Smoked Tri Tip Failure

[midwest]

I agree with Doyles, we use Au Jus heated up in a sauce pan. Drop in a piece that is rare briefly and it will brown up and stay jucie.
We always rub them and put them on the Traeger set to around 235. I leave it like that until it gets to about 125. At 125 we reverse sear it either on blackstone or cast iron pan. Slice against the grain and you will have a great piece of meat. My local butcher sells tri tips for around 7.00 per pound so you can get a good sized one a feed a good group of people for pretty cheap.

 

[DarienJim]

I always smoke my tritips at 225 SS and take them off at 125-150. They come out amazing.

Why are you going to 160?

 

[RayClem]

I always smoke my tritips at 225 SS and take them off at 125-150. They come out amazing.

Why are you going to 160?

A temp of 160F is not good for beef. At lower temperatures, it can be tender and juicy. At higher temperatures (over 190F), the fat and connective tissue can render from some cuts like chuck roast and brisket.

I once cut a piece of eye of round roast in half. I cooked them together but pulled one half off at an internal temp of 135F. It was pretty good if sliced thinly against the grain. The other I cooked longer. It was so tough that the only way I rescued the meat was by cutting it into small cubes, simmering it to make it tender, and using it to make beef stew.

If you have someone in your family who likes their beef well done, I suggest you invest in a Sous Vide circulator. You can smoke your beef until it reaches an internal temperature of 125F to add smoke flavor. Then seal it in a plastic bag and place it in a Sous Vide bath at 135F for 4-6 hours. That will help tenderize the beef. Although it still will be slightly pink, it will be fully cooked. Of course, after removal from Sous Vide, it won't have a bark or crust, so you will need to sear it using any method you find suitable. I like searing in a carbon steel skillet with a high smoke point oil. You can also add garlic if you wish. Finish off by adding butter and herbs like thyme or rosemary to the skillet and baste the steak all over. That is how I like doing most of my steaks these days. Whether you get a more expensive cut of beef or a lesser one, it turns out great. That is the only way I can get my wife to consume anything less than well-done beef.

 

[hedjhog]

I had been hearing how good Tri Tip beef roasts are for smoking so I gave it a try this weekend. Things did not end well . . .

Here are the cooking details: 225F, cherry pellets (what was left in the hopper from previous cook), hickory chips in a smoke tube, rubbed with salt, pepper and garlic powder, cooked the roast to 160F because my wife won't eat meat that is even slightly rare. It was on the grill for about 3 hours and still came out a little bit pink.

The results: The meat was tough as leather. It was moist enough and the flavor was nice (though I would use less/no hickory if I were to do it again) but not enjoyable because of the texture.

Nearly all of the recipes I found recommended cooking to 130F internal temp and compared the results to eating steak. Did the extra cooking time/temp contribute to the toughness? The meat was USDA choice, not prime. Maybe that's a factor?? Maybe this specific roast was just not good though it appeared to be well marbled.

Any and all comments and questions are welcomed.

160 is very well done for beef. Should be

I had been hearing how good Tri Tip beef roasts are for smoking so I gave it a try this weekend. Things did not end well . . .

Here are the cooking details: 225F, cherry pellets (what was left in the hopper from previous cook), hickory chips in a smoke tube, rubbed with salt, pepper and garlic powder, cooked the roast to 160F because my wife won't eat meat that is even slightly rare. It was on the grill for about 3 hours and still came out a little bit pink.

The results: The meat was tough as leather. It was moist enough and the flavor was nice (though I would use less/no hickory if I were to do it again) but not enjoyable because of the texture.

Nearly all of the recipes I found recommended cooking to 130F internal temp and compared the results to eating steak. Did the extra cooking time/temp contribute to the toughness? The meat was USDA choice, not prime. Maybe that's a factor?? Maybe this specific roast was just not good though it appeared to be well marbled.

Any and all comments and questions are welcomed.

160 is beef jerky

 

[Robin R.]

I've switched over to a Santa Maria-style grill for TriTip, but I've cooked a number of them on the Traeger. I cook them to an internal temp of 123f and mark (brown) all the sides on a wood or gas grill and rest to 130f. If you want it more done than that, I'd cut slices after it's rested and cook them like a steak. The quality of the meat makes a big difference. Prime is much better, and if you cook it med or well, it stays moist longer.