Grilling a Tri-Tip is Continuous Flipping a Proper Way

[OakPit]

Originally Posted by Oldskull

When I was in College at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in about 1988, we had a fundraiser every year and that year we cooked around 1000 lbs on a big Santa Maria type trailer grilll. we would flip it from one end to the other and in a couple minutes start over. We used one of those pigtail type meat hooks. It was and still is the best Tri Tip I have ever had. As far as I know that was passed down from one class to another. We marinated it in beer and pepper.

Great advice. And I can taste that SLO TT now!

I'd also remember that you're flipping to cook the roast evenly as the Santa Maria pit does not have a lid - not because the heat is so intense that you're avoiding burnt meat.

To flip or not to flip often depends completely your cooker and desired results.

[landarc]

I have to say that although I now smoke tri-tips mostly, I have cooked directly and have the opinion that there are a lot of different ways to cook Santa Maria style. The guys I learned from flipped maybe 5 to 6 times total. Is that a lot of flipping, I don't think so. On the other hand, I see guys with trailer mounted grill that are on the small side and they have to flip and move the meat around to get things done right. My take on it, is that if you have the right rig and the time, you can do a good tri-tip with minimal turns. I see no scientific reason to believe that flipping would make a roast cook more evenly.

[deepsouth]

i grill mine direct low in the grill and then pull it up higher to bring it to temp. sounds like i'm one of the few that doesn't smoke it.

[deguerre]

Unfortunately I can't do it anyway at all...

[deepsouth]

Originally Posted by deguerre

Unfortunately I can't do it anyway at all...

why is that? surely memphis has these if i can, even on a rare occasion, find one in this shedhole of a state.

[Moose]

Originally Posted by deguerre

Unfortunately I can't do it anyway at all...

Is that because you can't find them locally?

[deguerre]

Originally Posted by deepsouth

why is that? surely memphis has these if i can, even on a rare occasion, find one in this shedhole of a state.

I keep getting a blank stare whenever I ask...I may have to go in armed with the actual USDA reference number and have them look it up.

Originally Posted by Moose

Is that because you can't find them locally?

Yeppers!

[deepsouth]

Originally Posted by deguerre

I keep getting a blank stare whenever I ask...I may have to go in armed with the actual USDA reference number and have them look it up.


Yeppers!

down here, usually posted outside the door where the butcher comes in and out of the back of the store, there is a poster with the animals and cuts on it. i looked at one and it shows tri-tip. maybe your store has one of those posters like that.

on the flip side, winn dixie has the poster and still managed to give me two pieces of meat that looked like but were not tri tip.

[deguerre]

Originally Posted by deepsouth

down here, usually posted outside the door where the butcher comes in and out of the back of the store, there is a poster with the animals and cuts on it. i looked at one and it shows tri-tip. maybe your store has one of those posters like that.

on the flip side, winn dixie has the poster and still managed to give me two pieces of meat that looked like but were not tri tip.

Yep, my local mom and pop has that chart and they've tried to order it but it's not available to them. It's usually ground I've been told.

[Phrasty]

Originally Posted by deguerre

I keep getting a blank stare whenever I ask...I may have to go in armed with the actual USDA reference number and have them look it up.


Yeppers!

Unless your cows grow differently over there ... Ask them for the "tip off the bottom sirloin". They should know what you're talking about. If not, go to another butcher..

Cheers

[Big Ace]

Originally Posted by Phrasty

I just smoke hot indirect (300) then do a reverse sear when I'm about 10 degrees from destined temp.

Cheers

That's the way I do mine too! Comes out perfect every time.

[deepsouth]

Originally Posted by Phrasty

Unless your cows grow differently over there ... Ask them for the "tip off the bottom sirloin". They should know what you're talking about. If not, go to another butcher..

Cheers

i think i may have gotten the top of the sirloin last time.....

[martyleach]

I cook indirect on a kettle at 350 flipping once to IT of 125. I then do a quick sear, tent foil for 15 minutes or so. I have had quite acceptable results.

[Phrasty]

Originally Posted by deepsouth

i think i may have gotten the top of the sirloin last time.....

... and it was the wrong thing..? The Tri tip is the tip on the lower section of the bottom sirloin. Found a diagram to help you explain it to your butcher.



Hope this helps a bit.
Cheers

[landarc]

Top of the sirloin is also cooked in the Santa Maria and in the same way. It works fine, but, it was less common as a waste cut. In some folks mind, the sirloin head is as good a cut as any on the steer.