Another 1st timer for TriTip and I need some guidance.

[hextejas]

I might have messed up. I read a recipe on another site that sounded tasty so I went and got the ingredients.

I was attracted to the ingredients that I know that my wife is crazy about.

Mostly I wanted to try my new smoker, a Masterbuilt non electric.

Here is the recipe and it's meant to be grilled on a hot grill,,,oops.

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Meat 2 1/2 - 3 Lbs.  Tri Tip Sesame Marinade 1 Cup Honey 1 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce 3/4 Cup Sesame Seed Oil 1 Tsp minced Garlic Pepper to Taste

​ Preparation: You are in for a real treat if your cooking this recipe! The flavors are simply amazing. This will be a two part cook. The first segment will be preparing the marinade and then allowing the beef to marinate over night. Start by combining the following in a medium bowl. 1 Cup Honey 1 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce 3/4 Cup Sesame Seed Oil 1 Tsp. minced Garlic Pepper to Taste Sesame Seeds to Taste

So, what am I to do with these marinade ingredients and wanting to smoke it rather than grill it ?

Should I plan on cooking the TriTips whole and still marinate them overnight ?

Or should I slice them up and smoke them on my new Q-mats ?

What do you think ?

 

[hagisan]

If it were me, I would still marinate overnight and toss it on the smoker.

Good Luck & Happy Smokin'!

 

[beuler]

This is alot like the recipe i use. I would marinade it , put it in the fridge overnight then smoke it. Dont over smoke. Does your wife like it rare or well. I have found after doing several of these to let it smoke at 220* until the internal temp is around 155*..that's more on the medium well side. If you do it to 140 it will be really pink. It will take @ 3 hours. Trim the fat off also.

Joe

 

[humdinger]

Ditto - Cook it whole as beuler describes. (be sure to account for a few degree increase after the meat is pulled from the smoker) The marinade will work fine, regardless of grill or smoker.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Check out the tri tip I just smoked last week. I smoke 2-3 a month. It's a great cut to smoke. There are many ways to do it. I like to run my smoker at 265* and I pull the meat when the IT hits 130-135. Foil it and let rest for 30-45 minutes before slicing. When slicing cut across the grain. Goo luck and post some shots of your smoke.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/155504/bulgogi-inspired-injected-tri-tip

 

[riblet]

I found a source for these over the summer, and have been cooking them quite often. I agree with what everyone is telling you here about marinating, and smoking at a lower temp. What I have been doing lately (on my Akorn), is about as simple a prep as you can get. Thick lea perrins, kosher salt, and coarse ground pepper. smoke till around 120, pull it off and tent, let the grill go wide open (650, or better), throw it back on for 3 or 4 minutes each side, let it set for 20 minutes or so before slicing. They end up med/rare, so juicy and tender, with a little crusty bark. OMG, I gotta go pull one out.

Brian

 

[beuler]

Picture yourself hosting a party , and you make a tri tip to show off your skills , and you cook it to 145* or less and cut it up and all the girls ( and maybe a few guys) go Yuuk..im not eating that rare thing!  It happens every time to me...thats why , no less then 155* for me. 

 

[bwarbiany]

Smoke it, then sear it on the grill or if you have a torch, even better. 

The sear is important with a cut like tri-tip as it won't likely smoke long enough to develop a really good-looking crust.

 

[hextejas]

Smoke it, then sear it on the grill or if you have a torch, even better. 


The sear is important with a cut like tri-tip as it won't likely smoke long enough to develop a really good-looking crust.

That is interesting and I have a torch.
So when do I sear it, is it before the aluminum foil or after ?

A lot of good info here, thanks guys.

 

[bwarbiany]

That is interesting and I have a torch.
So when do I sear it, is it before the aluminum foil or after ?

A lot of good info here, thanks guys.

Before... Sear it right out of the smoker, then foil, then wait 20-40 minutes, slice and serve.

Have you looked up any of the info on how to slice a tri-tip?

 

[hextejas]

Before... Sear it right out of the smoker, then foil, then wait 20-40 minutes, slice and serve.

Have you looked up any of the info on how to slice a tri-tip?

I saw the pictures where it was drawn out how to cut it. The grain apparently runs in 2 different directions so halving it sorta, helps isolate the 2 different grains.
It's amazing the stuff I learn here. :yahoo:

 

[hextejas]

Well the results are in and unfortunately I have no pictures of the finished product and there were no left overs.
It was well liked but not so much to me. I was a bit disappointed.
I cooked 2, two lb tri-tips and it only took 1.5 hours until 145 IT. I couldn't believe that they were done so I cooked them a bit longer than I had planned. The starting temp was about 290 and after I put them in, it dropped to about 260. I had them both on the same rack as the thermometer, a Maverick 732?.
One thing I should have done was maybe put the meat probe into the thicker roast. Next time.
I used an AMNPS with pecan dust and filled it up 1/2 way. It only lasted about 45 minutes so I am not sure if I am doing something wrong and it it should last longer. The pellets that I had used on the turkey lasted a lot longer.

That might have accounted for the less than smokey flavor that I was striving for. I like a lot of smoke.
I seared them with a torch and that was an experience in itself for another time.
I foiled them for 30 minutes then sliced one of them.
It was quite juicy but most of the juice leached out of the meat. I would call the meat semi-moist, but I would have preferred it dripping wet.
It is impossible for me to determine the run of the grain on these cuts. I had the diagram in front of me but I kept cutting what looked to me to be cross cut and it all looked the same.
Ah well.

One thing I am going to try and figure out is how to do the mailbox mod to my smoker which is not electric so I don't have the same opening on the side.
I have a ventilation vent.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[beuler]

I did 2 tri tips yesterday ....took 3 1/2 to 160*...145 is to rare for some.....I would say your temp is to high (290*)...220 is best. My MES 40 is a little warmer then what the display says. Slow it down and it will be great!

Joe

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Tri tip doesn't take very long, I cook mine running the smoker at 265 and I hit the IT of 135, that we like right around 90 minutes. Foil and rest for 30-45minutes. Juices leak out but the meat is still juicy.

image.jpg

• dirtsailor2003
• Jan 12, 2014

 

[riblet]

As long as everyone else was satisfied, you should consider it a success. We are our own worse critics. I guess nobody really gave you any kind of time guidline, but you need to concider a Tri Tip is really just a very uneven steak. It doesn't take a steak all that long either. It's all just personal preference, but the reason I like to smoke at low temperature, besides the fact it gives you more time in the smoke, is that the roast will come to temperature more evenly (between thicker/thinner parts), so it just makes it more consistent. I still have issues with getting them cut right, myself. I've butchered a few. Don't give up. Get one right and you might give up on higher priced steaks.  This is a little video that might help with cutting.



Brian

 

[hextejas]

Tri tip doesn't take very long, I cook mine running the smoker at 265 and I hit the IT of 135, that we like right around 90 minutes. Foil and rest for 30-45minutes. Juices leak out but the meat is still juicy.

image.jpg

• dirtsailor2003
• Jan 12, 2014

That's pretty much how mine looked dirtsailor, beautiful. So according to your temps and timings I was within reason. All of us like our meat nice and rare.