I would like to explain "carving tri tip for maximum tenderness"
Your posted pictures are awesome, and you stated that the tri-tip was tender. Every step for optimum tenderness was taken -except for the important one. I am in support of your statements, but the tri-tip can be "more" tender.
Look closely at your pictures----look at the pronounced grain in the tri-tip. You chose to carve the tri-tip about 30 degrees off of the grain. The closer that you can get to perpendicular(90degrees) the more tender the meat will become. "My Gawd" the meat was tender you say-----but--it can be improved. I am not here to criticize---I want YOUR tri-tip to be the best there is. I want you to learn from lessons that I learned in a harder way ---years ago'
The tri-tip is shaped like a "Boomerang"-----it has a "Point" and two "wings." The grain ALWAYS runs at about 15 degrees off of the point. START carving at the "POINT" perpendicular to the grain. The pieces will get longer and longer in size---at some point the lengths are halved. The cuts will melt in your mouth.
DO NOT BELEIVE ME---PROVE ME WRONG----I am just an old fat guy that has cooked millions of pounds of tri-tip over the last 40 years. Take a single tri-tip and cut 6 or seven slices perpendicular to the grain. Then cut the remainder of the tri-tip in half ---and cut ONE piece parrallel to the grain----taste it yourself. The more you chew it--the bigger it gets-----but wait ---the rest of it was tender. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SLICING METHODS.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Would this be the correct way to slice this roast?
Someday we will meet----I want to see some kick-ass tri-tip------the best that I have ever tasted. Experiment with slicing "PERPENDICULAR" to the grain------not 15 degrees ----not 30 degrees-------not 45 deegrees----"PERPENDICULAR"---90 degrees------You can thank me later