Tri-Tip smoked like a brisket

[bauchjw]

Tri tip was, and still is, ubiquitous on the West Coast. Packers briskets were hard to find, but TTs were everywhere. I've been grilling them since the early 80's, often 2-4 at a time, rarely just one. When my athlete kids were home, more than one disappeared at each meal.

I ALWAYS cooked them to rare or med-rare. Then, in 2018, a friend of the family grilled one to a med-rare temp, then finished it in the oven to 165°F IT. I expected shoe leather, but tasted melt-in-your-mouth brisket-like meat. I could not explain it.

Soon after I read a thread on SMF about taking TT to a higher IT, like 195°F. I bought two TTs on sale ($3/lb), grilled one to 165°F, wrapped the other and took it to the 190°s. I can't even begin to express how foreign and uncomfortable it felt to do both. The results blew me away. Both were tender, juicy, and different from each other. The 165°F TT was like a tender roast beef. The high IT was like the juiciest brisket flat I've ever tasted.

Do I still do it? No, because I can get packers easily now. The price of Choice and Prime TTs have climbed to a level I won't pay, but untrimmed Selects can still be found on sale for $3 to $4/lb, less if you buy the 5-6 piece bulk pack. They are still juicy and tender. We grilled one last week for fajitas.

Your post on that cook is what convinced me to try it. We were blown away too.

 

[chopsaw]

That is how I normally do tri-tip. Really tasty! Yours looks great. Thought I would try something new (for me). Had a sandwich made from it. Really good.

I would love to do one like you did . It had be great beef flavor .

 

[clifish]

I would be happy to get a TT for $7.99/lb now

 

[Brokenhandle]

I don't care how you cook them...if you try something new and you say Wow! Then it's a good choice. I have only done one myself but want more now. So I'll need to drive 40 miles one way and get a couple more...we won't even think of the sticker shock lol. Maybe cook it on the open fire and eat it caveman style...then no worries about slicing!

Dang nice cook!
Ryan

 

[gmc2003]

TTs are on the endangered species list over here. I've only been able to find 3 of them. Both were done to rare, and med-rare. The third is in a state of deep freeze. If I could find a good supply of them I love to try one brisket style. Yours looks fantastic and I'd eat it up in a heartbeat.

Point for sure
Chris

 

[Ringer]

This looks great. How is the taste compared to brisket? I usually do the reverse seared version but this looks really good. Sounds like it might be a good alternative when I don't want to fully commit to a brisket cook.

 

[Majja13]

I would be happy to get a TT for $7.99/lb now

This is so true. Here in Utah at the Costco they are usually 10.99 lb for choice and 11.99 for prime

 

[clifish]

This is so true. Here in Utah at the Costco they are usually 10.99 lb for choice and 11.99 for prime

I can only find them in Restaurant deepot and that means buying 7 of them. Most get "imported" from a friend when she goes to CA.

 

[OldSmoke]

I can only find them in Restaurant deepot and that means buying 7 of them. Most get "imported" from a friend when she goes to CA.

Wow, it would be terrible if she got tossed in the pokey for crossing state lines with illicit tri-tip. My grandpa used to do that with whiskey!

 

[clifish]

Wow, it would be terrible if she got tossed in the pokey for crossing state lines with illicit tri-tip. My grandpa used to do that with whiskey!

Not likely, she works on a private jet for a multi-billionaire.