Tri-Tip Blues


 
S

Sean Ruff

TVWBB Member
So I tried my first tri-tip last night. I cooked it on the WSM at 350 until internal temperature was 125 and then seared for five minutes turning frequently. Resulting temperature was a perfect 135 with a great exterior. However, it was TOUGH. I was really disapointed and am wondering if smoking the tri-tip low and slow would help. Any other suggestions for the other tri-tip sitting in my refrigerator? I paid an embarrassing amount of money for these two tri-tips and want to get the second one right.

Sean
 
Sean - How did you slice the tri-tip? As you found out, it's not a tender piece of meat, so you have to slice it thinly (about 1/4") across the grain like you would flank or skirt steak.

I hope this helps,
John
 
John,

I sliced against the grain and thin. The very, very thin pieces were okay, but still thought it should have been a little more tender. Oh well, I guess I have read so much about this cut of meat that I expected too much. I think I will try the second one low and slow just to experiment.

Sean
 
Sean - Here's an awesome marinade that will help the tenderness and tastes great.

1 can Cola (leaded -- no diet)
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup Soy sauce
1 pkg Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing mix
1 Tbs Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs Pickapeppa sauce (optional - in the hot sauce section)<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>Put the tri-tip in a gallon zip bag.
<LI>Dump all the marinade ingredients in the bag and let the foam from the cola disipate.
<LI>Seal the bag well and shake to mix the marinade.
<LI>Refrigerate in a baking pan (to catch drips) 3-4 hours.
<LI>Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve 1 cup.
<LI>Let the meat stand covered at room temperature for about an hour.
<LI>Sear well on all sides then grill indirectly until it reaches 135* internal.
<LI>While the meat is grilling, boil the reserved marinade gently for five minutes then set aside to cool.
<LI>Remove the meat from the grill and let rest tented with foil for 10 minutes.
<LI>Slice the tri-tip 1/4" thick across the grain.
<LI>Drizzle with the cooked marinade (warm) and serve.
[/list]Cheers,
John
 
Sean forget the marinade for tri-tip, the flavor is too good to miss. For your next one take the roast and cut it into steaks about 1-1/4" thick. Grill them direct at 375-400 degrees. Use a litte garlic powder and some celery salt. About 4-1/2 minutes per side is just about right. Slice thin across the grain. If tri-tip goes much beyond medium rare you lose flavor and it gets tougher.
Try it this way. It has never disappointed me. Just for grins, how embarassing was the embarassing amount of money?
 
Bob,

Thanks for the tri-tip tip. Okay, I was hesitant to say this but I paid $8.49 per pound. Something just came over me at the butcher's and I lost all connection to the reality of what I was really doing. I was only focused on walking out with a couple of tri-tips. I am still afraid my wife will find the receipt.
icon_rolleyes.gif
Could this be the first sign of addiction . . . hiding receipts from spouses???? Of course if it is an addiction, this board isn't much of a help, just drives me to buy more.
 
My experience with Tri Tip is to grill it on a HOT grill-cook it (sear it) fast to 125-127*. Let it rest. then slice accross the grain. Great beef flavor.

I am learning here that some of the less expensive or glamerous cuts of beef, while not as tender as some, they have great beef taste and if not over cooked good tenderness. Just this past weekend I cooked a Top sirloin-not strip-what wonderfull flavor.
 
Are you certain it was tri-tip Sean? I ask because the experience you describe doesn't sound like tri-tip. Further, many 'butchers' in the East do not know what tri-tip is even though many will say they do.

Tri-tip steaks are good but to me the thinly sliced roast is better. I've cooked them 30 years and have had variances in meat quality but not once one I'd call tough. It sounds like you cooked correctly and sliced thin so it seems like it could be the meat (quality--or it's the wrong cut you're getting).

A tri roast can go to almost med-well and not toughen. You could try a slightly higher finish internal and see how that goes. You can low/slow if you wish and then do a finishing sear but I've never seen an advantage in doing tris this way.

One more thing: Zip up to the Leesburg Pike near Idylwood and hit Trader Joe's. They have tri-tips individually cryo'd for, probably, $5.99/lb. Get the plain one rather than the marinated--you can do your own rub or marinade. If nothing else you can look to compare with what your butcher sold you just to be sure that what you got was tri-tip. TJ's are of very good quality. I get them in my travels and bring them home. They are hard to get here (again) and bringing them home beats buying a whole bottom sirloin and cutting them myself!
 
Hi
I smoke this and also cook over direct heat. I preferred the smoke way. I just take a chimney full of hot coals and dump it in the WSM along with 3 or 4 fist size red oak chunks. Water pan is empty also. From here, I cook it to about 140 and yank it out. Wrap it tightly in foil for about five minutes. Last, slice against the grain. Best piece of meat for sure. I've gotten so many co-workers to get into it and just love it.

If you're cooking over direct heat pretty much follow the steps from above. Only thing is, you sear this right before you cook it. After searing this, I cook with fat side down for maybe like 20 minute's and again fat side up for abour 20 minute's depending on how big the roast is. This is one thing I don't pay much attention to the temp on the grate.
 
I agree with Kevin K. I have bought both tri-tip steaks and roasts, cooked them various ways, and never had an issue with toughness.
 
Thanks, Kevin. I dropped by Trader Joe's tonight and picked up a cryo'd tri-tip. It looks great and the price was much better--$5.99 per pound. I plan on serving this weekend with a chimichurri sauce.

Bill, before I moved to NOVA I lived in Charleston and my wife taught school in Summerville.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve Petrone:
My experience with Tri Tip is to grill it on a HOT grill-cook it (sear it) fast to 125-127*. Let it rest. then slice accross the grain. Great beef flavor.

I am learning here that some of the less expensive or glamerous cuts of beef, while not as tender as some, they have great beef taste and if not over cooked good tenderness. Just this past weekend I cooked a Top sirloin-not strip-what wonderfull flavor. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree with everything Steve said. Carved Top Sirloin is often confused for Prime Rib when we serve it. Cook to the same temp.
 
Sean, sounds like you have a good tri-tip now. Sure it will be tender and tasty.
Summerville is a great place to live. Unfortunately the word is out and people are moving here by the thousands
 
We get the top Sirloin at costcos and run the Jarccard (sp?) through it, smack it on a really hot grill. Love it!
I saw Tri tip at Costcos last night. Never saw one before. It was sliced up into steaks. There was a lot of marbled fat throughout. Is this the right cut? I thought they were a lean cut of meat. It was around 5.99/lb. I'll grab a pack the next time and give it a try.


<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Konrad Haskins:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve Petrone:
My experience with Tri Tip is to grill it on a HOT grill-cook it (sear it) fast to 125-127*. Let it rest. then slice accross the grain. Great beef flavor.

I am learning here that some of the less expensive or glamerous cuts of beef, while not as tender as some, they have great beef taste and if not over cooked good tenderness. Just this past weekend I cooked a Top sirloin-not strip-what wonderfull flavor. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree with everything Steve said. Carved Top Sirloin is often confused for Prime Rib when we serve it. Cook to the same temp. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob T.:
We get the top Sirloin at costcos and run the Jarccard (sp?) through it, smack it on a really hot grill. Love it!
I saw Tri tip at Costcos last night. Never saw one before. It was sliced up into steaks. There was a lot of marbled fat throughout. Is this the right cut? I thought they were a lean cut of meat. It was around 5.99/lb. I'll grab a pack the next time and give it a try.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When you see tri tip at costco they usually come in 2-packs and are shaped like triangles with lots of marbled fat in there. I never tried these ones though cause that's a bit too much for me. I don't buy this unless it's around $1.79-2.99 per lb. My buddy though swears by the costco ones. I like the ones at the grocery stores with the nice layer of fat on the bottom of the roast. One day when I feel like "splurging", I'll buy them at costco.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ariel b:
When you see tri tip at costco they usually come in 2-packs and are shaped like triangles with lots of marbled fat in there. I never tried these ones though cause that's a bit too much for me. I don't buy this unless it's around $1.79-2.99 per lb. My buddy though swears by the costco ones. I like the ones at the grocery stores with the nice layer of fat on the bottom of the roast. One day when I feel like "splurging", I'll buy them at costco. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

In that price range you gotta try whole top sirloin. The local Smart and Final sub Cash & Carry up here in WA sells them and they are dead easy to cook.
 
Konrad,
They sell these things that say tri tip at my local smart and final and they cost only $1.99 per lb or so. The only thing is though, you gotta cut it yourself. Anyone have any experience with that? They say you can get a few tri tip's out of there but I'm not too sure on that.

Thanks
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ariel b:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob T.:
We get the top Sirloin at costcos and run the Jarccard (sp?) through it, smack it on a really hot grill. Love it!
I saw Tri tip at Costcos last night. Never saw one before. It was sliced up into steaks. There was a lot of marbled fat throughout. Is this the right cut? I thought they were a lean cut of meat. It was around 5.99/lb. I'll grab a pack the next time and give it a try.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When you see tri tip at costco they usually come in 2-packs and are shaped like triangles with lots of marbled fat in there. I never tried these ones though cause that's a bit too much for me. I don't buy this unless it's around $1.79-2.99 per lb. My buddy though swears by the costco ones. I like the ones at the grocery stores with the nice layer of fat on the bottom of the roast. One day when I feel like "splurging", I'll buy them at costco. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

These tri tips were sliced already. I am going to try some next time I go.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ariel b:
Konrad,
They sell these things that say tri tip at my local smart and final and they cost only $1.99 per lb or so. The only thing is though, you gotta cut it yourself. Anyone have any experience with that? They say you can get a few tri tip's out of there but I'm not too sure on that.

Thanks </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Tri-Tip for $1.99 everyday price is too good to believe. I don't think you are doing anything wrong that is probably a tough Tri-Tip, if that is what it is. I buy whole top sirloin often for less than what they sell hamburger. It's a treat whole or makes great fresh cut steaks.

Costco has good tri-tip but it's three times that price. What's weird is the first and last ribeyes I got at Sam's were tough, but I've always had great luck with the Tr-Tip and Chuck Rolls. Tri-Tip at Sam's is around $5+ for a big cryovac.
 
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