OK...first, I'll start by saying I stumbled across Prime grade tri-tip at Costco the other day and bought them out. I've never seen prime grade before and the marbling looks fantastic - really excited about these. I'm trying to post a pic, but I'm new so it may take a bit for the mods to approve it.
I realize I should preface this with a tidbit about me...I went to school in San Luis Obispo, CA. I realize that this forum has members world-wide, so for those non-Californian's, San Luis Obispo is 30 minutes north of Santa Maria. It is also home to the Firestone Grill, which IMHO, has the best tasting tri-tip sandwich and is something I've desperately been trying to recreate for years...made some good tri-tip, but nothing close to Firestone. Turns out what I've suspected for years is true...in addition to getting great cuts of meat, they have a secret weapon - C-Vap ovens, then finish it on their massive indoor wood burning fire pit.
Sadly, I don't have a C-Vap...and the War and Finance department (Mrs. TJ) will not approve that purchase.
What I do have is a COS, and my plan is to smoke it with red oak chunks and lump charcoal to an internal temp of 130-135, then finish it on the sear burner, cut serve and enjoy. However, my wife is a nurse and dinner time can be unpredictable depending on how her shift goes...my thought was to smoke it with it reaching temp about 1/2 an hour before the earliest I could expect her to be home, and then put it in foil, a beach towel and a cooler and let it rest until she got home, slice, serve and enjoy.
The dumb question is...when to sear? Sear at the end of the smoke and let it rest, or let it rest and then pull it out and sear it when she gets home (after an appropriate rest, of course).
Thanks in advance!
I realize I should preface this with a tidbit about me...I went to school in San Luis Obispo, CA. I realize that this forum has members world-wide, so for those non-Californian's, San Luis Obispo is 30 minutes north of Santa Maria. It is also home to the Firestone Grill, which IMHO, has the best tasting tri-tip sandwich and is something I've desperately been trying to recreate for years...made some good tri-tip, but nothing close to Firestone. Turns out what I've suspected for years is true...in addition to getting great cuts of meat, they have a secret weapon - C-Vap ovens, then finish it on their massive indoor wood burning fire pit.
Sadly, I don't have a C-Vap...and the War and Finance department (Mrs. TJ) will not approve that purchase.
What I do have is a COS, and my plan is to smoke it with red oak chunks and lump charcoal to an internal temp of 130-135, then finish it on the sear burner, cut serve and enjoy. However, my wife is a nurse and dinner time can be unpredictable depending on how her shift goes...my thought was to smoke it with it reaching temp about 1/2 an hour before the earliest I could expect her to be home, and then put it in foil, a beach towel and a cooler and let it rest until she got home, slice, serve and enjoy.
The dumb question is...when to sear? Sear at the end of the smoke and let it rest, or let it rest and then pull it out and sear it when she gets home (after an appropriate rest, of course).
Thanks in advance!