with mustard or horseradish.

Yes. Rump steak is a leaner alternative: it has 2.5 g of fat per 100 g, compared with 6.4 g in tri-tip. Cook it as steaks rather than expecting it to behave exactly like a whole tri-tip roast.

Keep raw tri-tip covered on the lowest shelf and cook it within 3–5 days; freeze it sooner if you will not use it in that time. Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3–4 days.

Yes. Brown it over direct heat, then move it to the cooler side of the barbecue, cover and cook until the centre reaches your target temperature. Rest it before slicing across the grain.