Tri-Tip

S

soopertober

Guest
This may seem like a left coast kinda thing but I am interested in your thoughts about tri-tip and if I should smoke it our BBQ it. I have always bbq'd them and want to do something different and am curious if anyone has smoked one and if there is any real benefit to doing it that way. suggestions for a rub...(since I am new to creating spice combos)?
 
I have never done one, but I would suggest injecting with Fab or Butchers and smoke it like a brisket
 
I think you meant smoke or grill as choices as smoke = BBQ = low and slow.

But, I am going to grill a tri-tip tonight (marinading now), and I am interested in what the others (with more experience) like to do.
I set up the grill mildly hot on one side, sear there, then move the meat to an indirect position and cook as slow as I can while bringing it to desired temp. My best results are when it takes 30 to 40 minutes to cook.
 
I have only cooked TriTip one time at my BIL's house.
Grilled to about 130-135.
His family loved it!!! :-D

There are lots of info on Tri Tip cooking here.
Try a search and you will see what the experts say while you are waiting here.

TIM
 
Cook tri-tip any way you like, just make sure you pull it at 130-135, let rest before cutting it, and always cut across the grain. I prefer to grill them so I can build a nice flavorful crust. I guarantee you won't find a better beef combo than 50/50 The Rub Co. Santa Maria Style and The Rub Co. Original Rub.

Here is one at 130*
photo0-3.jpg


Here is one at 135*
IMG_0522.jpg


Good luck!!!
 
Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. Ryan the pics were perfect. Also the temp suggestions were very good to know. You folks are gonna make look like I know what I'm doing. Thanks again
 
I regularly cook my Tri-Tip at 225-250 over Apple and Hickory wood. I love the light smokey flavor the meat takes on. I pull the meat at 135 degrees and it usually takes approximately 2 hours to cook. This method does not create a great bark but because I am slicing the TT thin and against the grain I dont feel that a great bark is all that important. The smoke flavor compensates for the lack of a great bark.
 
Tri-Tip is a favorite of mine - and easy to find on the Left Coast. No need to inject this piece of meat - just dry rub and cook it. I smoke mine on a Traeger at 225 F until IT hits 137 (My boss won't eat it any rarer than that) and let it rest for 30 - 60 minutes. Some people then reverse sear on a hot grill for a few minutes too to lock in the flavor and crisp up the outside.

Ryan from Rub Co has Santa Maria Rub that is INCREDIBLE.

Other suggestions are the Santa Maria rub from Rooftop BBQ and Oakridge BBQ Santa Maria Rub.

Rooftop BBQ has a great recipe that I recently posted that uses a little different process - marinade the tri-tip in olive oil, water, dry rub, and white wine vinegar for a few hours. Came out awesome! I'm sure the recipe could use any of the other mentioned (or your own) rub.
 
I have barbecued well over 1000 tri-tips in my life and I think that the best way is to treat them like a very thick steak. First, carefully slice any silver skin from the top and sides, rub with your favorite seasonings, grill direct until it gets nicely browned all over and then move it away from direct heat and finish cooking with or without smoking wood until it is done to your liking. I use the poke test and take mine off at medium (just when it starts to firm up to the poke)
 
I'm also a fan of the tri-tip. Dry rub it and grill away. Rest and correctly cutting it across the grain is important as mentioned above.

Try mixing some coffee grounds into the rub. It may sound odd but on tri-tip it really works well.
 
Obviously, techniques vary, but here's my current favorite:

4 hours before cooking, marinate in red wine with a couple of crushed garlic cloves.

30 minutes before cooking, take out of the marinade, rinse it off, and then rub with:
one part kosher salt
one part paprika
one part garlic powder
1/2 part black pepper
2-3 pinches of cayenne

Let it sit in the rub as it comes to room temperature and you prepare your grill.
Cook it on indirect heat at 275-300 until the internal temperature reaches 125.
Let it rest under foil while you bring your grill up to full heat, and then sear it until it looks delicious. (Couple minutes per side, max.)

Let it rest for 15 minutes, carve it thin against the grain, and serve.
 
Chezmatt said:
Obviously, techniques vary, but here's my current favorite:

4 hours before cooking, marinate in red wine with a couple of crushed garlic cloves.

30 minutes before cooking, take out of the marinade, rinse it off, and then rub with:
one part kosher salt
one part paprika
one part garlic powder
1/2 part black pepper
2-3 pinches of cayenne

Let it sit in the rub as it comes to room temperature and you prepare your grill.
Cook it on indirect heat at 275-300 until the internal temperature reaches 125.
Let it rest under foil while you bring your grill up to full heat, and then sear it until it looks delicious. (Couple minutes per side, max.)

Let it rest for 15 minutes, carve it thin against the grain, and serve.
Click to expand...

like the technique, think i will try it
 
now if you plan on cooking it this weekend and unless the Rub Co. choppers you in some spice then go with a mustard or olive oil rub and use off the shelf spice, like a little lawreys and then Montreal Steak. I personally like mine a low smoke start and then a high heat finish. 135 is good for me but I pull 140-145 when wife and daughter are eating. They complain about "Too much Blood". I am cooking 10 tomorrow with the smoke then quick sear on the Santa maria grill. Here is a couple of shots from one of my bigger cooks.
IMG_0163-2.jpg


IMG_0164-3.jpg


IMG_0165-3.jpg


IMG_0168-3.jpg


IMG_0173-2.jpg


IMG_0181-3.jpg
 
**************Update********************
Just got back from the lake today...
My sister got ahold of the tri tip and put some weird seasoning/marinade on it. It tasted bad.
Cooking:
Seared it on high heat and then moved it over to cook the remainder indirectly. Cooked to about 140 since the group likes it that way(I have tried to educate them to no avail).

What I learned:
In the future I will do 2 tri tips and give them a rub or marinade before anyone else can get to them.

Thanks again for everyones great suggestions
 
Beerbecue said:
I have barbecued well over 1000 tri-tips in my life and I think that the best way is to treat them like a very thick steak. First, carefully slice any silver skin from the top and sides, rub with your favorite seasonings, grill direct until it gets nicely browned all over and then move it away from direct heat and finish cooking with or without smoking wood until it is done to your liking. I use the poke test and take mine off at medium (just when it starts to firm up to the poke)
Click to expand...


I have to second this, I've smoked them before and enjoyed it but definitely prefer the high heat method. I use my incredibly fast red thermapen and pull it at 135. My wife prefers it done a little more but I give her the end pieces.:-D
 
Sear over direct heat, move to indirect. So simple, so good. But around here the price is getting out of hand.
 
I just did some the other day... Indirect to 115F at the thickest point, reverse sear to 125 and then rest. When it was resting, it did finish at 130F and that was perfect.

I recommend if you can't get away with serving it to friends like this, at least do one for yourself like this, and then offer them a try of yours.

Anyway, I had absolutely no complaints from the family. I think this temp works really well for tri-tip.

Cheers!

Bill
 
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