smoked tri tip just like brisket

[dcecil]

I have already got three tri tips in my freezer of various sizes. They are all trimmed though. Not sure if this will work out as well with the trimmed ones but I have to give it a try. If it really does taste a lot like brisket then I'm golden :)

George

George, it’s worth it. Being a fellow Californian and Tri Tip one of our go to’s I was a skeptic. I did one and it turned out awesome. Does not taste like a TT at all but very good.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

So just to clarify, this is a question for all of you who have tried this method. Is the tri tip probe tender at 190 or above? Or are we just basing everything on magic numbers for the IT and praying that it will be right even though it's not probe tender? I am going to try this but want to know what to expect. Thanks guys.

George

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

George, it’s worth it. Being a fellow Californian and Tri Tip one of our go to’s I was a skeptic. I did one and it turned out awesome. Does not taste like a TT at all but very good. View attachment 366011

No question that looks delicious and if it is anything close to brisket I'm already sold. I love brisket, IMHO it's the king of BBQ. But, if I can get tri tip to taste like brisket then this is a no brainer for me.

George

 

[dcecil]

I ended up doing this last night by accident. I had a 2.1lb tri tip. First time cooking one. My buddy said they usually take about 2 hours to get to 105 and he then reverse sears them until 125. I checked mine at two hours and temps varied from 125-140. decided to run it up to 190. wrapped in butcher paper around 160. I figured I had nothing to lose as it would probably be dry if temp continued to rise after letting it rest. Turned out fantastic.
I will have to try one cooked to 130 and compare, but can't imagine it will taste better.

Wish I would have snapped a couple photo's

Its an entirely different taste. You will love a nice medium rare Tri Tip. Totally worth doing it.

 

[Mattyt7]

I love that this thread is taking off a little bit and gaining some momentum! I haven’t had a chance to do one since I started this thread, but once I do I’ll be sure to post lots of pictures.

So just to clarify, this is a question for all of you who have tried this method. Is the tri tip probe tender at 190 or above? Or are we just basing everything on magic numbers for the IT and praying that it will be right even though it's not probe tender? I am going to try this but want to know what to expect. Thanks guys.

George

George,
I’ve done it a handful of times and it has always probed tender by 190 IT. If it doesn’t for you, I would say keep going, but I’ve never had to and the results have been really consistent. TT doesn’t seem to be as fickle as brisket is. . .

 

[noboundaries]

So just to clarify, this is a question for all of you who have tried this method. Is the tri tip probe tender at 190 or above? Or are we just basing everything on magic numbers for the IT and praying that it will be right even though it's not probe tender? I am going to try this but want to know what to expect. Thanks guys.

George

Mattyt7 has a heck of a lot more experience with this 190F than I do, but mine did not probe tender at 190F. I know what butter-like "probe tender" feels like for briskets, butts, and ribs. The Select grade tri tip I did gave a lot of pushback, and felt like a brick in my hands. Taking it off at 190F went against all my instincts, and after a rest just under two hours, was unbelievably tender and delicious. Stick to the 190F, doubt everything you're doing, and enjoy the results.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Mattyt7 has a heck of a lot more experience with this 190F than I do, but mine did not probe tender at 190F. I know what butter-like "probe tender" feels like for briskets, butts, and ribs. The Select grade tri tip I did gave a lot of pushback, and felt like a brick in my hands. Taking it off at 190F went against all my instincts, and after a rest just under two hours, was unbelievably tender and delicious. Stick to the 190F, doubt everything you're doing, and enjoy the results.

I plan on it. More than one person has already told me the same thing. Man, I am so pumped to try this. I even have the butcher paper ready to go from my brisket earlier in the year. I love trying something new. Even if it's not really new.

George

 

[mrad]

Cold smoked for about 45 minutes

about three hours in. 158 IT

going to foil until 190 in hopes of catching drippings for gravy.

The one I cooked yesterday was not probe tender either at 190. Parts were at 193 while others were 188. I pulled it not expecting good results.

Turned out fantastic

 

[noboundaries]

The one I cooked yesterday was not probe tender either at 190. Parts were at 193 while others were 188. I pulled it not expecting good results.

Turned out fantastic

I don't understand how it is happening, but man oh man, does it work!

 

[mrad]

Off to deliver

 

[Mattyt7]

Mattyt7 has a heck of a lot more experience with this 190F than I do, but mine did not probe tender at 190F. I know what butter-like "probe tender" feels like for briskets, butts, and ribs. The Select grade tri tip I did gave a lot of pushback, and felt like a brick in my hands. Taking it off at 190F went against all my instincts, and after a rest just under two hours, was unbelievably tender and delicious. Stick to the 190F, doubt everything you're doing, and enjoy the results.

The ones I get are choice, so that may be part of it.

 

[mike5051]

That looks awesome mrad!

Mike

 

[noboundaries]

Got two more on the smoker right now. Just couldn't wait until this weekend.

Edit: got busy and wasn't watching the smoker. Chamber slowly climbed to 275F after I wrapped them. When I checked the meat 2.5 hours after wrapping, IT was 195F on one, 198F on the other. Resting now. Should be absolutely fine. Actually felt softer than I remember the one I did last time to 190F. We'll see!

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Sadly my results were not good. I didn't use foil for the wrap. It took about three hours or so to hit 160. I wrapped it in butcher paper and then let it ride. It took hours to get to 160. Never did get to eat it that day because it finished after 10:00. I rested it for an hour and then did a quick test slice. The ring was intense and the bark was perfect like a brisket but it was dry. No joy in Castle Nauenburg. I did not inject it with anything but I did spritz it with water as it cooked until the wrap of course. I may try this one more time and do a foil wrap in a pan like mrad shows earlier in this thread. I so wanted this to be awesome.

George

 

[mike5051]

Got two more on the smoker right now. Just couldn't wait until this weekend.

Edit: got busy and wasn't watching the smoker. Chamber slowly climbed to 275F after I wrapped them. When I checked the meat 2.5 hours after wrapping, IT was 195F on one, 198F on the other. Resting now. Should be absolutely fine. Actually felt softer than I remember the one I did last time to 190F. We'll see!

Can't wait for the results!

Mike

 

[noboundaries]

190F IT is definitely the magic number. The two I smoked to 195F and 198F IT could be cut with a fork, but were on the verge of crumbling when sliced. A tad overcooked in my world, but my wife went NUTS! She loved it! Figures. Now I'll have to do one for her to at least 195F and one for me to 190F.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

190F IT is definitely the magic number. The two I smoked to 195F and 198F IT could be cut with a fork, but were on the verge of crumbling when sliced. A tad overcooked in my world, but my wife went NUTS! She loved it! Figures. Now I'll have to do one for her to at least 195F and one for me to 190F.

View attachment 367223
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View attachment 367226

Just curious if you wrapped yours in foil or butcher paper. Or even if you didn’t wrap at all?

George

 

[noboundaries]

Butcher paper.

Dry brined overnight in MSS. Smoked for 5 hours at 225F. Then wrapped in single layer butcher paper for the finish. Let chamber cruise up to 250F. Started working around the house. Chamber cruised up to 275F and they were at 195 and 198F IT 2.5 hours after wrapping.

 

[mike5051]

I finally did my TT smoked like brisket! I dusted it with Tatonka and a little salt. Smoked between 225 and 250 until it hit 190 IT. It took 5 hrs. Wrapped in foil and towels and rested for 2 hrs.

Sliced it up! The slices were pull apart tender, juicy and had a great beefy smokey flavor. It doesn't taste like brisket or med rare tri tip....but it is delicious!

Loved it! Thanks for looking!

Mike

 

[browneyesvictim]

Alright folks... My question, is does it come out BETTER than doing regular like medium rare? I'm having a hard time trying it this way since my status quo is so good- especially rotisseried! The pictures and testimony sure look good, and I am hearing "fantastic" "loved it" "delicious", but I'm not hearing "better".