Tri-Tip On A Smoker - How Do You do it?

[Chili Palmer]

How do you guys do it? I usually get 4 or 5 tri-tips when they are on sale, trim and season/marinate them in ziploc bags and freeze them, we pull them out as we need them. I usually put the Traeger on 300 degrees and let it cook until it hits an internal temp of 125 (usually 40-50 minutes), pull it off, cover it for about 15 minutes then cut it up, sliced thin, diagonally, across the grain. I haven't found a low and slow recipe for the tri-tip to make it melt in your mouth like a really good brisket. How do you guys do them on your smoker?

 

[ArizonaKevin]

Haven't quite done a trip tip up brisket levels, but I will run the smoker at 225 until we hit internal of 115-120ish then pull it off and finish over open flame up to 130 (my preferred level of doneness)

 

[KevinR]

Definitely try cooking your next one at 225. It’s a big chunk of beef and benefits from a slow roast method. I also finish it over open flame like my counter part AZKevin.

 

[TPC]

How do you guys do it? I usually get 4 or 5 tri-tips when they are on sale, trim and season/marinate them in ziploc bags and freeze them, we pull them out as we need them. I usually put the Traeger on 300 degrees and let it cook until it hits an internal temp of 125 (usually 40-50 minutes), pull it off, cover it for about 15 minutes then cut it up, sliced thin, diagonally, across the grain. I haven't found a low and slow recipe for the tri-tip to make it melt in your mouth like a really good brisket. How do you guys do them on your smoker?

Reads like you have it down good.

About an hour at 225F. Don't use mesquite nor oak until you're good at it, use Pecan or Hickory and until you hit over 130F internal.
Those big, lean prime COSTCOs take more time than the thinner, fatter grocery store tri tips.
I didn't say anything, didn't let on and the kids remarked the Prime COSTCOs tasted much better.

 

[TPC]

Smoked Tri tip pastrami using this Brisket recipe is amazing too:

If you use Prague powder (sodium nitrate) be careful, use sparingly strictly to the recipe, let's face it, its poison.

 

[FlyByWire]

The first 2 replies are the answer.

Dickies BBQ (chain) somehow does a brisket style tri tip but Ive never seen it done like that elsewhere. I’m more a traditional Santa Maria tri tip kinda guy.

 

[gmnhra]

season with your favorite
225 degrees until 130. remove and cover with foil
raise smoker to 500.
sear 4 minutes per side..

 

[Rondog4405]

225-230 til internal is around 110..pull ..wrap and throw it in a cooler for 20 mins. Slice and warm it up in its juices. Also I always load up the smoker. Rarely ever cook just one. I'll do at least 2. One for sandwiches and breakfast. The other usually goes in chili.

 

[TPC]

season with your favorite
225 degrees until 130. remove and cover with foil
raise smoker to 500.
sear 4 minutes per side..

There it is.

 

[Motor Boater]

We eat a lot of tri tip and I just don’t like it smoked. I think it’s way better grilled.

 

[Babyback]

I was cooking them at 225-235 until the reach 135 and foil.

The last two I’ve done at 400 and internal temp of 138. The wife seems to like it better than the slow and low method. The end product is more like a tri tip on an open flame.

 

[ArizonaKevin]

you can try this method if you want

 

[TPC]

My reverse flow smoker has a water pan that steams while it cooks.

A tip I got from a Lawrys carver/cook was only use a pinch of Lawrys seasoning salt with your other seasonings. It enhances the other seasonings. Otherwise it over powers the meats flavor.

 

[TPC]

I was cooking them at 225-235 until the reach 135 and foil.

The last two I’ve done at 400 and internal temp of 138. The wife seems to like it better than the slow and low method. The end product is more like a tri tip on an open flame.

View attachment 980247

Excellent!!

 

[DLC]

Great advice from everyone!

Sometimes I’ll set it at 180 for 30-40 minutes to get some more smoke into it, then turn it up to 225 / 250.

Cardiff Crack - tri tip grill cooking instructions are 5-7 mins / ea side sear it then indirect cook until to 130, let rest

 

[TPC]

Great advice from everyone!

Sometimes I’ll set it at 180 for 30-40 minutes to get some more smoke into it, then turn it up to 225 / 250.

Cardiff Crack - tri tip grill cooking instructions are 5-7 mins / ea side sear it then indirect cook until to 130, let rest

Good idea.
I'll use pecan the first half of smoking and then add cherry the last.

 

[TPC]

We eat a lot of tri tip and I just don’t like it smoked. I think it’s way better grilled.

Grilled with red oak is amazing.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

season with your favorite
225 degrees until 130. remove and cover with foil
raise smoker to 500.
sear 4 minutes per side..

This is a good method. Don't forget to let it "rest"

 

[Babyback]

We eat a lot of tri tip and I just don’t like it smoked. I think it’s way better grilled.

That’s why I started cooking/smoking it a higher temps. The wife prefers it on the grill...cooking it at 375-400 has made us both happy

 

[jones performance]

im not a fan of all smoked tritip personally, meaning its all done at low temps to finish. i smoked one a while back at 230 till it got internal approx 110 then finished it on a hot as fuck fire to sear outside and render fat down. pull at 125 internal and rest for 15 min.

 

[TeamGreene]

I buy them when on sale or at Costco I'll splurge and get some primes, hit them with olive oil and desired seasoning, wrap and freeze. To cook I'll run the smoker at 250/275 with oak get internal temp of meat to 125/130 while that is going I start my kettle and heat up a piece of cast iron. When meat is to temp I move it to the kettle to sear it off probably 5/7 min per side pull it let it rest for 30min, slice it and enjoy.

 

[dave29]

Marinade overnight. Turn bbq up to 500, sear 3 minutes each side. Lower temp to 325, turnoff 2 burners and cook indirect with probe in meat. Pull at 125 degrees internal, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Perfect every time.

 

[ltbaney1]

Great advice from everyone!

Sometimes I’ll set it at 180 for 30-40 minutes to get some more smoke into it, then turn it up to 225 / 250.

Cardiff Crack - tri tip grill cooking instructions are 5-7 mins / ea side sear it then indirect cook until to 130, let rest

i roll the same way with tri tip on the traeger. 180 for about 45 minutes and then 250.

 

[HitIt]

No matter what method you use, you need to get some char on the outside (sear, reverse sear, Santa Maria style, etc.). If you dont, you made a nice roast but not a legit tri-tip. The thing is so thick that you need serious flavor on the outside to carry the inside.

 

[TPC]

No matter what method you use, you need to get some char on the outside (sear, reverse sear, Santa Maria style, etc.). If you dont, you made a nice roast but not a legit tri-tip. The thing is so thick that you need serious flavor on the outside to carry the inside.

Mustard then rolled coarse Kosher salt and Lawry's seasoning pepper is how I first achieved that. Worked excellent.

 

[DLC]

We don’t really care for the packaged marinated flavors from say Costco we would rather buy a raw / unflavored tri tip from the butcher.

Some of the packed ready to grill has to much flavor

 

[TeamGreene]

I also have a santa maria grill that I have been using to cook them over oak, which works well too. Internal temp is the key, invest in a good temp probe/thermometer. I use the thermapen which is real accurate.

 

[wallnutz]

it depends how rare you like it. I like it rare for sandwiches, little more done and nobody complains about it being to rare. I do two hours on150* to get some nice smoke to it. Turn up to 250* until internal temp gets to about 90 to 95 degrees, then I crank up the temp to 400* to get the temp rising fast. That does two things, one it starts rendering the fat, and two gets the temp going to pull it and wrap. For rare I will pull at 120• for more of a medium 130*. I will wrap and put into a cooler up to an hour. Pull and cut. Never had anybody complain about not having a crust.
I usually just do a salt and pepper rub. Maybe add a little Lawrey’s.

 

[Swain]

We eat a lot of tri tip and I just don’t like it smoked. I think it’s way better grilled.

Same it tastes better at high heat.

 

[Livewire Fabworks]

45/45/10 salt, black pepper, paprika. On the smoker at 225-250 until 130-135 depending on how you like it done. Pop the cast iron skillet on the gas grill with some of the fat trimmings reduced down and crank the heat all the way up. I then throw the tri tip straight from the smoker into the pan for about a minute per side to sear then wrap for 10-20 minutes. Nice juicy middle with a bit of a crust on the outside.

 

[Xring01]

Reverse sear is the best way in my opinion

Smoke it low temps for 30-45 minutes...

Then slap that bitch on some heat... 450 drgrrees ish until internal temp of 125-140 depending on what you prefer...

 

[boatnam2]

Best way i have found so far is pick up the blue package at Costco, make a rookie seem like a tri tip pro no matter how you cook it.

 

[petie6464]

Answer: Don't.

Tri- tip the absolute easiest and one of the tastiest pieces of shoe meat.

 

[Clank123]

These are from Sunday. Did 5 of them.
I cook over coals with Hickory.
225 is my number until they get to 125 in the thickest part of the cut.
Wrap in Foil and into the cooler with a towel stuffed on top for and hour and a half or so.
Never have tried the Sear after. Might have to next time.
We prefer it grilled Santa Maria style which we do about 80% of the time.

 

[Nuclear Shag]

225 until 130 degrees, probably 1 - 1.5 hours for a 3-4 lb Tri-tip. Reverse sear in a super hot cast iron pan. Add butter to the pan and spoon over the top. 2-3 minutes per side. Let it rest and then enjoy.

 

[rickym20]

We prefer the high heat on Treager as well to get the bark and let rest. My brother in law uses this marinade and coats it with the seasoning before throwing on grill. The one in the picture is low sodium cause that’s what we tried vs the regular flavor marinade he uses. Both are really good and suggest giving it a try.

 

[Javajoe]

I actually pull it a lot. I cook it just like a pork shoulder. Wrap it at 165, take it to 203, throw it in an ice chest for a couple hours then shred it and mix the juices in. Great on rolls w/ some bbq sauce

 

[530RL]

All of these posts are great suggestions.

Ive never thought of cooking it like a roast and pulling it apart. Great idea and something worth trying.

I like tri-tip because of its chewy texture like top sirloin.

I smoke it low and pull it rare. It is chewy but great flavor.

But some great suggestions in here to try something different.

 

[Desert Whaler]

A lot of great info here, thanks !
I've tried a bunch of different rubs, and my buddy who owns 'BBQ Land LB' in Long Beach recommended this one . . . I love it.

 

[jet496]

The first 2 replies are the answer.

Dickies BBQ (chain) somehow does a brisket style tri tip but Ive never seen it done like that elsewhere. I’m more a traditional Santa Maria tri tip kinda guy.

View attachment 980243

Damn! That looks freaking perfect.

 

[Chili Palmer]

These are all great suggestions, looks like we've got some pretty awsome backyard chefs here as inmates - I'm going to go out and get some meat syringes and injectables and hope tri-tip goes back on sale soon.
Thanks for all responses.

 

[TPC]

- I'm going to go out and get some meat syringes and injectable's and hope tri-tip goes back on sale soon.

Franklin never shows completely how he smokes his meats.
I'm pretty sure he leaves out telling he injects and even marinates beef and keeps those steps confidential.

A mix of Lawry's Au Jus packet dissolved in beef broth and seasoned with Spike is real close to what he uses I read in the food forums from Texas BBQ enthusiasts that agree.
It both enhances flavor and helps keep the meat juicy. Add the butcher paper wrap step and it all makes sense.

 

[jones performance]

All of these posts are great suggestions.

Ive never thought of cooking it like a roast and pulling it apart. Great idea and something worth trying.

I like tri-tip because of its chewy texture like top sirloin.

I smoke it low and pull it rare. It is chewy but great flavor.

But some great suggestions in here to try something different.

ive cooked the bill baileys santa maria tritips in the crockpot and used it for tacos before, was pretty dam good.

 

[TPC]

ive cooked the bill baileys santa maria tritips in the crockpot and used it for tacos before, was pretty dam good.

You bet it is. Crock Pots are ideal for this.

 

[Meaney77]

Costco Season Tri Tip with this stuff is pretty amazing..

 

[Javajoe]

A little tip to tenderize a shitty steak is cover it in Perrier for an hour in the fridge then bbq it. When ya just have to buy a steak but can’t find a good marbled one