Phinally a Pharker! First Cook: Tri-Tip

Hey Brethren,

After lurking forever, I finally got a pit that I can share photos from. I started this journey with an 18" kettle, then moved to a KBQ stick burner that I never had the time to run for long cooks, and now have a MAK Two Star General.

I love all good 'cue whether it's from a stick burner, charcoal with chunks, and now pellets. I'll save the MAK talk for that thread, and concentrate on the cook!

Prime tri-tip from my corner market. Dry-brined with Oakridge Santa Maria and a bit of extra salt overnight.



Smoked for a few hours at low temp using Bear Mountain hickory pellets. Then seared on the same cooker at about 500. I could have waited for the grill to heat up a bit more but we were hungry. :wink: Searing:



Seared and resting:



Sliced:



Results: I over-spiced it a bit. It came out with a bacon-y flavor that I don't know whether it was from the extra salt combined with the Santa Maria rub, or the rub itself, or the pellets, or a combination. I do enjoy bacon, but would like more of a beef flavor on the next one. It was a bit chewy even sliced against the grain. Next time I'll slice it thinner. Sandwiches the next day were excellent.

The MAK experience and flavor was exactly as described by rwalters: it didn't have the smoke profile of a well-run stick burner. But it had great flavor and was a hit with the family. Meat, seasonings, and smoke were balanced. Considering I failed at stick burning due to a lack of time and patience, I'm overjoyed I've found a way to cook barbecue. The MAK is a thing of beauty and very easy to use.

Thanks for all the inspiration! I look forward to learning how to make great cue from you all and posting it here.

Thanks, everyone! We served it with frozen food, lol (covid prep supplies): New York/Mamma Bella's pre-sliced garlic bread baked in the oven, and a bag of Mexican-style veggies in the microwave.

Thanks, Andy. I tried to cut is across the grain on both sides of the "T." Did my cut look to you as with the grain?

LYU370 said:

Just saw you said it was chewy and wasn't sure if you knew that the grain changes direction in a tri tip.

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Thank you very much! I think it was the prime meat which had more fat in it. I reverse seared it to get smoke flavor into it. I'm thinking the traditional Santa Maria grill cooking method renders the fat better.

drunkenmeatfist said:

You were such a farker all along and you didn't even know it

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Ha ha ha ha ha. I just figured out what that means. :thumb: