Tri-Tip with the new experimental blend.

[Quiganomics]

We're about a month and a half away from MeatFest 2026 and I've been in the process of developing a few new rubs to release for the event. We've tested it on brisket quite extensively, and today (Thanks to Rick my local butcher, you da man Rick!) I was gifted a tri-tip as another test subject and to get some good promo shots for the release. Rubbed it down with the new blend, smoked at 225° on the little ASMOKE350, and seared with some ghee on the griddle. Made some twice baked potatoes and stir-fried some broccoli to go along with it. After searing and resting, it finished up right at 130° before slicing. Sliced it against the grain, plated it up, and went to town like a fat kid. All in all, I'll call it a success. The dog got some of the scraps afterwards. The dog NEVER eats veggies but even devoured the remainder of the green stuff.

Rubbed and ready.

Rollin' smoke.

Ready to be destroyed.

 

[clifish]

Is this a test rub or already available? Looks great!

 

[Quiganomics]

Is this a test rub or already available? Looks great!

It's passed it's testing phase but is currently a pre-order, won't ship until mid-April. Only thing that may change is I'm probably going to mill the black pepper a tad finer. I like coarse, but it may be a bit too coarse.

 

[forktender]

Looks good, but I agree, finer pepper would taste better as well.
Add some activated charcoal to it, for a real black'd out rub.
Taste great as well!!!

 

[Chris_in_SoCal]

I will add a third opinion from a Californian that has cooked more than my fair share of Tri-tips and have used many brands and made my own SPGs.

The heavier garlic is great. too thin and it just kinda disappears. The salt and pepper should be finely ground for this cut of meat. Even the most well known Santa Maria restaurants use finely ground SPG for all three seasonings. Kinder's The blend is closer but when I make my own I prefer the garlic to be like what you have shown.

It has already been posted but that's my 2 cents.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

We cook a lot of meat and to us smoking tri tip is a huge improvement & difference over the best oven methods we've attempted.
I dry brine them over night in the refer with margarita salt.
Then SPG.
The slower the cook the better.

Central Coast Red Oak gives amazing results.
When I worked the Elks BBQ wagon, that was the secret.

 

[Quiganomics]

Looks good, but I agree, finer pepper would taste better as well.
Add some activated charcoal to it, for a real black'd out rub.
Taste great as well!!!

Yeah, actived charcoal will be added for the final release for color purposes.

 

[forktender]

I'm gonna throw my 2 cents in on the best way to cook Tri Tip, and Ball Tip.
(Ball Tip's are my favorite, by far).
I have cooked literally thousands of Tri Tip, and Ball Tip for our local towns Round Up throughout the yrs.

To me nothing even comes close to screaming white-hot oak wood coals.
(We use valley oak which is white oak around here, because that's what grows around us, it's very simular to post oak in flavor).

You have to stand by the grill the whole cook though, but it's only for 15 to 20 minutes.
The secret is to keep flipping the roast every minute or two, so they don't burn on the outside.

Either that you can Caveman them right on the coals flipping them every 2 to 3 minutes, this way gives them a nice and crusty outside perfectly Med Rare on the inside, baste them with a mixture of teriyaki and soy sauce every time you flip them. Do this for both of the above cooking methods and I will guaranty there will be very little, if any at all leftovers, people love them cooked this way. You'll have to use you carving knife to fend away the people's hands that try stealing it off the cutting board before it's served, I promise you.

Dan.

 

[forktender]

Yeah, actived charcoal will be added for the final release for color purposes.

I'll have to order a bottle to try it.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

White Oak is sooo excellent and tossing in some other sweet woods with it compliment it.

 

[clifish]

I'm gonna throw my 2 cents in on the best way to cook Tri Tip, and Ball Tip.
(Ball Tip's are my favorite, by far).
I have cooked literally thousands of Tri Tip, and Ball Tip for our local towns Round Up throughout the yrs.

To me nothing even comes close to screaming white-hot oak wood coals.
(We use valley oak which is white oak around here, because that's what grows around us, it's very simular to post oak in flavor).

You have to stand by the grill the whole cook though, but it's only for 15 to 20 minutes.
The secret is to keep flipping the roast every minute or two, so they don't burn on the outside.

Either that you can Caveman them right on the coals flipping them every 2 to 3 minutes, this way gives them a nice and crusty outside perfectly Med Rare on the inside, baste them with a mixture of teriyaki and soy sauce every time you flip them. Do this for both of the above cooking methods and I will guaranty there will be very little, if any at all leftovers, people love them cooked this way. You'll have to use you carving knife to fend away the people's hands that try stealing it off the cutting board before it's served, I promise you.

Dan.

not to derail, but never heard of ball tip?

 

[Quiganomics]

I'll have to order a bottle to try it.

Don't, shoot me a pm, I'll send out some samples to ya.

 

[forktender]

Don't, shoot me a pm, I'll send out some samples to ya.

Sweet, that would be really cool of you.
I'll keep an eye out, for when it's ready for sale.
Thanks a bunch.
Dan.

 

[forktender]

not to derail, but never heard of ball tip?

Ball tip steak is:
a lean, flavorful cut from the sirloin, similar to tri-tip, that benefits from marinating or rubbing before cooking.


Now I have a hankering for some Ball Tip, I'll run over to Kinder's and pick one up today, and post up some pictures after it's cooked, either Mon or Tues.

 

[clifish]

Don't, shoot me a pm, I'll send out some samples to ya.

Keep us in the loop on this, have a tri tip in the freezer waiting. Some of your spicy stuff on the site is looking really good to me.