Tritip suggestions

[KM590]

Finally got my hands on a tritip! Was hoping to smoke it tonight but not sure how to handle it yet so gotta do some research. Anyone have any suggestions? I’m going for a med rare with a reverse sear most likely.

 

[Mastertech59]

Finally got my hands on a tritip! Was hoping to smoke it tonight but not sure how to handle it yet so gotta do some research. Anyone have any suggestions? I’m going for a med rare with a reverse sear most likely.

I wish I could find a tri tip around here in New England.

 

[KM590]

I wish I could find a tri tip around here in New England.

I’m in MN, I was surprised when I saw it at the butcher, haven’t seen many options for cuts lately so grabbed it up as soon as I saw it.

 

[Mastertech59]

I’m in MN, I was surprised when I saw it at the butcher, haven’t seen many options for cuts lately so grabbed it up as soon as I saw it.

When you walk into a butcher around here and ask for a tri tip they look at you like from a different planet. Luckily they have lots of other great meats. ?

 

[ndfan6464]

With tri you can never go wrong with just a 50/50 rub of salt and pepper or you can spice it up a notch and marinade it for a few hours, overnight is best. Then add your rub before it goes on the smoker...smoke until you reach 135-140 for medium rare. Remember carry over cooking so if you're shooting for 135 pull at 130ish. Take off the smoker, cover in tinfoil for about 30 ish min and then slice agaisnt the grain..

Like other said I am jealous you can get it....Havent had tri tip since moving from my home state of CA...

 

[GromitInWA]

This might be a helpful resource if you can find a wholesaler that will sell to the public (some in the Seattle area are due to Covid since their restaurant orders are much reduced.) Beef Tri Tip is IMPS/NAMP 185D. You can quote that and see if they can get it, or they may look at you as if you're from another planet

 

[Buckeye1]

I typically pull mine at 130. Check Costco sometimes they have it.

 

[KM590]

Searing it off on the bullseye, then resting for a bit.

 

[Mastertech59]

Searing it off on the bullseye, then resting for a bit.
View attachment 5151

Thing of beauty

 

[KM590]

Turned out pretty good!

 

[BethV]

Cooking 3 right now. Two prime, one choice. I smoke Lo (180) for 45 minutes. Then raise temp to 225. Plan on pulling at 130. Will wrap in foil for 1/2 hour then sear on my gas grill.

Both primes have my AP rub of salt, pepper, granulated garlic and onion and paprika. For a binder I used olive oil on one and Louisiana hot sauce on the other.

For the choice I used olive oil as the binder and Meatheads beef rub and Montreal seasoning.

Pulling it now to wrap.

 

[KM590]

Sounds delicious!

I decided to start it off simple so just did equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Smoked at 225 until IT 130, pulled and put it on the bullseye to sear. Let it rest for about 15 mins and then sliced it up against the grain. The flavor was great but it was bit tougher. Not sure if it was the meat I got or if that is typical for this cut of beef since it was my first one. Do they tend to be tougher? Not like I had to chew forever by any means but just seemed a bit tough.

This is probably a dumb question but when you go to a butcher and they have the meat in the cryopack and it doesn’t say choice or prime, or anything like that do you typically just ask what it is? Not sure why I didn’t even check it, I was just so excited to actually find it at the butcher so grabbed it.

 

[Buckeye1]

Friday night Tri Tip. Costco Choice cut. Pulled at 130. Say wrapped in foil and towels for 1 1/2 hours until friends came over.

 

[BethV]

Cooking 3 right now. Two prime, one choice. I smoke Lo (180) for 45 minutes. Then raise temp to 225. Plan on pulling at 130. Will wrap in foil for 1/2 hour then sear on my gas grill.

Both primes have my AP rub of salt, pepper, granulated garlic and onion and paprika. For a binder I used olive oil on one and Louisiana hot sauce on the other.

For the choice I used olive oil as the binder and Meatheads beef rub and Montreal seasoning.

Pulling it now to wrap.

These came out so good!! We decided we like the prime tri-tip which had the hot sauce binder best. But it was hard to find anything wrong with the others. I also made fried green tomatoes from my garden.

 

[BethV]

@KM590, if your tri-tip was tough, it would be either overdone, or you might not be cutting it against the grain. Tri-tip is one of those muscles where the grain runs in two different directions so you have to cut it in two different directions in order to go against the grain if this makes any sense.

It looks like a boomerang. One side cuts one way and the other side of the boomerang cuts the other way. Good thing about this particular piece of meat is that it's very obvious which way the grain is running. Those would be the long strands of meat. Cut against it.

If it is none of those things it probably has something to do with the quality of the meat.

Tri-tip is almost always reliable. But in my chef days, I once encountered a terrible piece of tri-tip. Could not use it. Sometimes it's just the meat.

 

[KM590]

@KM590, if your tri-tip was tough, it would be either overdone, or you might not be cutting it against the grain. Tri-tip is one of those muscles where the grain runs in two different directions so you have to cut it in two different directions in order to go against the grain if this makes any sense.

It looks like a boomerang. One side cuts one way and the other side of the boomerang cuts the other way. Good thing about this particular piece of meat is that it's very obvious which way the grain is running. Those would be the long strands of meat. Cut against it.

If it is none of those things it probably has something to do with the quality of the meat.

Tri-tip is almost always reliable. But in my chef days, I once encountered a terrible piece of tri-tip. Could not use it. Sometimes it's just the meat.

Good to know, I’ll have to try it again. Thought I cut against the grain properly and pretty sure it wasn’t overcooked (see picture above). Definitely still was eaten almost immediately so can’t be too mad! Thanks for the tips!

 

[BethV]

Good to know, I’ll have to try it again. Thought I cut against the grain properly and pretty sure it wasn’t overcooked (see picture above). Definitely still was eaten almost immediately so can’t be too mad! Thanks for the tips!

Yours looked great! Even though we're still experimenting and learning, there is some delicious eats going on!!

 

[Roaniecowpony]

To follow up on what Beth talked about regarding cutting across the grain, I cut the tritip into 2 pieces, which allows for somewhat common sized pieces when slicing across the grain. It will be somewhat obvious where to cut it into 2 pieces. You don't need to cut perfectly 90 degrees from the grain, just within about 20-30 degrees of directly across the grain.

Also, consider making an au jus from beef stock. I heat a quart of beef stock in a stock pan, add about a 1/4 cup of rub (your choice), a splash of Dales Steak Seasoning, splash of red wine, a few drops of Franks hot sauce, and a couple drops of worchestershire sauce. I slice the beef and put it in a tray, and pour this mixture over it. I think you'll like it very much.

 

[Foodkid]

These came out so good!! We decided we like the prime tri-tip which had the hot sauce binder best. But it was hard to find anything wrong with the others. I also made fried green tomatoes from my garden.

Hey, Beth cooked a TriTip today per your cooking advice. I put it on the grill at xtreme smoke for 45 minutes then cracked it up to 225 till the internal temp was 300 Took it off and wrapped it in tin foil for 30 minutes. It came out very good a little too rare for my wife but just right for me and our guests. I did not use a rub on it. instead, I marinated it in a Santa Maria marinade for 15 hours the flavor was fabulous. see pics

 

[BethV]

@Foodkid looks terrific!!