smoked tri tip just like brisket

[RiversideSm0ker]

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".

For me, it was not better. My results were not that fantastic. I took it to 190 and it took almost 9 hours to get there. My tri tip was only about 2.5 pounds. I rubbed it and then took to 160, wrapped in butcher paper until 190. I pulled it and let it rest about an hour. I have to say it was a bit dry like I had feared it might end up. I used a trimmed tri tip, since that is what I have in my freezer. It appeared to be fairly marbled so I thought it was a pretty typical example. The heat did not get away on me during the cook. I even cooked in the 250 range. I was surprised that it took so long to finish based on what others have stated about the process taking 6 or 7 hours. I will admit that the flavor was very good. I thought that it was much more intense as far as beef flavor was concerned. IF mine had turned out juicy then I would say to you that it was better than my normal medium rare version. The flavor was that good, but with it turning out a bit dry and pretty much requiring me to use BBQ sauce I can't say that it was better. I'd like to get my hands on an untrimmed one but my local market had switched to selling only the trimmed version. I may take a little road trip soon to try and find an untrimmed tri tip that isn't $12 pound. I'm going to take a page out of Ray's book and check WinCo. That may not happen for a week or so though. I've got too many other smokes planned already. I do want to give this another try though to be fair to the process.

George

 

[mike5051]

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".

BEV,
My favorite is med rare TT, but I am the only one in my family that enjoys it. I loved this TT, and was able to serve it to the other in the family that also loved it! I like the flavor of the TT more than brisket, less smokey, more beefy. I think I'll enjoy this TT as leftovers, I don't care for reheated med rare TT, it is no longer med rare. I'll find out tonight! :)

Mike

 

[noboundaries]

My wife and I are total converts.

 

[Mattyt7]

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".

I would say different rather than better. It’s a different texture and different flavor than cooking TT to med rare. I still like to cook TT the traditional way as well as this way.

 

[browneyesvictim]

Took an extended weekend trip to the southern Oregon coast with the Mrs. and fishing on the Rogue River. We stayed in an RV park and threw a TT on the Mini with Mesquite lump and Kiawe chunks. I cooked it brisket style. The whole campground was coming around to check out my smoker and the smell!!!
Here is a plated shot:

EDIT: I absolutely LOVED the more smoky flavor I got with the longer smoke doing it this way, but I prefer the texture and mouth-feel of the normal way better. Juiciness was on par. So the verdict is... it was kind of a wash for me.

 

[banderson7474]

For me, it was not better. My results were not that fantastic. I took it to 190 and it took almost 9 hours to get there. My tri tip was only about 2.5 pounds. I rubbed it and then took to 160, wrapped in butcher paper until 190. I pulled it and let it rest about an hour. I have to say it was a bit dry like I had feared it might end up. I used a trimmed tri tip, since that is what I have in my freezer. It appeared to be fairly marbled so I thought it was a pretty typical example. The heat did not get away on me during the cook. I even cooked in the 250 range. I was surprised that it took so long to finish based on what others have stated about the process taking 6 or 7 hours. I will admit that the flavor was very good. I thought that it was much more intense as far as beef flavor was concerned. IF mine had turned out juicy then I would say to you that it was better than my normal medium rare version. The flavor was that good, but with it turning out a bit dry and pretty much requiring me to use BBQ sauce I can't say that it was better. I'd like to get my hands on an untrimmed one but my local market had switched to selling only the trimmed version. I may take a little road trip soon to try and find an untrimmed tri tip that isn't $12 pound. I'm going to take a page out of Ray's book and check WinCo. That may not happen for a week or so though. I've got too many other smokes planned already. I do want to give this another try though to be fair to the process.

George

Riverside, are you sure your thermometers are good? That seems like a really long time for that size of meat especially at 250 range.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Riverside, are you sure your thermometers are good? That seems like a really long time for that size of meat especially at 250 range.

Yeah my thermometers are spot on with a boil or freeze test. I felt the same about the time that it took. I have no explanation. It ran up to the 140 in about an hour and a half or so then just crawled like the worst meat stall you have ever witnessed. I was really looking forward to this coming out like everybody has stated previously. When I run them up to 133 IT it usually takes about an hour or so. Usually not much more than that unless it's really cold out.

George

 

[banderson7474]

I thought cooking a TT to that temp was crazy but after reading this thread I want to try it too. I wonder if your thermometer temporarily froze b/c everything you mention about getting to 140 quick, the temp of your smoker and the time it took and especially the results point towards the thermometer.

I guess you could try it again to see if the same thing happens. The stall is frustrating enough on it's own, you definitely don't need to deal with a super stall like that...ugh.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

If I do try it again I think that I will forgo the butcher paper wrap and go with a foil wrap in a pan. I'll use a bit of beef broth just like the apple juice in my rib foil wrappings. Then I can see how different it turns out. I do have a higher end thermometer now. We shall just have to wait and see. I would also cook a second tri tip at the same time and do it the normal way to 135 so that I am not waiting til 10:00pm to eat lol.

George

 

[banderson7474]

I have never used butcher paper but I've read and I think even Jeff says that foil doesn't breath so you end up kind of steaming it instead of cooking it with the breathable butcher paper. I don't know, I may have that wrong too.

That's the only thing that I hate about my stick smoker is that I can't fire it up the night before. I've just about given up on brisket b/c I don't want to get up at 3am and then maybe eat by 9pm besides I can't handle all that beer time during the smoke LOL

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

I did use the butcher paper on my first brisket and it does a great job of preserving the bark if you like a more natural crispy type bark. It did exactly that with the tri tip as well. I'm not at all saying that butcher paper is a bad way to go but I would like to try a different method and see if it gives me the same results. If not, and the foil wrapped is exactly the way I would have wanted the meat to turn out then I would consider trying again with the butcher paper to see if there is anything else that I might try to ensure that the bark is good but the meat also stays moist and succulent. Because the flavor is there when you take it to 190. The flavor was great. It had just lost that moisture content that made it less than juicy. BBQ sauce covered it up but I don't want to have to use BBQ sauce. That should never be a requirement for your cue.

George

 

[wbf610]

If I ever find a TT around me, I’m going to try it this way.

 

[CaliSmoke]

Very interesting conversation. I use to grill on propane for the concenience then have had good charcoal grills, and did my smoking of salmon and even some chicken on Big Chief smokers. Buddy turned me on to the Traeger. I know, I know, it’s cheating but great when working full time to come home and whip out some good food for the family..... but anyhow. I never knew until recent years how rare Tri Tip was for all you Mid-West, Southern and maybe even East Coast Folks. Born and raised in “Nor-Cal” and “Real Nor-Cal” not “Bay Area, or City whatsoever. “Country” as it gets around here. And I have been eatinf this cut since I was a kid! Its like the gourmet stuff around here, or so I though, until I got into doing Brisket, Boston Butt etc.. Anyhow. I always marinated my tri tips and cooked to med-rare. Then ai got into “Santa Maria style” just rubbed in “Pappys” and cooked to Med-rare minus a marinade. Anyhow in the Traeger cook book it opened my eyes a bit. Basically cook your favorite rub, hit it heavy... smoke it for about 4 hours, then at that point transfer to foil with 1/2 cup of watwr and put back on with temp cranked up to 350 for 45 minutes. I also usually spritz with apple juice during the smoke process every hour “at least” when it looks to be kind of dry. I can attest it is way better this way than just cooking it quick to 130 degrees. Instead of spritzing with apple juice every hour and doing a 1/2 cup of water in foil at the end. I am hanging it up a hit and spritzing with some good Cali beer “805” and going to use 1/2 cup of it for the finish process instead of water. I figure the sugar and sweet from the beer will go good with the heat of the rub. I can take pics and let you all know how it goes if interested. Anyhow glad to have just joined the forum “via a Google search” and likes the input I was hearing here. In my experience a good rubbed or marinaded Tri Tip cooked to med-rare is awesome. But doing it similar to a Brisket is much better and different than we usually get out West.

 

[CaliSmoke]

By the way, first sorry for the typos, on my phone. And second, I just checked internal temp on the Tri Tip at 3 hours smoking between 180-200 and its 140 internal. ;)

 

[CaliSmoke]

Still smoking another 30 mins before wrapping in foil pain with 1/2 cup of 805 beer and hitting it at 350 degrees for 45 mins!

 

[CaliSmoke]

Still smoking another 30 mins before wrapping in foil pain with 1/2 cup of 805 beer and hitting it at 350 degrees for 45 mins!

And the finshed deal that the wife, and the 8 and 9 year old helped me gobble up!! Tender and juicy as hell.