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Tri-tip

Beef · Bottom Sirloin
GrillRoastSmoke
Raw Tri-tip — Beef Bottom Sirloin cut
Also called
🇦🇷Colita de cuadril🇫🇷Aiguillette de rumsteck🇪🇸Rabillo de cadera🇧🇷Maminha🇮🇹Codone🇩🇪Bürgermeisterstück

The tri-tip is a triangular muscle from the bottom sirloin, known for its rich flavor and moderate tenderness. It has a distinctive grain that runs in two directions, which makes proper slicing against the grain essential. Popular in California barbecue culture, it is typically roasted or grilled whole and then sliced thin for serving.

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesTri-tipprimaryAlso called Santa Maria steak in California
🇬🇧United KingdomTri-tipRelatively uncommon in the UK, sometimes called triangle steak
🇦🇷ArgentinaColita de cuadrilA popular asado cut in Argentina
🇫🇷FranceAiguillette de rumsteck
🇪🇸SpainRabillo de cadera
🇧🇷BrazilMaminhaVery popular in Brazilian churrasco
🇮🇹ItalyCodoneThe triangular tail of the scamone (rump cap).
🇩🇪GermanyBürgermeisterstückLiterally 'mayor's piece' — traditionally so prized it was reserved for the mayor.

Similar cuts

Aiguillette baronne
Aiguillette baronneapproximate

Anatomically adjacent — aiguillette baronne is the upper portion attached to the rump, tri-tip (aiguillette de rumsteck / colita de cuadril) is the lower triangle of the same general bottom-sirloin region. Both are long needle-shaped cuts; the French tradition butchers them separately.

Picanha
Picanhaapproximate

Both are triangular cuts from the sirloin area, but picanha comes from the rump cap and is always cooked with its fat cap, while tri-tip is from the bottom sirloin and typically trimmed.

Sirloin
Sirloinapproximate

Both are from the sirloin primal with moderate tenderness and good flavour, but tri-tip is a distinct triangular muscle with a stronger flavour and better suited to roasting whole.

TenderloinRoundBottom SirloinRibPlateChuckShort LoinBrisketFlankSirloinShankShank

Classic recipe

Santa Maria-Style Tri-Tip1 hr

Tri-tip was popularised in Santa Maria, California, and is still cooked over red oak coals in the original tradition. A…

View full recipe →

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