I’ve got some lovely tri-tip with a great fat cap on it (pics below) and planned to make my red wine braised short ribs recipe this week. I’d love to use this tri tip instead, but wanted to get opinions of the FAR better cooks on this forum to see if I should use it, or just go buy short ribs.
Here’s the recipe - it’s insanely good btw: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/red-wine-braised-short-ribs-recipe-1949770
Here are some pics of the meat in question:
short ribs have much more intramuscular fat that will stand up better to braising. Buy short ribs and reverse sear that tri-tip another day
that’s exactly right.
+1
Trini-tip is a grilling meat not a braising meat. Don’t waste your time.
If you try, let us know. I’ve got a Costco pack in the freezer that is almost as marbled as prime short ribs, was going to try braising.
I’d bet the farm you don’t have a fat cap like that on it. Costco (along with Whole Foods, Safeway and most other places) gets their tri-tip pre-cut. I don’t recall if their Snake River cuts have a fat cap, but that is Christmas on a grill. I’d hate to see that wasted.
AK
No, no fat cap, just looks like good quality short ribs. Already sliced into ~1-2" strips.
This is my happy place (see below). I swear, it’s part of the reason I moved home from Paris 
What is it you expect the fat cap to contribute to the experience?
I score/poke holes in it and let it baste the meat. Personal experience is that I get a juicier result afterwards, and I’m generally willing to trade that off for an additional side of browned meat (i.e. what the cap is covering).
Additionally, I look at it a lot like brisket; I enjoy a little bit of fat with the meat while I’m eating it. Scored fat, with seasoning in it, is awesome. Probably not the healthiest thing in the world, but just how I like it.
