Tri Tip Technique

[Laxdad]

I haven't had good success with tri tip - despite looking great and slicing properly, still seems too chewy. Purchased a dry aged 2.5 lb tri tip to cook this weekend. What are your best methods for cooking. FYI, this will be grilled on a LBGE. Thanks!!

[Jerod Broussard]

Sous vide. No comparison. I cut it into 8 ounce manageable steaks. I'm very sensitive to texture and I could cut 1/2" pieces. The most absolute perfect chew.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...-tri-tip-steak

[Breadhead]

Laxdad ...

I have a large BGE. I use the reverse sear method on a tri tip just like I cook a steak. I mount 2 grates. 1- 2" from the lump coal. The other above the felt line. I don't bother using the plate setter because when you're baking the tri tip mounted up high with the lid closed there is no direct flames, just smoldering lump coal. I bake it to 115° and then pull it off and set it on a plate.

Then I remove the high grate and open the bottom vent and use a hair dryer to blow air in through the bottom vent to get up to Warp 10 heat quickly. Then I sear the tri tip until it gets it to 125/130°.

That works for me.😎

[Huskee]

Aside from sous vide I don't think a tri tip will ever eat like a tenderloin or a ribeye, they are what they are. I made a Kobe one, reverse sear, and thought it oddly tough. More than I expected. Darn good though regardless.

[Breadhead]

Huskee ...

They are what they are!

Well said.😎

You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig.🙊

Tri Tip requires more than salt and pepper to have flavor because it lacks the fat content of a ribeye.😋

[jholmgren]

Reverse sear for sure - definitely not as tender as a tenderloin or ribeye, but great flavor.

Jim

[David Parrish]

Slice thin and against the grain. That's key.

[jgg85234]

Low and slow to 110, seared to no more than 130. Rare is the only way to eat tri-tip.
Cut it at the middle of the triangle, and then slice long and thin towards the cut you just made (against the grain).

We had one over the summer, on an evening where I had been to see one of my customers. He's the Boar's Head distributor, and had given me one of those ~6 LB roast beefs that they slice very expensively in the grocery stores. I cut some really thin slices of the Boars' Head (it's eye of round), and a slightly thicker cut from the Tri-Tip (US Choice from Fry's in Arizona (Kroger subsidiary).

The Tri-Tip was far more tender than the Boars' Head cut.

Jim

[boftx]

I treat it just like a London broil or any other steak, but I use a COS that can also function as a grill (the Chargriller Pro, to be precise) when I want to cook steak.

I set up for two zone on the grill, smoke til it hits 110 - 115 then sear over hot coals very close to the grate til it hits between 125 and 130 (flipping often).

What I might do different from most is that I use a Texas brisket rub (meaning salting it down several hours ahead of time then adding coarse pepper and a little extra heat) along with dill, garlic and sometimes a bit of sage. This has always turned out well for me.

[ecowper]

I love cooking tri-tip. I'm including some pics just cause all cooking posts ought to have pictures! Anyhow, here's some of my tips and tricks from many years of cooking tri-tip.

1. Two zone set up, reverse sear, is extremely important. Do NOT indirect cook the meat too hot. I usually have my indirect zone around 300 degrees, at the hottest. BE PATIENT.
2. When you are searing over direct heat, turn the meat frequently. Every 3 minutes, or so.
3. Dry brine the meat for at least one hour. I usually try to do dry brine for 3-4 hours.
4. You don't need a huge amount of spices on tri-tip. In the pics one trip has just pepper and garlic powder added, the other two also have oregano. I like the beef to stand out, not the spices.
5. No need to buy fancy Kobe tri-tips. I get mine at Costco.
6. Cutting the meat against the grain is very important.
7. Don't overcook it. I want mine to come off the grill at about 130'ish.