<P> Regardless of claims to its origin, it became a local specialty in Santa Maria in the late 1950s . Today, it is seasoned with salt, pepper, fresh garlic, and other seasonings, grilled directly over red oak wood to medium - rare doneness . Alternative preparations include roasting whole on a rotisserie, smoking in a pit, baking in an oven, grilling, or braising in a Dutch oven after searing on a grill . After cooking, the meat is normally sliced across the grain before serving ." </P> <P> Sometimes labeled "Santa Maria steak", the roast is quite popular in the Central Coast of California and the Central Valley regions of California . It has begun to enjoy increasing favor elsewhere, as well, for its full flavor, lower fat content, and comparatively lower cost . Along with top sirloin, tri-tip is considered central to Santa Maria - style barbecue . In central California, the fat is left on the outside of the cut to enhance flavor when grilling, while butchers in many states trim the fat side for aesthetic purposes . </P> <P> In New York City, the Florence Meat Market has popularized the name "Newport steak" for a steak cut from the tri-tip . </P> <P> Tri-tip has also become a popular cut of meat for producing chili con carne on the competitive chili - cooking circuit, supplanting ground beef because the low fat content produces little grease, for which judges take off points . </P>

Can you get tri tip on the east coast