First tri-tip: a burning question

[DaveD]

Hey folks, to celebrate my lovely bride's birthday, which was yesterday (she's turned 29 AGAIN!), I'm planning to cook my first tri tip on Saturday. Game plan is to reverse sear on the new SnS kettle, which will be just my third cook with it. A little sporty maybe, to use the cooker with which I'm only just starting out to cook a cut I've never cooked before...

I'll use a little over half a chimney of coals and a chunk of hickory, which ought to be more than enough to have steady temps throughout what I'm sure won't be a super long cook. I'm aiming for a final internal temp in the low 130sF/mid-50sC for a nice medium rare.

Main question is, at what IT should I move the cut over to sear? I've done all my searing on the Weber gasser previously, using GrillGrates flat-side up or a CI skillet in there. Either way, the sear surfaces get to about 650F/345C, but of course over the live coals that searing temp is likely to be closer to 1000F/mid-500sC. Thus I anticipate needing to move it over at perhaps a lower IT than I'd do on the gasser (I'd move it at about 120F/50C on that). How much lower?? is the question. Definitely don't want to overshoot the target.

Thanks for any input!

[realdocBBQ]

My wife turned 29 again on Sunday! Congrats!

<Edit> And I'd move it at 115ºF and do the frequent quick flip method. Sounds like it'll be tasty! What kind of seasoning/rub you planning? From my experience, I'd pull it at 127ºF or so to allow carryover to the low 130s.

[Murdy]

That's pretty much what I do. Except I pull it off the sear a little quicker.

[DaveD]

Great input! Since it's my first one, I'm leaning toward simple season, SPG probably... want to establish some kind of baseline.

[Murdy]

DaveD -- I've done either SPG or SPGO, that's all it needs as the meat is so flavorful.

[Rob whatever]

I tend to use a different method. I cook to the desired internal temp, usually mid -130s for me. After that, I let the meat rest for 1-2 hours. Then I sear. When cooking for a group, this makes the final prep time easier to manage, at least for me.

Rob

[shify]

So I just did the same thing on the same piece of equipment (see https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...42#post1296342).

I used a half chimney of charcoal as well. Followed the typical low and slow lighting instructions before dumping in the half chimney and then cooked indirect until the steak was at 125 degrees. Then I pulled it off and took off the lid/opened the vents all the way until the coals were ripping hot which took maybe 10 minutes.

The sear was for about 2-3 minutes total flipping every 30 seconds. I didn't bother with the final temp as I know from experience it will be in the right ballpark after the sear and I was only worried about color (and no waiting too long). Final product was perfectly medium rare (see pic on the left in my link - steak on the right was a hanger steak)

Edit: If you are going to go straight from cook to sear, I would pull closer to 120 - the rest to let the coals get hotter prevented the sear stage from overshooting the target internal temp

[DaveD]

This is excellent! Although I didn't write it down, this was pretty much what I had in mind as well, pull it off and open everything wide to get the coals screaming hot. Was hoping for just this effect, pumping the brakes a bit on the IT.

[CaptainMike]

Any of the above suggestions work well, just keep in mind that tri tip is a very forgiving cut so don't stress out if you happen to overshoot, it will still be great.

Think about a board sauce, horseradish (sauce), or a chimichurri sauce as an accompaniment. And if you want to go full Santa Maria style then serve with a version of Santa Maria beans, a tossed salad and garlic bread. There are a few good things that come from California!

[UncleSpike]

Yes. A board sauce makes a tri tip... You can get away with less seasoning on the meat...

[DaveD]

Not going all the way full Santa Maria, too many other firsts in this cook Horseradish is one of the few flavors I absolutely loathe, however, so there won't be any of that. I'm planning on a cabernet reduction sauce to serve with this time around, a modification of the one we make with prime rib.

BTW I come from CA too, but won't speculate whether I make the "good things" cut...

[RichardCullip]

Good luck with the tri-tip. It's a great piece of beef. Just remember to slice it across the grain. This can be a bit tricky since tri-tips have two sections with the grain running in different directions. It will be tough to chew if you end up slicing it with the grain.

[DaveD]

Thanks, very well aware of this and have watched multiple demo vids illustrating how to slice. I realize it could be cooked perfectly but inedible if sliced incorrectly!

[Huskee]

And feel free to flop the thin end over the edge while you're searing the thick end. It doesn't all need the same TLC when searing.

[jfmorris]

I've done this trick and had meat hanging over the edge of the kettle or kamado before!

[RichieB]

From Meathead. Cooking and cutting. I've used this and it works.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/santa-maria-tri-tip-recipe/

[DaveD]

Had not seen this article, thanks for that!

[DaveD]

Really good input folks, many thanks! Just for completeness: keeping this cook as simple as possible, with SPG for seasoning (brining in the morning), and will be making a cabernet reduction sauce to accompany that is based on one we make with prime rib. Sides will be the Jess Pryles killer roasted taters and some steamed broccoli.

Assuming all goes well with this first try (tri?), next time I'll probably go higher fidelity on SM style... gotta get the compulsory figures down before I start freestyling

[holehogg]

For a couple years I used the rear sear method with great results and will confess to never having tried a front sear.
I've been doing the mid cook sear for some time. At around 40C the meat gets a sear and once done I move it back to indirect.
Replace lid. Shut off the bottom vent and close the top vent leaving only a small opening. The IT of the kettle is a lot hotter at this stage and there isn't a quick drop in temperature after doing this. I just let it ride in the heat until it reaches around 50C and remove.

[TripleB]

You should try the front sear method. IMHO, the best way to cook small roasts. Why? because you control the the formation of the bark, crust and that is where the flavor is. Nothing I can do about the internal flavor or tenderness. When I front sear and finish indirect, my TT is always around 90d internal temp when I move it over to the cool side. Then just bring the internal temp up to your desired doneness. I also mop my TT's so the crust does not dry out. Again, FWIW...

[holehogg]

TripleB Thanks. Keep telling myself to try it. Must and will.

[McFlyfi]

I cook a tri tip at least once a week on the SNS. The only thing I can add to the above is that it will be a short cook. It should take about an hour and a half once the meat is on (at 250F). I would also say that I pull mine off at 128, it carries over to about 133, which on a tri tip, is going to be almost dead solid medium in the thickest part, and closer to well done on the thinner end. DW likes hers medium +, so this works out pretty well for us.

[DaveD]

Excellent perspective. I was guessing around an hour or a little more, so that tracks. Really appreciate those calibration points for doneness, pull temp, and how much carryover you get from your large experience base!

[McFlyfi]

I would offer this:When you want to go full Santa Maria, use SPG (or better yet, Susie Q's Seasoning, based in Santa Maria) and use oak for the smoke.
Brush your sourdough baguette with olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and toast it. Once toasted, slather it with garlic butter. A simple salsa of tomato, onion, green chile, sgp adds a nice dimension. Pinquito beans finish off your California feast!

[Reds Fan 5]

I cook a lot of tri-tips. Reverse sear on a Weber kettle with SnS. I start about a quarter chimney of coals and get them red hot and then add them for the sear. Usually start searing when IT is 115-120. Take it just under 135. Flip constantly. SnS cold grate method.

Use Dalmatian rub and hit it with more fresh ground pepper when I sear.

I have found wood chunks over smoke the tri-tip for my palate. It has enough flavor on its own and is on the grilllong enough I don’t need the wood.


The most important thing is slicing it against the grain, making sure you know where the grain changes direction.

Have a great cook!

[Purc]

+1 but I do use 1 chunk of wood. Doing a tri tip tomorrow on my kettle with the SnS as above. My favorite cut of beef.

[Reds Fan 5]

Our favorite,too. Enjoy the cook and the steak!

[DaveD]

Alrighty, final flight plan: going for the reverse sear approach. B&B charcoal and one hickory chunk for IT target in the low 120sF/ 50ishC, then pull off and add half a chimney of blazing hot coals to the insert until it's fully raging, then sear the TT using the cold grate spin technique, rotating every 30 sec or so.

Here's the piece, a "Mishima Reserve" wagyu tri tip from CrowdCow, weighing about 2 1/4lb/1kg.




Stay tuned

[fzxdoc]

I always enjoy following along with your cooks. This is going to be a good one. Tri tip is so delicious.

Kathryn

[DaveD]

Aww, that is very kind of you to say Thanks for checking it out!

[DaveD]

Okey doke, here's the after-action on the tri tip cook. Bottom line up front: Superb! Smashing success.

The SnS kettle settled in to the 225F/107C range, and the cut took about an hour to get to 122F/50C. Did my cabernet reduction, and the Jess Pryles taters. Wasn't possible to post while all this was going on, too busy.

Here's the reduction cruising along:

TT hit up with coarse ground black pepper and granulated garlic.

I put a small foil container with some wagyu tallow in there to pick up some smoke, for use in future cooks, as long as I was generating some...

Meanwhile, got the taters in the oven, then turned halfway thru:

Every 20 min or so, I "rotoinverted" the cut for even cooking.


Too hectic to get any photos while searing. Here it is right after:

Plated!

[Allon]

Nicely done. Great plate...

[Reds Fan 5]

That looks great. The color is perfect. This won’t be your last trip-tip, will it?

[holehogg]

Tri-rrific.