Tri-tip: This had better be good


 
Mike Shook

Mike Shook

TVWBB Fan
I have friends coming in later in the summer and they have requested tri-tip. Here in Virginia, it is not a common cut to get your hands on. But I told them I would see what I could do. They love my pork and my brisket, and I love a challenge. So I set about trying to find a tri-tip to practice on prior to serving it to company.

Costco doesn't carry it here, of course, and I couldn't find it in meat cases. I asked a well-traveled friend when we were judging a BBQ competition last week if he had any suggestions. He said that he always ordered them from Publix (a southeast US grocery store chain.) So I jumped on it. They got it in for me with three days' advance notice.

When I saw the price, I about split my drawers. I thought tri-tip was an inexpensive cut. This stuff is $11.99 a pound! Now the cost of failure is huge. Unless anyone has a better suggestion my first effort on this is going to follow Chris Allingham's recipe. If it doesn't turn out well or isn't worth the effort I may end up reverting to simply "sous vide and pan searing" one for company.
 

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I pretty much use Chris' recipe and approach and the results are vg!

Variations will depend on preference of doneness and smoke level.

I typically smoke without wood and just go with straight KBB for a kiss of smoke, and move to phase 2 (break down WSM with grate over coals) at an internal temp of 120F. Searing and resting will still get the meat up to about 130-135 for a darn near perfect medium rare in the middle, but still have medium to medium done bits at the thinner end pieces.

As for prices. Local markets in the San Diego area will sometimes have sale prices at around 4.99-5.99/lb untrimmed.

I have a 1.93lb tri-tip from Whole Foods that went at 12.99/lb, and my specialty butcher, Siesels, typically goes about 10.99/lb
 
I didn't even know what I paid for my last tri-tip so I had to go look. They are only available here during grilling season and I only buy them when the local GIANT store has them on special. Which is often, as I think most people have no idea what it is. Regular price $7.99 a pound, sale price $3.99 a pound.

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The Boss does not post failure recipes!
Full faith in you Mike, you will be fine.
They seem to be “hit and miss” around here, sometimes you can find them by the dozen other times empty as my head!
 
Mike Shook said:
I have friends coming in later in the summer and they have requested tri-tip. Here in Virginia, it is not a common cut to get your hands on. But I told them I would see what I could do. They love my pork and my brisket, and I love a challenge. So I set about trying to find a tri-tip to practice on prior to serving it to company.

Costco doesn't carry it here, of course, and I couldn't find it in meat cases. I asked a well-traveled friend when we were judging a BBQ competition last week if he had any suggestions. He said that he always ordered them from Publix (a southeast US grocery store chain.) So I jumped on it. They got it in for me with three days' advance notice.

When I saw the price, I about split my drawers. I thought tri-tip was an inexpensive cut. This stuff is $11.99 a pound! Now the cost of failure is huge. Unless anyone has a better suggestion my first effort on this is going to follow Chris Allingham's recipe. If it doesn't turn out well or isn't worth the effort I may end up reverting to simply "sous vide and pan searing" one for company.
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MIke,

I'm right up the road in Maryland, and I find them at Wegmans and the larger Walmarts. Hope this helps.

Charlie
 
These prices are nuts right now.
I saw a 2 pack at Safeway the other day they were asking $86 for the non member price and 40% off with a membership.
They were nice sized but came with a big ole fat cap that needed some serious trimming.

I stock up when meat is on sale and load the garage freezer when the stores have holiday sales.

For me cooking tri tips are almost as easy as hamburgers.
I just soak them in some yoshida marinade for several hours, sear them for a bit then put them on the indirect side until they pass my squish test.
I don’t even use a thermometer.

I might if I go reverse sear style but I haven’t done that yet.
 
You simply can’t go wrong with Chris’ instructions. For Tri-Tip, I usually use my kettle. Set it up for 2 zone. Add a couple oak hunks before I put the meat on. Salt, pepper and garlic paste. Make sure you cut it right.
I was lucky, my old Publix carried it regularly. Just had to ask the butcher because he wasn’t putting it out. Last time I got one from a local rancher. Stupid good. Oh, and I love leaving 1/4-1/2” of fat cap on. Sear that side first, flip, and then let the fat render. Yum!!!
 
In nc we have a cut called tritip by the label but it is not a tri tip. It is picanha / sirloin cap which I think is just as good if not better than tri tip. most grocery stores butchers don’t know what it really is around here as the actual tri tip doesn’t get sent to ingles or food lions in my area. If you run across it you will not be disappointed. Oh and it’s a good bit cheaper too
 
Dan C. FL said:
Make sure you cut it right.
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I think this is very important. To me, tri-tip is a cut that should be sliced thin and, of course, against the grain. It’s not really a bbq meat where you low and slow cook it until it is very tender. My father in law (rip) used to make this jalapeño mustard. That was my go to sauce for tri-tip. Slice it thin, put it on a great bun and slather on the special sauce (jalapeño mustard). Good eatin’ for sure.
 
Due to earlier circumstances, this tri-tip went into the freezer. I paroled it on Saturday and cooked it last night using Bone Suckin rub and Chris Allingham's slow method. Turned out moist, medium rare, and tender! Only issue is I think there was a tad too much smoke on it, I'll cut that back next time. And there was a miscommunication with She Who Must Be Obeyed and she did not cut it as thin as I wanted.

Otherwise, delish. Adding this one to my rotation for sure!
 

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Mike Shook said:
Due to earlier circumstances, this tri-tip went into the freezer. I paroled it on Saturday and cooked it last night using Bone Suckin rub and Chris Allingham's slow method. Turned out moist, medium rare, and tender! Only issue is I think there was a tad too much smoke on it, I'll cut that back next time. And there was a miscommunication with She Who Must Be Obeyed and she did not cut it as thin as I wanted.

Otherwise, delish. Adding this one to my rotation for sure!
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If you have Aldi stores near you, they have Tritip advertized in todays ad for $4.99 lb.
 
Jerry N. said:
I think this is very important. To me, tri-tip is a cut that should be sliced thin and, of course, against the grain. It’s not really a bbq meat where you low and slow cook it until it is very tender. My father in law (rip) used to make this jalapeño mustard. That was my go to sauce for tri-tip. Slice it thin, put it on a great bun and slather on the special sauce (jalapeño mustard). Good eatin’ for sure.
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Recipe for jalapeño mustard?
 
Bruno said:
Recipe for jalapeño mustard?
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Sorry. He never wrote it down. Thankfully, my younger daughter spent some time canning with him and his wife (my in laws, daughter‘s grandparents) and she learned some of the old ways and some recipes. Unfortunately, we lost a lot of their knowledge.
 
As Burno said hard to beat plain S&P. Sometimes I add a rub mix of my own that is left over from another cook , and sometimes just Montreal seasoning. It is all good just do not over cook it I pull abit early so reheats20210819_150944.jpg are juicy.20210627_140226.jpg
 
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