Tri-tip question


 
Larry,

I forgot that you were in Fresno, and I immediately thought of Harris Ranch. Was busy with some other stuff today but was just doing some googlin' on Japanese Beef and came across this article. They mention Harris Ranch as being the breeder in Cali, and it makes sense you can get it in your area.
 
Dont forget to let the meat rest after it comes off the grill. I find this is mandatory when cooking tri-tip.

There was a poster who mentioned 130 degrees for med rare. Thats what I go by.. I take it off at about 125, then let it rest up to near 130. (about 10-15 mins in foil off the grill)

I also sear at the end, not before. (I hate my tri-tip trimmed)

Im going to the A's game tomorrow and we are cooking tri's for the tailgate.
 
Alan, thank you for the article. Very interesting. So it sounds like what I'm getting here could be what is being sold in Japan as Kobe Beef without the final feeding. I'll tell you what, at $5.99 a lb it's a hell of a deal. I honestly prefer this beef to a prime rib, it's that good. Thanks again.

Tim, excellent catch on the foiling/resting. I like you rest 10 - 15 min.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LarryR:
Alan, thank you for the article. Very interesting. So it sounds like what I'm getting here could be what is being sold in Japan as Kobe Beef without the final feeding. I'll tell you what, at $5.99 a lb it's a hell of a deal. I honestly prefer this beef to a prime rib, it's that good. Thanks again. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I think we shouldn't let the name confuse us all, because what made the name "Kobe Beef" stand out in Japan is the marbled with fat meat that is cooked in the teppanyaki style, note they talk of Kobe beef being featured in these restaurants. Also to note that Benihana being noted as a famous chain in America, most of us know that. However this is an Americanism, and in Japan they don't toss food around the table and do juggling acts with knives and put on shows like that. At least not traditionally. That could be an artifact of the flaming onion volcano, trying to take it to the next level. But a friend took me and my wife to Benihana once after we moved back to the states, and my wife thought it was like the circus.

There's an excellent picture pn this page, showing the marbling. This is the key to Kobe beef, but this is not something that Americans think of as being a quality piece of meat, this is excellent for the intended purpose. Also, the entire cow is not like that. I have always heard it's due to the cows laying in hammocks, being massaged, but that article discloses the beer/sake myth...I have always heard that myself.

I let it rest more like 45 minutes to 1 hour. I think it slices better.
 
Alan, that's pretty much what tonights tri looks like. I'll be sure to take some pictures. It's so rich that you really need a nice glass of red to go with it. Not sure what I'll be serving tonight probably a very bold (chewy) cab. Tonights cook should be interesting and I hope I don't screw it up, I'm cooking on a new unit I've never cooked on before so it could be interesting. You rest 45 huh? Interesting, I've never had any issues slicing, slices like butter for me. I'm curious, what temp to you pull yours at and what does she look like after resting that long?
 
Hey Larry, just adding my .02 worth, but if you are planning on letting her rest for 45 minutes, I might want to pull her at 120-125. I think you'll be golden at that temp, but hell you know all this, your last one was a thing of beauty.
 
Too bad I found this thread after shopping. I just stocked up on tri-tip at $3.99 per pound...
BTW, there is a mustard/rosemary recipe in the Weber cook book that is great with tri-tip.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LarryR:
You rest 45 huh? Interesting, I've never had any issues slicing, slices like butter for me. I'm curious, what temp to you pull yours at and what does she look like after resting that long? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Larry,

This is a case where I don't even know what temp I pull it at. I don't use a thermometer to cook tri-tip, I test it when it's ready by poking with a fork, you just get a feel for it after a while and know when it "feels right".

I shoot for having it all pink inside, but not darker red, which is leaning towards the raw side.

Your pic before, as I pointed out, looks to be a good target to get to. I do that without a thermometer and just kinda poke/push it with the BBQ fork I cook it with. When it's not done you can feel it kinda jiggly inside, as my daughter would say...it needs to be soft to the touch, but feel as if it's starting to get firm...once it is completely firm, it's overcooked.

My wife doesn't care for this cut when it's all 'qued up with sauce on it, it's the char'd meat aspect she likes without all the smokey flavor. This style doesn't have a bunch of BBQ sauce on it, although folks serve it like that, the ranchers originally did it on a long poker I've heard. I insist on the fat when I buy them, but some butchers insist on trimming it off. They obviously cook theirs differently than I do. When I sear the meat in the beginning, if you would see a video of it, you would think I'm burning the meat, because the flames will flare up 3 feet when flipping/bouncing on the grill.

In this sense, I have never had a smoked tri-tip, with any type of smoke ring to it, when cooked in this style. This is not to say it can't be done, there's pics in this thread of the meat like that, just that you won't find that at my house, nor would you from the ranchers that this style came from. All of our mileage varies, and I'm sure that smoking a tri-tip can be an enjoyable, yet different experience, if that makes sense.

A.Vale, I marinade and baste with Bernstein's Original Italian, stab with a fork on both side, especially on fat side so the marinade penetrates inside. I do that in a 1-gallon zip-lock, overnight preferably. I continually baste it with the same marinade while I sear it in the beginning, leveraging the fat side to control the fire, when it flares up on the fat side, flip it and sear in the other non-fat side. Do that until you get a nice char, then cook it indirectly until done. If you sear too long it will create a thicker, tougher bark/char on the outside which is less desirable. You want to get it char'd but not burnt. That's how I do it, it's not the only way, nor is it necessarily the best. It is what works for me after many years of doing tri-tip.
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Alan, I like you don't use a therm. either, it's all touch and I'm usually dead on, same thing with steaks etc. However, since I'm using a new cooker tonight I think I'm going to use a therm. just in case.

I tried doing a tri-in my WSM and it wasn't to my liking, I stick with plain old high heat in-direct then reverse sear. No sauces either, just Pappy's or SusieQ's and that's it. Tonight I'll be using some oak wine pieces. Not too much, maybe two small pieces that's all. I'll be sure to post some pics.
 
Larry,

That marbling looks AWESOME!

Great pics! Gosh that looks good. I need to find one of those Wagyus, that has to be worth trying.

Thanks for sharing!
 

 

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