Smoked Tri-tip

Yum

Tri-tip is a tender, lean beef cut that gets its name from its triangular shape. It is sold as a small roast from the bottom sirloin or cut into tri-tip steaks. What makes it special is the full flavor it promises for an affordable price. If you haven't heard of tri-tip, that's because for a long time, it was primarily a cut marketed in California and is still sometimes called a Santa Maria steak. Other names for the tri-tip are bottom sirloin roast and triangle roast. A boneless tri-tip roast weighs around 1-1/2 to 2 pounds and is around 2 inches thick. My favorite way to cook the tri-tip is a quick smoke with apple and finished off with a reverse sear. Let me guide you through the process.

The first step is to trim to tri-tip. Remove excess fat and if possible some of the silver skin. Shape it so you have nice slices when it is time to cut the tri-tip. The next step is optional.

You can inject the cut if you want to, but it is not necessary. It does give the tri-tip a nice beefy flavor boost. I inject the tri-tip with a mix of beef broth, Butcher BBQ Prime Brisket Injection and regular Soy Sauce. Inject the tri-tip throughout. I vacuum seal the tri-tip for a couple of hours but you could also just let it sit in the fridge overnight.

The next step is not optional though. Sprinkle the tri-tip with Big Swede BBQ Badass Beef Boost. The more rub you use, the more of a kick the tri-tip will have. It is all about personal preference. Let the tri-tips sweat for 30 minutes before you put them into the smoker at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. I use apple chunks for tri-tip.

Smoke the tri-tip until the internal thermometer reaches about 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap the cut in some aluminum foil and let it rest for 45 minutes. While you are waiting, light your grill to about 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill the tri-tip quickly on both sides to get nice a sear.

Let the tri-tip rest for at least 10 minutes before you slice it. As the meat fibers begin to relax, moisture that is driven out during the grilling is redistributed and reabsorbed by some of the dissolved proteins. 
By resting the meat, it holds on to more of its natural juices—the tri-tip won't flood the cutting board when you slice into the meat. Slice and serve with some over-roasted potatoes, roasted in olive oil, thyme, rosemary and garlic.