Tri-Tip - Smoked and Reverse Seared

[Wilmer Cogburn]

Tried something new yesterday.

The tri-tips I have cooked to date, have all been smoked low and slow like a brisket. They have been excellent. So, this cook was different for me as it would be "steak like".

I dry brined the tri-tip in the fridge on a rack for 23 hours. Seasoned fat side with Montreal Steak, other side with Naturiffic Q-salt (ran out of Montreal), and added some onion powder to the fat side.

Smoked it at 180F in my Rectec RT1250 pellet smoker for 4.25 hours till it hit 125F internal - target was medium. Meanwhile Weber Performer Vortex was cranking.

Placed large cast iron pan directly on top of the Vortex with a small amount of vegetable oil in the pan. Pan was screaming at 600F. Seared off the tri-tip on all sides and edges about 90 seconds per side/edge. Foil covered and rested for 10 minutes before carving.

Earlier I had made a garlic cilantro lime compound butter.

Awesome!

I don't think I will be cooking these brisket like anymore.....

 

[Mike Freel]

I have to say that it looks like a success, now if I could just get a taste I could make a truly accurate evaluation

 

[Brenda T]

That looks great and the compound butter sounds wonderful.

 

[Wilmer Cogburn]

That looks great and the compound butter sounds wonderful.

Thank you Brenda! It was amazing even without the compound butter.

The compound butter recipe was kind of made up after reading several web posts.

3 sticks unsalted butter
2/3 bunch chopped cilantro
Zest of 2 limes
Juice of 2 limes
6 peeled and pressed garlic cloves
1 tbs dried spring onions
Pinch of pink salt
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Garlic powder

Place all in a mixing bowl and blend with a spatula by hand. Place on cling wrap, form into a loaf, and twist to turn into a log shape. I put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up and then into the fridge. It rested in fridge probably 7-8 hours before use.

 

[Bob Bailey]

Tried something new yesterday.

The tri-tips I have cooked to date, have all been smoked low and slow like a brisket. They have been excellent. So, this cook was different for me as it would be "steak like".

I dry brined the tri-tip in the fridge on a rack for 23 hours. Seasoned fat side with Montreal Steak, other side with Naturiffic Q-salt (ran out of Montreal), and added some onion powder to the fat side.

Smoked it at 180F in my Rectec RT1250 pellet smoker for 4.25 hours till it hit 125F internal - target was medium. Meanwhile Weber Performer Vortex was cranking.

Placed large cast iron pan directly on top of the Vortex with a small amount of vegetable oil in the pan. Pan was screaming at 600F. Seared off the tri-tip on all sides and edges about 90 seconds per side/edge. Foil covered and rested for 10 minutes before carving.

Earlier I had made a garlic cilantro lime compound butter.

Awesome!

I don't think I will be cooking these brisket like anymore.....

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Looks great Wilmer!

 

[LMichaels]

Yes reverse sear is my typical "go to" for cooking a tri tip. Though it loses me on the brining bit. While open minded and actually have tried multiple times to do it. Have never been successful in making it a method that is liked. It seems to give meat a negative vibe. Not just me saying this. My wife dislikes it, my family as a whole as well. I get it on inherently dry tasteless things like turkey and chicken breast but on good beef, have not ever liked it. That aside looks like a wonderful cook. I've not used compound butter for quite a long time. (I tend to forget about it LOL). Another method I like is similar but the fat is really good olive oil. A technique I learned from a chef in Italy

 

[Wilmer Cogburn]

Yes reverse sear is my typical "go to" for cooking a tri tip. Though it loses me on the brining bit. While open minded and actually have tried multiple times to do it. Have never been successful in making it a method that is liked. It seems to give meat a negative vibe. Not just me saying this. My wife dislikes it, my family as a whole as well. I get it on inherently dry tasteless things like turkey and chicken breast but on good beef, have not ever liked it. That aside looks like a wonderful cook. I've not used compound butter for quite a long time. (I tend to forget about it LOL). Another method I like is similar but the fat is really good olive oil. A technique I learned from a chef in Italy

Thanks Larry.

I’m a newbie hack at grilling / BBQ. Started in real earnest with zeal and enthusiasm at start of Covid although I’ve been grilling since the late 70’s.

Not sure the merits +/- of dry brining. I see folks do/post about it so I adopted it.

My wife’s stash of olive oil was near depleted so I dared not use it for searing.

 

[LMichaels]

No right or wrong only what you like. On next one try doing simple S&P just before the cook. See how you like it compared to the dry brine method. What you like best is what is the correct way.

 

[Wilmer Cogburn]

No right or wrong only what you like. On next one try doing simple S&P just before the cook. See how you like it compared to the dry brine method. What you like best is what is the correct way.

Will do!

I also think that “normal steaks” will also be grilled indirect on the Weber Performer then seared off on the Vortex cast iron grate or possibly using the cast iron pan going forward.

Flavor so vastly improved with tenderness and juices locked in.

 

[Jonas-Switzerland]

Smoked it at 180F in my Rectec RT1250 pellet smoker for 4.25 hours till it hit 125F internal - target was medium. Meanwhile Weber Performer Vortex was cranking.

Placed large cast iron pan directly on top of the Vortex with a small amount of vegetable oil in the pan. Pan was screaming at 600F. Seared off the tri-tip on all sides and edges about 90 seconds per side/edge. Foil covered and rested for 10 minutes before carving.

Its "interesting" you seared in the pan and not on the vortex directly. Interesting, because its what in my experience works better in this case. On these 1h plus reverse sears, I end up with a half-bark on the meat, and I struggle to form a crust over coals. Was this your reasoning, or is it your preferred method of searing?

 

[Wilmer Cogburn]

Its "interesting" you seared in the pan and not on the vortex directly. Interesting, because its what in my experience works better in this case. On these 1h plus reverse sears, I end up with a half-bark on the meat, and I struggle to form a crust over coals. Was this your reasoning, or is it your preferred method of searing?

Honestly, I debated searing direct on my cast iron grate insert to get nice marks vs the cast iron pan.

Is your preferred direct on the Vortex grate?

The tri-tip was 3.15 lbs which seamed “large” to me. It was also quite thick at the middle. Ultimately, I decided to use the pan as I felt it would give more uniform coverage over the entire surface area.

Honestly, I‘ve no clue which is better but it sure tasted good!

Thinner steaks I will likely just cook indirect on the side and sear off on the vortex grate and forego the 4.25 hours of smoking only pellet smoker.

Prior to searing the Tri-tip, the Weber cooked the foil wrapped spuds.

 

[Brett-EDH]

if you're down for the OG recipe and method, you might like this:

Santa Maria Grilled Tri-Tip Beef

A Santa Maria tri-tip seasoned with Chef John's spectacular spice rub is grilled until the steak is black outside, deliciously juicy, and pink inside.

www.allrecipes.com

the flippy flip method builds a nice crust while keeping the inside pink. just don't go too rare as a TT will be leathery if undercooked. it needs to be close to medium for the full flavor to come out and the connective tissue to render.

 

[Jonas-Switzerland]

@Wilmer Cogburn I like the taste the charcoal gives the meat. When I sear steaks on the kettle I never thought about using a pan. It never occurred to me I have a decision there.

I get a good sear over coals on high quality steaks. No brining, a bit of a reverse sear and good ol' charcoal. That's also when I take time to prepare the cooks. Its on the bigger, cheaper pieces of beef, which have a longer indirect cooking time, that I sometimes struggle for a good sear and a thing grey band. I have yet to figure out all the variables. Maybe its partially me who doesn't take as much care lighting the charcoal.

Maybe I try to smoke the beef until my desired internal temperature, and give it a sear on the plancha of my spirit grill, and see if I like the results.

 

[DanHoo]

Tri-Tip is my go-to for beef. My cooks are the most consistent with a slow, low-temp smoke getting the TT internal temp around 120 followed by a very high temp reverse sear. For the final sear, I'm not sure I can tell the difference based on the heat source. I've done it over coal and on a Genesis E330 over the two mains + Sear on full high and also on cast iron.

I can get flames licking at the tri-tip using coal and sometimes using the gas grill. I don't do cast iron at home but I have taken smoked trip tip to friends and seared it at their house indoors on cast iron and it has also been tasty.

Given a choice I'll sear it over coal as I think I can get it hotter with more direct heat than the other choices.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Tri-Tip is my go-to for beef. My cooks are the most consistent with a slow, low-temp smoke getting the TT internal temp around 120 followed by a very high temp reverse sear. For the final sear, I'm not sure I can tell the difference based on the heat source. I've done it over coal and on a Genesis E330 over the two mains + Sear on full high and also on cast iron.

I can get flames licking at the tri-tip using coal and sometimes using the gas grill. I don't do cast iron at home but I have taken smoked trip tip to friends and seared it at their house indoors on cast iron and it has also been tasty.

Given a choice I'll sear it over coal as I think I can get it hotter with more direct heat than the other choices.

a very small amount of neutral oil rub before a gasser sear will get those flame licks and charred bits. very little oil though. too much lube and the oil will burn and impart a rancid flavor. coal, of course, is best for this case (jmho).