- 1). Ask your butcher whether he regularly stocks tri-tip, and, if he does not, how long a lead time he needs to fill an order. Get this information before you actually need the meat.
- 2). Plan a meal featuring tri-tip sufficiently far in advance that you can place an order with your butcher and have it delivered on time. For example, if he tells you that he needs five days to order a cut for you, plan a tri-tip meal at least five days in advance.
- 3). Order your tri-tip cut from your butcher with the lead time he specified. This cut is called by different names in different parts of the country, so if your butcher does not know what a tri-tip is, order it by its North American Meat Processor's Association (NAMP) designation: 185C. This designation is standard for all certified professional butchers in North America, and your butcher should be familiar with it.
- 4). If your butcher does regularly stock tri-tip, call him the day before you need it and reserve a cut for the next day. Each cow only has two tri-tips, so the butcher might sell out before you arrive if you do not reserve a cut.
- 5). Pick up your reserved or pre-ordered tri-tip from your butcher, pay for it and thank him for his trouble.
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