TIP³

“A brisket is too big, and prime rib is too expensive. What’s another choice for beef?” Well, I have a tip. Well, I guess it’s technically three. Tri-tip is a great idea for someone who may not want to invest in a lot of money or time that other cuts need. Let’s talk tips on what to do with tri-tip.

Tri-tip is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin that's known for being flavorful and tender. Where this muscle is placed on the carcass shows that it has very little to do with the animal's locomotion. This means that it has very little to no connective tissue like collagen. Because of this you don’t need to reach an internal temp of 200° F like a brisket. You can bring this cut up to medium rare and it will be juicy and moist. 

When picking the perfect piece for your pit, start with a higher grade if you can. Marbling is the start to tenderness and taste. To prep the tri-tip, trim the fat cap down to roughly a quarter of an inch. Search for silverskin all around and trim that as well. On the underside trim only the fat that is necessary. Since tri-tip is part of the sirloin primal cut, I like to season with my steak rub. I’ve seasoned tri-tip like I season brisket with salt and pepper. That works too. 

Tri-tip is usually sold trimmed and weighs around 1.5–2.5 lbs, but an untrimmed tri-tip can weigh almost 5 lbs. With its smaller weight and the ability to cook to a lower internal temperature, tri-tip doesn’t take long on the smoker. Expect for this cut of meat to take around two hours at 200° F to get close to a medium rare. Most folks may try a reverse sear method and pull it a little early and sear it on both sides. Either way this will get a good looking piece of meat. 

Right now I can pick up a trimmed tri-tip for around $8/lbs. This cut of beef makes it great for short cook time and small budgets. If you choose to mix it up and add this to the lineup, your friends and family will thank you. Me too. In fact, thank you so much for joining me. I have other things cookin’, so there is more to come about this and other topics. Feel free to email me at theseasonedsmoker@gmail.com and your question may be featured in my next post! 

To better barbecue,

The Seasoned Smoker