Best way to cook tri-tip?

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
1

It’s on tonight’s menu. Never made it. Lay it on me! Grill?

2

Post it in EE?

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3

Grill, for sure.

One of my favorite cuts to eat. There are lots of good tips here: Grilled Santa Maria Tri-Tip Recipe: Poor Man's Filet Mignon

4

Since we’re in Wine Talk, the best way is with a glass of German Riesling in your hand. Were we in Epicurean Exploits, rubbed with your favorite BBQ dry rub and slow smoked.

5

I do it for like 4 minutes per side over the coals then go indirect until it’s medium rare. Let it sit for 5-10 before slicing on the bias 1/8" thick slices. Don’t overcook it. It will become tough and dry. IMHO dry rub takes away from Tri-Tip. Just some Santa Maria Style Seasoning.

6

#1 don’t overcook it, and I prefer a marinade.

7

or oven finish after the 4 minutes per side–get a little color on the outside, then either indirect or oven.
alan

8

Dont overcook it, but eat it while it’s hot, and just salt and pepper, a lot of it.
Grain of salt though, I essentially disapprove of marinades. If you love em, this is the cut to play with.

9

marinade or rub
2 mins per side over a hot fire then indirect until 120 internal, will hit 130 after a 5-7 min rest.

Most important part, slice against the grain!

10

Just use Santa Maria style seasoning, no marinade. I smoke it first via indirect heat until the internal temperature is close to 110 or 115. Then I grill it quickly on each side to sear it at the end. I get better results with indirect heat first then a sear, instead of a sear and then indirect heat.

Bruce

11

What is Santa Maria-style seasoning?

12

I want to see a video of this being done.

13

Basically Garlic, Salt, Pepper and Parsley. It’s great on any grilled meat.

14

Can you smoke a tri tip? Would you even want to try and smoke a tri tip?

15

I don’t know if I would want to. It’s a flavorful piece of meat med-rare but beyond that it loses appeal for me and becomes tough and leathery.

16

Agree don’t overcook, but I also like my tri-tip to be cooked through, not rare. Rare tri tends to be a bit slimy-chewy, and doesn’t seem to show the flavors and texture it can. You want it to be pink, but cooked, if that makes sense. I do it on my gas grill on low burners, which gets enough char on the outside, but is low enough to roast the inside done.

17

Yes. Have done it several times. Basically smoke at 225 deg F to get it up to 110 to 115 deg internal. Take off smoker and crust it up over coals on the Weber.

18

I call that medium rare. YMMV though.

19

Tri tip does fabulously well on the smoker. Isn’t that how it is prepared in Santa Maria, smoked with oak branches? This lets it cook just enough to break down the sometimes-tougher character of the meat while still leaving it rare/med rare and not drying it out.

20

I also like marinades. You can either create your own or use a high quality prepared one. Personally, I like an Asian flair to the marinade but also use many other flavor profiles. As far as doneness, I usually grill with pure mesquite for about 5 minutes per side ( depending on size) and then 10-12 minutes indirect. Seems to work well. The slicing against the grain is a must.

Cheers ! [cheers.gif]
Marshall