To make the smoked Tri-Tip, there 3 easy steps. Master these steps and you can do it even when your eyes are closed!
Step 1: So what do we need? First off, season a cut with basic seasonings like salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Make sure to liberally sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of the cut. Or you can experiment, use seasonings such as pre-made rubs or you can make your rub from scratch.
Step 2: Moving on to the second step, smoking. You can use any smoker just make sure to maintain a solid 225 degrees F temperature. So you know, during this time, the tri-tip will gradually raise in temperature to make an even cook edge and assist to retain the moisture inside the meat.
Step 3: Now, it is time to sear! So for the final step, we sear the tri-tip to enclose all the juices and get a beautiful crust. To do this, sear the meat in a very hot cast-iron pan with some shimmering butter. Alternately, you can do this on a gas grill for that Instagrammable grill marks.
Notes:
To make this tri-tip you have to plan up to 2 hours for smoking, another 5 to 6 minutes for searing, and a good 15 minutes rest time. Keep in mind that the cooking time varies depending on how you like your meat. I suggest using a good quality meat thermometer for a fail-proof way to cook steaks.
A little note: pull the tri tip-off for the first smoking step following these temperatures:
Rare: 120 degrees F
Medium Rare: 127 degrees F
Medium: 133 degrees F
Medium Well: 140 degrees F
Well Done: 150 degrees F
The second searing step, pull the tri tip-off at the following temperature:
Rare: 125 degrees F
Medium Rare: 135 degrees F
Medium: 145 degrees F
Medium Well: 155 degrees F
Well Done: 160 degrees F
Transfer the steak to a cutting board once it reached your desired doneness and let the steak rest for about 15 minutes.
Instructions
Step 1: So what do we need? First off, season a cut with basic seasonings like salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Make sure to liberally sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of the cut. Or you can experiment, use seasonings such as pre-made rubs or you can make your rub from scratch.
Step 2: Moving on to the second step, smoking. You can use any smoker just make sure to maintain a solid 225 degrees F temperature. So you know, during this time, the tri-tip will gradually raise in temperature to make an even cook edge and assist to retain the moisture inside the meat.
Step 3: Now, it is time to sear! So for the final step, we sear the tri-tip to enclose all the juices and get a beautiful crust. To do this, sear the meat in a very hot cast-iron pan with some shimmering butter. Alternately, you can do this on a gas grill for that Instagrammable grill marks.
Notes
To make this tri-tip you have to plan up to 2 hours for smoking, another 5 to 6 minutes for searing, and a good 15 minutes rest time. Keep in mind that the cooking time varies depending on how you like your meat. I suggest using a good quality meat thermometer for a fail-proof way to cook steaks. A little note: pull the tri tip-off for the first smoking step following these temperatures: Rare: 120 degrees F Medium Rare: 127 degrees F Medium: 133 degrees F Medium Well: 140 degrees F Well Done: 150 degrees F The second searing step, pull the tri tip-off at the following temperature: Rare: 125 degrees F Medium Rare: 135 degrees F Medium: 145 degrees F Medium Well: 155 degrees F Well Done: 160 degrees F Transfer the steak to a cutting board once it reached your desired doneness and let the steak rest for about 15 minutes.
