Traveling Tri Tip help..

[jerbear66]

Planned on doing a Tri Tip for dinner tonight. They’re quick, easy, and delicious. Then We got an invite to visit some friends for a cookout. So I’m bringing the smoked Tri Tip. Need traveling advice......
I plan to smoke to about 125, then I would do the reverse sear.

Sear here or sear there?

How long might I hold it, wrapped in foil, then placed in a cooler with towels for insulation?

Reason I ask is I can’t guarantee arrival time in relation to dinner time. Don’t want to ruin a good thing. I usually smoke, sear, rest, and enjoy. Traveling is a new wrinkle for me.

TIA,
Jerry

 

[davefincher]

I’ve done this a few times. I smoke, rest, slice then wrap in foil and a couple of towels and place in an igloo. It stays warm enough to serve for quite a while.

 

[motolife313]

I’d slice it after a few minutes rest. Your gona bring that puppy right up to well done if u toss it in a cooler wrapped up in towels Very fast

 

[SlickRockStones]

I would smoke and sear at home then take whole TT resting in a pan and YOUR sharp knife to slice there and slice in front of the cheering crowd. Nothing sucks like attempting to carve up a nice TT with a dull knife. Carefully reheat if needed in a slow oven til just warmed. That should keep it med-med rare with reserved juices.

 

[banderson7474]

Would definitely finish cooking it at home. I think I might wait to slice it until I got there. The reason for that is I think it will keep heat better if unsliced and in a cooler toweled up. For the person that said if you do that it will become well done, I've never heard of that before? I've heard that meat will raise a few degrees but not that much.

Personally, I think it will taste great whether you slice it before or after but I would wait to slice.

 

[noboundaries]

Jerbear66, how long is the drive?

 

[motolife313]

He’s putting it in a cooler that will stay hot in there and continue to cook it. Different from putting it on a plate and putting foil over it. The cooler will stay much warmer and it will continue to cook it. Bet 5 bucks

 

[banderson7474]

He’s putting it in a cooler that will stay hot in there and continue to cook it. Different from putting it on a plate and putting foil over it. The cooler will stay much warmer and it will continue to cook it. Bet 5 bucks

I'm not trying to start an argument but most people cook TT to medium or medium rare and you mentioned it would continue to cook to well. I just have never heard of that big of a jump before. Sure it would raise a few degrees, just have never experienced it cooking that much.

 

[motolife313]

Have u ever wrapped it in a towel and put it in a cooler where it will stay hot?

 

[banderson7474]

Yes but a cooler with towels is not as hot as 250 degree smoker.

 

[noboundaries]

The reason I'm a little perplexed here is we're talking tri tip, not brisket. I'm someone who has smoked, grilled, roasted, and braised more tri tips than I have any other cut of beef. But we're talking tri tip, which is the pork butt of beef; almost impossible to screw up. It is juicy and tender at finishing temps anywhere between 125F to 190F, but the texture and characteristics change from steak-like at low finishing temps, to roast-like at medium temps, to brisket-like at high finishing temps.

So...how long is the drive?