You must try a Tri Tip on the grill!

Tri Tip is something you can not find everywhere - if you dont see it in the store, ask the butchers at the glass counter as they may have some in the back. Also, a small family style butcher shop may be able to get you some. 

This meat is super easy to cook - even with a variety of ways to cook it. Most sizes serve a family of 4-5 and its great next day sliced cold for a sandwich or reheated in the microwave for lunch. Something about smoked meat tastes great eating it next day chilled by itself or on a sandwich that my family enjoys. 

I will keep it simple - its a forgotten piece of meat in the shape of a triangle. It has grain going one way at the point and near the back larger section the grain switches direction. 

I did a recent cook with a Tri Tip on the amazing Kudu Grill and here is the finished cook before letting it rest on my wood cutting board of how I will slice it up.

 

When you get it at the store or butcher, You can save the meat for later by taking out the tip and wrapping it in clear plastic wrap and then a piece or two of foil and store it in the ice box. It takes about 2-3 days to defrost in the fridge - put into a plastic bag or foil pan to defrost as some blood will come out usually pooling under the package if not in a bowl or gallon plastic bag. Your spouse will make you detox the fridge if this happens. 

Once you get the tri tip - remove it from the package and you will see some silver skin on the meat that you can slide a knife under the skin and peel and trim it away along with whatever chunky pieces of fat are on the meat. Do not over do it - its just a couple of snips here and there. This will prevent a weird piece chewy thing in your mouth while eating it later. 

Season the meat with your favorite blend - and with this meat I love basic salt and pepper - that’s it. I am light on salt as I prefer more seasoning after its cooked. I want more of a grill/smoke flavor first then some salt and pepper. I do not use a sauce on this meat. 

I let the meat sit out for about an hour or so to temp the meat so that its not cold on the grill. During this time I prep my Kudu Grill (this works with your own grill as well) with getting the coals going in a chimney and then into the grill along with a chunk of hickory to keep near the fire to not ignite but more to get hot and have a whisper of smoke going. If it ignites I will rotate the chunk to kill the flame and to release smoke. Keeping the chunk smoldering along with maintaining the heat and meat makes for ACTIVE GRILLING.  

As you can see the meat is off set from the coals and hickory - so that it is not directly over the coals. This form of indirect cooking allows the meat to cook slow and allow for smoke to envelope the meat as it cooks. 

The Kudu grill has a dome accessory that I use for smoking the tri tip. 

With the meat cooking indirectly & smoking under the dome I can focus on using the cast iron pan for grilling some veggies. I love red and sweet onions, red skin small potatoes, cauliflower and some sweet peppers. Once these veggies are cooked I take the tri tip off and put it onto the veggies as the meat releases juices as the meat rests. Most cooks let the meat rest on a cutting board and the meat juice is somewhat wasted...I have learned to keep the juice by using a glass or metal lasagna dish to keep the juice or put the meat onto the veggies (with a foil tent) to let it rest about 10-15 minutes. 

This is somewhat of a bigger piece of meat and it can be intimidating for some backyard grillers - but the cool thing is that it cooks somewhat fast....like 30-45-60 minutes. As it cooks the smells are intoxicating, so you want you and your family/friends to be outside with you creating new memories. 

I go about 30 minutes and then I flip it over - keep it indirect and watch the hickory chunk (or use oak or pecan if you have that) so that it is smoldering and not on fire. If you are not cooking veggies at same time, do so ahead and keep warm or have someone else tag-teaming with you to cook them. Roasting in the oven is also a favorite of mine at 400 degrees about 45-60 minutes. 

Once the tri tip is done to 135 internal temp (use your instant read thermometer) -  you can put the tip over coals for a direct cook and sear the meat a bit...or not. Its up to you. I like to sear it a bit and remove it from my grill and onto my veggies and put a piece of foil over the top to make a tent and let it rest 10-15 minutes.  

Cut the meat as directed with the photo at the top of the blog and serve medium rare or so. Watch the face of your loved ones take that first bite and chew....they will love it and you will be acknowledged as an Embrace The Flame BBQ superhero. 

While I use and love the Kudu Grill - you can use any grill for indirect cooking. I love that I can use the attachments of the grill to cook multiple things - again, check out the grill HERE. If you ever get one - let me know as we can set up a chat time and talk about how amazing and FUN this grill is to cook with. If you have friends over its like a magnet with people gathering around it to chat. You will not be a lonely griller with this thing. 

If you love meat - then you must check out a Tri Tip - as it is one of the best you can eat for the short time it takes to cook. 

Inspiration and tools used for this cook can be found HERE on my grilling Amazon page. 

Embrace The Flame BBQ has a goal to get you active in backyard grilling/smoking so that when your friends and family take that first bite and smile it will create an experience of enjoying each other and create new memories.  

The small end of the Tip is usually most done - so, give that section to the ‘more done’ people and save the medium rare pieces in the middle and larger end for those that like the pink and juice. 

Have a great cook and Embrace The Flame not only on the grill but also in life.