Tri-tip help please.

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haroldaugustine

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Hi, I'm new to kamado style grillin' (Char-Griller Akorn). I've cooked a 4.5lb pork butt with success (250 indirect for about 8hrs I think it was). I've cooked a 4lb pork tenderloin and had success starting at 250 (indirect) then ramping to 325 staying indirect (can't remember my internal temps-rats).

I'm now looking to cook a 2.6lb tri-tip. I have my rub picked out (John Henry's Summer Peach Rub) but I'm not sure whether to go indirect low and slow or direct at around 350. Also I'm not sure on what kind of an internal temp I should be looking for.

Any help given would be greatly appreciated.
 
I like indirect... at 275 to 300 get the color you like.. and then foil.. But the majority here will say Grill like a steak.. problem with me is i don't eat Rare/med rare meat.. i do mine like an overdone steak.. smoke for an hour or so.. then wrap.. with a little liquid.. until it falls apart.. lol thats me though ..
 
I'm no expert chef but this is what I do...indirect to an internal temp of 105 then direct for a reverse sear to internal temp of 125.

I use an Akorn with a diffuser (a cast iron griddle covered in foil) which I remove and crank up the grill temp for the reverse sear.
 
Reverse sear is my choice for tri's.

I cook to 130 then do a fire sear...usually with the Big Poppa at sear level.

Some cook to lower temps because they can't sear fast.
 
It really depends on how you like your steaks/Roast beef cooked. I like to slow cook it to within 5/10 degrees of my target temp, then give a quick sear.
 
That's both ends right there.....well done & rare / med. rare......

Take your pick..........

I do Inject, quick sear, roast @ 250~275 'till 150 or so (1-1/2 hr.?).....but most folks will screech no, med. rare!!!, if that's the suggestion.....done it for decades.....

MothersDayTriTip071.jpg
 
The "reverse sear" is something I have not heard of before. Actually I have not knowingly had tri-tip before...but I was told it's good. I have the Akorn diffuser.

I guess the trick is to bring the internal up on indirect then remove the diffuser and ramp up the grill temp. To what heat should I ramp it up to, or just go wide open on both dampers?
 
I always do a normal sear. I marinate them in soy sauce, chopped garlic and crushed black pepper for a few hours. I then sear them off on both sides to get the crust I'm looking for (careful not to let the fire get out of control when the fat side is down), then move them off to indirect heat anywhere from 250-350 until my probe reads 130. I pull them off and let them sit for 10 minutes or so.

Make sure you slice them correctly against the grain. There's a good youtube tutorial out there.

I serve mine with a horseradish cream sauce. Sour cream, horseradish (or beaver horseradish cream), dijon mustard, worcechester sauce and black pepper.

One of our favorite meals.

I've never messed with reverse sear only because I think it's easier to get the proper amount of sear at the beginning of the cook. If I want to pull them at 130 I wouldn't know when to start searing them. 120? 125?

Do you reverse sear guys get a better sear at the end than at the beginning of a cook? What's the benefit?
 
yes, get close to the finish temp for how you'd like it done, get the cooker up high 450~500 & just pretty quick put a crust on it....won't hurt it to rest a minute while you re-arrange the cooker......

There's different grains in one piece......

Cut Map:

7313tritip2.jpg
 
Wow, I really appreciate the info. The cut map is very helpful. Thanks to everyone who has replied as of now or will reply. I'll be doing this over the coming weekend. Can't wait. Makin me hungry now.
 
Just a clarification...that's not the cut map. That's a map of the grains.

You cut vertically along that black line in the center to separate the tri-tip. Then you cut the opposite directions of those white lines, that way you're cutting against the grains.
 
The reverse sear is spot on. Tri-Tip is an awesome cut and deserves perfection.
Pick your doneness, say 130-135 for med rare. Cook it low (250-275) to about 10 degrees below, 120 in this case.
Then take it off and very loosely wrap.
Now get your cooker cranking as hot as you can. 600 if you can. You really need to do this as fast as you can as the meat temp will rise a bit. I have the luxury of 2 grills on my deck. (3 if you count the empty tank gasser) So I do the low part indirect on a kettle. Then immediately move it to a 600+ Bubba Keg.
If you only have one cooker, I would have a full chimney fully lit just waiting to go on when you pull the meat.
Then 2 mins per side.

Someone else posted a slicing chart. (Great job) It is so important to slice it against the grain.

The reverse sear is an awesome method for cooking any thick cut of meat.

If you really want to research it, it is really a relative of a cooking method called Sous Vide. I'll let you look into that.

Have fun with it and enjoy! You will do great.
 
haroldaugustine said:
I guess the trick is to bring the internal up on indirect then remove the diffuser and ramp up the grill temp.
Click to expand...

Yup. Just remember to stop when the IT is still below your target temp, because the IT will still rise while you're searing it (and of course will still rise further while it rests after you pull it off). If you cook it until you're exactly where you want it to end up and THEN ramp up the heat for a sear, you're obviously going to overshoot your desired IT.
 
Cut where the blue lines are...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmxHmuV4vTU&vm=r"]How To Carve A Tri-Tip Roast - TVWB - virtualweberbullet.com - YouTube[/ame]
 

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voidecho said:
Just a clarification...that's not the cut map. That's a map of the grains.

You cut vertically along that black line in the center to separate the tri-tip. Then you cut the opposite directions of those white lines, that way you're cutting against the grains.
Click to expand...


Correct, sorry.....GRAIN map......
 
I do indirect with a quick sear at the end - let it rest for 10 minutes or so under foil and then slice against the grain.
 
So...my question is, what are the benefits to reverse searing rather than searing at the beginning of the cook.

I'm not trying to be obtuse, it just seems like it's more work and your timing has to be perfect to get the right amount of sear without over-shooting your ideal internal temperature.

If there's no benefit, I don't see why I'd switch. If there's definitely a benefit, I'd certainly consider changing my method.

Thanks
 
voidecho said:
So...my question is, what are the benefits to reverse searing rather than searing at the beginning of the cook.

I'm not trying to be obtuse, it just seems like it's more work and your timing has to be perfect to get the right amount of sear without over-shooting your ideal internal temperature.

If there's no benefit, I don't see why I'd switch. If there's definitely a benefit, I'd certainly consider changing my method.

Thanks
Click to expand...

The benefit is even doneness top to bottom. Getting it to near the desired doneness at a low temp allows the center of the meat to get closer to the temp of the top and bottom of the meat. During a hot and fast sear allows for the top and bottom to be a much higher temperature than the center.
It only is good for thicker cuts. A flank or skirt would not benefit doing a reverse sear.
Hope this helps.

EDIT: A good wired thermometer is a great help also.
 
Tri-Tips are family favorite and we do several each month.

Tri-Tips are a California favorite and I believe most are grilled over direct heat and treated like a big steak. If you want a firm, steak-like "bite," to the meat that is how to do it.

The indirect reverse sear method is good too, but seems to give the Tri-Tip more of a roast like appearance and bite. When doing it this way I drizzle a little Worcestershire Sauce over the meat, add some granulated garlic and my basic beef rub. I cook at 275 until I reach about 110 internal, they move to a high, direct heat to finish. 130 - 135 is med rare, taking it to 140 - 145 gets you to med.

I will echo what was said above... The internal temps will continue to go up a bit after you pull it off the direct heat... So I use the low ranges pulling at 130 or med rare, and the other at 140 for the family that wants it more well done.

Both direct and reverse sear result in great tasting meat... and my family likes it both ways.
 
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