Looking for advice. Tri-tip

[JPatrickRemiger]

Good morning. I have a big cook coming Friday. I am a teacher at a local High School and we are having a faculty staff BBQ. I have 6 tri-tips to smoke, so I was going to cook 3 the night before. Does anyone have tips on how to make sure it still tastes good the next day?

[hoovarmin]

I'm not sure I'd do that unless I were to sous vide the night before and then bring them back up to temp and sear the following day.

[JPatrickRemiger]

I’m not sure I am going to do it. It’ll just be an early morning for me. Probably cook, wrap, and hold in a cooler. Thanks for your advice

[Henrik]

I’m with hoovarmin here. I’d much rather bring a 22” kettle to where the party’s at and cook ‘em right there.

[TripleB]

First off, I would not smoke a TT. But that’s just me. You don’t give a lot of info on the equipment you have available to use, so I’ll give you what I’ve done in a similar situation.

I would dry brine for 24 hrs and then the night before I would season them with whatever you want and grill them over a hot fire to get the bark, crust you want. The internal temp will probably be around 90 d. The day you’re serving, use the schools oven and put them in at 350 d and then bring the internal temp up to your desired doneness. Serve with a mop sauce.

[JPatrickRemiger]

I used poor wording, I have a Traeger so I always just say smoke since it’s not actually a grill but it would be low and slow on a Traeger

[SmokingPat]

You want to smoke them, but the menu and logistics don't seem to be in your favor.

What about slicing the raw tri-tip roasts into 1/4"-3/8" steaks, adding some seasoning the night before, and cooking them the next day over a hot grill? You can fill up the grate, turn them once or twice, and they're done. Throw some wood chips on adds a little flavor, and spikes their hunger.

By the way, if you haven't smoked tri-tip ROASTS before, you'll definitely want to sear them. When they come off the smoker at 125 degs IT, they don't look very appetizing. My preferred method is a propane torch.

[jfmorris]

I guess I am also of the thought that a tri-tip is more a steak than a roast, and that while you might do a reverse sear, its more of a grilled cut of meat than a smoked cut of meat. Smoking it, especially the night before, makes little sense. This is something that is normally cooked to medium-rare or medium (135-140). It's a very short cook, just like any steak.

[Old Glory]

Agreed. Reverse sear Tri-Tip like a steak. That is one of my favorites.

[RichieB]

If want some more information,
From the free side.

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

[smokin fool]

Where's the tri-tip master Troutman
He would have the definitive answer for this question.

[glitchy]

You can’t fit 6 tri tips on your Traeger at once? The issue is likely going to be the sear, would you or someone else have a gasser or Jumbo Joe available? Smoke to 125, do a quick sear and have a partner either slicing or searing so you can slice. You should be able to sear a couple at a time even on a small grill and the first 2-3 can probably rest while the second 2-3 sear.

If you don’t have a gasser or a charcoal, you’re probably going to need a couple cast iron pans or GrillGrates to get a good sear on a Traeger.

I’ve seen a couple people, maybe Huskee mention cooking them straight at 350 on a pellet grill and not searing. I think there will be some banding that way, but I’ve never tried it.

[JPatrickRemiger]

I totally can fit 6. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking. It’s been years since I’ve cooked tri tip. So...I’m going to get up early...cook to temp, pull, wrap, transport to sight and sear on charcoal

[Polarbear777]

I’ve brought TT to lunch events before. My plan was Salt and then SV at 132 until tender (I usually go overnight). At 132 for several hours they are completely pasteurized and safe and you can quickly sear them all on site with whatever cheap but really hot rig you have. A small hibachi or even just a couple of chimneys would work. If you have a gas grill on site, unless it’s a good one, I’d consider bringing some CI to load up sufficient heat for a sear.

Just doing the finishing sear at the event people will wonder how the heck you cooked it so perfectly.

if you have time/equipment at the site you can just reverse sear.

[Polarbear777]

If you don’t SV and have to cook ahead. I would Do a split reverse sear.
Dry brine and smoke to the finishing temp you want, then bag them and chill in an ice bath to get them to fridge temps quickly. Keep in fridge overnight.
Because they are thick they won’t get heated through while searing so I would butterfly them so they are 1” thick or so, put seasoning on all sides and then sear very hot on all sides.

Regardless of what you try sear at the event is needed for the proper steak crust.

[JPatrickRemiger]

I ended up cooking them to 130° pulled and wrapped in foil, drove them to the site and seared them on a gas grill. They turned out pretttttty good.

[smokenoob]

Good call! Smoking first then searing is my favorite way to!

[ecowper]

Well, dang, that looks pretty good!

[JPatrickRemiger]

Thanks!