need tips for cooking tri tip low and slow for newbie

[Sophia H]

I am going to cook a tri tip tomorrow which will be my 3rd cook on my WSM (I've already done two successful smoked chicken cooks) and would really appreciate any tips you can all give. I'm thinking rather than doing it high heat I want to do it in low and slow.

I already read the cooking section here on tri tip so I got that to refer too but I'd also like any tips from everyone's personal experience cooking tri tip.

Questions I have are these:

1)What wood to use if I don't have oak for authentic flavor.

2)ET 732 is still brand new in box so how would I set it up for cooking the tri tip?

3) Minion method or standard method for lighting coals?

4) Water in pan or not? In both my previous chicken smokes I used water in the pan to get used to using the smoker.

I do have the clay saucer so would that be good to use?

Thanks in advance everyone for any help you can give me!

 

[Russ Harris]

Sophia - Hope this helps

1. I've never used oak, but I have used apple and cherry for tri-tip. I think any good wood will be fine. No one will complain about the taste just because you didn't use oak. I would like to get my hands on some oak to try it out, but if you have good fruit wood, maybe mix it with some hickory, I think you'll be ok.

2. ET-732 doesn't need to be "set up". Unless you consider putting the batteries in as "setting up"

Just power it up and go. I use mine with tri-tip all the time. Put the meat probe in the thickest part of the meat pull it off at 125 for a nice medium rare. What I usually do is take the entire grate and remove the middle section placing the grate with the meat on it directly over the hot coals. Put the lid on and sear each side about 2 minutes for a nice reverse sear. Take it in the house, foil tent for 10 to 15 minutes to let it rest, slice and eat.

3. For low and slow...Minion - definitely.

4. water pan?? - I use it when I'm going low and slow just as a heat sink to keep the temp low. Some guys don't but I do - simply cuz it works for me. I'm sure as you use the WSM more you'll find what works for Sophia.

5. I have no experience with the clay saucer so I can't give you any advice on that one. But like I said - you keep smoking and you'll figure what works best for you. In most cases there is no right or wrong way to do things with the WSM. Its all about personal preference.

 

[K Kruger]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I want to do it in low and slow. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Tough cuts that you are only cooking to med-rare or so can do better low/slow. Enzymes in the meat become more active as temps rise. This activity is responsible for increased tenderness (it's what makes aged beef more tender than beef that is not aged). For one enzyme, the activity stops at 105?; the other, ~120?. The trick, therefore, is milking the time the meat stays below these temps.

You can leave the meat out on the counter for a couple hours first, if you wish, then Minion the start loading the meat in when you add the lit and assemble the cooker, looking at doing a slow come-up in cooktemp. Or you can do the same, but put the meat in cold. (I prefer the former, usually, but sometimes I cook tri as a last minute thing and don't have the time to let the meat warm first.

I like oak with tri but it is not the be-all end-all by any means.

I'm with Russ. I also use the waterpan - with water - for this type of low/slow cook. I'm looking for a good heat sink and a slow rise to low cooktemps and water in the waterpan does it for me. Clay saucers are fine - but I much prefer water when I need a heat sink. You can use it if you prefer.

I also agree on searing at the finish, not first.

I start with ~12 lit coals, that's it.