Smoking 14 tri-tips in my Pit Boss Vertical Pellet BBQ Smoker?

[bilgsmf]

Can anyone tell me if they've smoked 10 or more Tri-tips in their Pit Boss Vertical Pellet BBQ Smoker? I have an event in July and I will be smoking 14 Tri-tips. I just want any info on the amount of time it would take me to smoke that many at once? Im guessing that the more meat I put in the smoker, the longer it will take to smoke them all? My event will start at 1200 in afternoon, so I would want them to be completely smoked and prepped and carve up and be ready by noon.

 

[forktender]

Smoke them in advance, then reheat in a steamer.

 

[mike243]

I would do a practice run with a couple, my sons PB done really well a few years ago when I smoked 3 briskets, I would only use the top 2 racks and hopefully you have a couple probes to monitor, get them where you need them then into a cooler to hold. that's not really a lot of meat for the smoker to handle. good thing about a pellet smoker is temps are pretty stable and you don't have to chase temps. Makes it easier to determine times.

 

[mike243]

Your probably looking at 3-4 hours depending on weight, the average weight will be around 3lb ? remember lower temps = more smoke with a pellet smoker. it's ok to have them done and resting, I like fresh cooked over reheated due to moisture lose on the reheat.

 

[sandyut]

Im thinking it depends on what your doneness goal is. I like them reverse seared medium rare. but others have done them like a brisket, which might be easier.

 

[forktender]

Im thinking it depends on what your doneness goal is. I like them reverse seared medium rare. but others have done them like a brisket, which might be easier.

The only way I cook T.T. is over WHITE HOT, Oak, Hickory or Mesquite wood coals, 9 out of 10 times it's Oak wood, because I have cords of Oak wood from our 120'+ Oak tree that we cut back last yr.
You can't leave them, you have to flip them ever minute or two until they are done. They turn out so good, I love the crispy outside and Rare to Med rare inside, not to rare though, I don't care for meet that is still able to Mooing.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

Do you have a Weber kettle or some grill you can take with you? If I was cooking that many to be finished at a certain time I would start smoking them at 250 a few hours before 12 and as time got closer start adjusting the temp of the smoker from there so you finish them around 1130 at about 130*. Then I’d use the second grill about as hot as you can get it to sear for the last 5-10 degrees of cooking to give it a nice outside. Id you have someone able to slice them for you as your searing, pulling them off and loading the next ones on the grill they can start slicing (after they rest for about 10 minutes or so. But honestly this cook might me a pain for that many tri tips. The Pitboss will definitely fit them all but it will be a pain to monitor the IT of all the different TriTips

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I had a Louisiana Grills vertical pellet smoker and it was equivalent to the Pit Boss Series 7 which is their largest one they make (Made by the same company).

I smoked plenty of tri-tips on it but the most I ever attempted on it at one time was 8. You didn't list your model but 14 at once would be asking an awful lot of it. I am not saying it can't be done but with that amount of meat you will not leave much room for the smoke/airflow.

I would do as suggest above and do them in two or more stages. Then reheat them for your event.