Tri Tip 2 Ways

[Preacher Man]

I cooked two tri tips side by side with different finishes. The first was the usual med-rare with a reverse sear. The other was schmoked like a brisket.
Both just salt and pepper.
Both smoked with oak lump charcoal with some pecan wood chunks on my custom vertical pit.

Here are the results:


I pulled the long schmoke at 204°, and it sliced up pretty stinking tender. It had the consistency of the brisket flat, but the tenderness wasn't quite what a brisket flat gets to. That's not to say that it wasn't tender, though. It was still plenty tender to melt in your mouth. As in tender enough to pass the pull apart test.

Taste was still what you would expect in difference between a tritip and a brisket. Again, though, that's not a dig. It's no secret that brisket is my favorite, but this tritip was still a treat!

All in all, it was a fun experiment. I would definitely cook tritip like a brisket again, especially since I can get them so much cheaper than a brisket. I know some guys on here have trouble finding these things. I can often find a Snake River Farms American Wagyu tritip at my local grocer on sale for $6.99/lb or less. These were choice grade for $4.99/lb.

 

[JLeonard]

Looks darn good.
Jim

 

[rbnice1]

I'm getting pretty hungry, that looks great! I tried tritip once years ago, turned out ok, but I was young and not as seasoned as I am today. It not very common here and I cazn get prime grade brisket at sams for 3-4 bucks a pound.

 

[Wurstmeister]

Looks like a very good meal. Next time you make tri-tip try this idea out. Spit roast your Tri-tip on the rotisserie over direct heat with some beech or alder wood added for a light smoke, baste with a curry or spicy butter for flavor and moistness/crust. The wood adds a nice sweet kick to the tri-tip. This the way I make my Bürgermeisterstück (tri-tip steak). Sometimes I'll inject the spiced butter into the tri-tip just to help it along.
John

 

[Brokenhandle]

Looks tasty! No tri tips around here, sadly to say.

Ryan

 

[Preacher Man]

Looks like a very good meal. Next time you make tri-tip try this idea out. Spit roast your Tri-tip on the rotisserie over direct heat with some beech or alder wood added for a light smoke, baste with a curry or spicy butter for flavor and moistness/crust. The wood adds a nice sweet kick to the tri-tip. This the way I make my Bürgermeisterstück (tri-tip steak). Sometimes I'll inject the spiced butter into the tri-tip just to help it along.
John

Can we drink beer together while you make this for me?

 

[Bytor]

Is this a demographics thing? I have been looking locally at several places and haven't yet come across Tri Tip. At least not the pre-seasoned overly marinated and salty Tri Tip Kroger sells from time to time....

 

[SmokinEdge]

I cooked two tri tips side by side with different finishes. The first was the usual med-rare with a reverse sear. The other was schmoked like a brisket.
Both just salt and pepper.
Both smoked with oak lump charcoal with some pecan wood chunks on my custom vertical pit.

Here are the results:
View attachment 493331 View attachment 493333 View attachment 493334 View attachment 493332

I pulled the long schmoke at 204°, and it sliced up pretty stinking tender. It had the consistency of the brisket flat, but the tenderness wasn't quite what a brisket flat gets to. That's not to say that it wasn't tender, though. It was still plenty tender to melt in your mouth. As in tender enough to pass the pull apart test.

Taste was still what you would expect in difference between a tritip and a brisket. Again, though, that's not a dig. It's no secret that brisket is my favorite, but this tritip was still a treat!

All in all, it was a fun experiment. I would definitely cook tritip like a brisket again, especially since I can get them so much cheaper than a brisket. I know some guys on here have trouble finding these things. I can often find a Snake River Farms American Wagyu tritip at my local grocer on sale for $6.99/lb or less. These were choice grade for $4.99/lb.

Nicely done, and pretty much my experience. However, if I’m in the mood for brisket but only a few of us are expected for supper, I will always long cook a Tri-tip over a solo brisket flat piece. Those are tricky to finish right, but the TT is very forgiving.

 

[912smoker]

Looks great Preacher Man I'll take a slice of each please !

 

[D.W.]

Never tried cooking tritip beyond medium, and that's for guests. Interesting to see the side by side, thank you for the report out. One key piece you might want to try next time is slicing across the grains for serving (there are two). This will help tremendously and you might find that brisket tender you're looking for on the 204° one.

 

[MJB05615]

Is this a demographics thing? I have been looking locally at several places and haven't yet come across Tri Tip. At least not the pre-seasoned overly marinated and salty Tri Tip Kroger sells from time to time....

My Kroger has that same Vac sealed pre seasoned too. I am lucky enough that Wallyworld has them regularly. They're the only place I've seen them here in Ga.

 

[912smoker]

Our local WMart has them with the fat cap