- 6
Ingredients
- Tri-Tip, Seasoning:
- 3 Tablespoons Non-iodized Table Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper, medium grind
- 1/4 Teaspoon Accent (MSG)
- Or use Outback Steakhouse Rub:
Preparation
Step 1
Chop the parsley or crush it between your fingers to make it small enough to mix well with the other ingredients. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pat the tri-tip dry with paper towels and apply a heavy sprinkling of seasoning all over the meat. There's no need to do this hours before cooking--season right after you start the fire in the cooker and let the meat sit at room temperature until you're ready to cook. Oak Is The Smoke Wood Of Choice Tri-tip is traditionally cooked over red oak, but any variety of oak is an acceptable alternative. My white oak chunks were kind of puny, so I used 2 handfuls, thinking that this would be equivalent to 2 large chunks. Firing-Up The Weber Bullet Start a chimney full of Kingsford charcoal briquettes. When they're good and hot, spread them out in the charcoal chamber and add another 1/2 chimney of unlit coals on top. When all the coals are covered with gray ash, put the smoke wood on the coals and assemble the cooker. Do not put the water pan into the cooker. Allow smoke to billow from the cooker for about 15 minutes, then place the meat in the cooker. Cooking Process Described Adjust the bottom vents to maintain a cooking temperature of 350-375°F. Cook the meat on one side for about 20 minutes, then turn it over and cook to an internal temperature of 145°F, depending on the doneness you prefer. When the meat hits the target temperature, place the grate right over the hot coals in the charcoal bowl and sear the roasts for about 5 minutes, turning several times to ensure even browning After searing, remove the meat to a platter, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing thin across the grain. I wanted these roasts to end up medium, so I chose 135°F as my target internal temperature. After a 5 minute sear and a 10 minute rest, they would achieve 145°F, smack-dab in the middle of the medium range. If you're cooking two or more tri-tip roasts, it's likely that the weight and thickness of each roast is different. Remember that smaller, thinner roasts will cook faster than larger, thicker ones. Check the internal temp in the thickest part of each roast and remove to a foil-covered platter those that hit the target temperature. Let sit at room temperature until the larger roasts are done, then reunite all the roasts to sear over the hot coals. If cooking on both the top and bottom grates, the roasts on the bottom will cook faster because they're closer to the fire. Put the larger, thicker roasts on the bottom grate, the smaller, thinner ones on top. Monitor the bottom roasts carefully to avoid burning. As described above, check the internal temp of each roast and remove those that hit the target temperature early, then reunite all the roasts over the hot coals at the end. If you cooked tri-tip roasts with the thick fat layer intact, trim off the fat before slicing. The exterior color of the tri-tip was reddish-brown with good grill marks. I sliced the roast across the grain and found juicy, tender pink meat with just a slight smoke ring. The meat had a medium smoky flavor that complimented the garlic and pepper flavor of the rub. You can slice tri-tip and serve it on a plate with side dishes, but my favorite way to enjoy tri-tip is on a sandwich. Spread garlic butter on a sweet French roll and toast it under the broiler. Slice the tri-tip thinly across the grain, pile it high on the roll, and drizzle with a favorite barbecue sauce. Those are some good eats!