Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Tri Trip

Both GW and Sammo's techniques work well.

GW's being closer to Original Santa Maria Style.

Tri Tip can go from damn good to shoe leather really quick so watch it. Its lean inside even with that think fat layer outside.

Good charcoal. Hate mesquite for Tritip but thats just my Kommiefornia snobbery talkin.

I do mine fat cap on and cut off any undesirable after.

Montreal seasoning rub the day before lets the garlic and cracked pepper rehydrate a little.

Honestly corse salt, cracked pepper and granulated garlic is all you need.

Got Red Oak? LOL Where's 805 when you need him.

In case you want the long version back story.

http://www.lospadrescounty.net/et/smbbq.html#beef

Enjoy

Lol, he's moved up in the world some.

those are the only spices I use for meat on the pit/smoker, I got mesquite lump coal.

Fats gave good info…. I have smoked them a bunch and they turn out good but you still don’t go past an internal temp of about 125-130. My latest is to put a good course salt and black pepper rub on it and throw it in the traeger at 200 deg for maybe an hour and then over to the Weber gas grill at about 600 deg to finish it off.

Sometimes I’ll smoke them to about 115 internal temp and then I’ll refrigerate and use it throughout the week for fajitas, sandwiches, mix with eggs, etc….. the 115 leaves a bit rare so you can throw it in a cast iron pan with the veggies to finish it off. Now I’m hungry.

I always pull mine when they hit 115-120 right in the thickest part. Rest for at least 30min under foil so ends don't get to well done.

Not charred enough and no mesquite? Blasphemy....lol

Love you man!

Salt and pepper is all you need for any meat IMHO but the Santa Maria, as herbaceous as possible with a char seems to be the magic button with some char and smoke with the tritip...

135 to 140??

We ate the hell out of them in college, central coast Cali, and just loaded a Weber with briquets on one side. Cooked on the cool side until a finger push felt right then seared on the hot side. Back then, 1980 - 1985, trimmed ran $1.99/lb, untrimmed $.99, on sale. Cheaper than burger... My Mother always had me haul some north when I headed home.

They also made killer chili and pot roast.

I'm relatively new to the tri-tip, and it seems that the name has inflated prices in my locale along with the flat iron. I'd rather buy ribeyes for similar price, but when tri-tip is on sale it seems like a great deal. Each time that I've cooked it has been really good.

I recently tried the Santa Maria recipe for the first time. It was awesome, but I used mesquite lump and not the traditional oak.

Yes again. But do trim the fat. there are "fish eyes" under the fat that taste rancid. Think boils or pimples. 125 IT if cutting with a sharp knife, 140 if using a slicer. Let rest at least twenty minutes.

Give a man his props that likes his meat black and blue.

I agree but I also add a little (or lot) of garlic. JMHO

Is tri trip a name for ménage à trois.

Red oak chunks, not charcoal if you can find it. I lived in Santa Maria when I was a little kid. The chunks were sold in 10# mesh bags everywhere.
Pinquito beans too. Garlic bread and you are all set. For a beer I'm usually a light beer guy but 805 is my beer of choice for a beef meal, steaks, tri tip burgers etc.
https://susieqbrand.com/santa-maria-beans/bulk-pinquito-beans/

How come so well done....if its basically a "steak"?

Ours were/are cooked medium rare though it varied given the shape of the cut.

I havent seen cuts labeled as such or even tri-tip.

Greg and Fats have given most the info needed. I tend to cook the same. I prefer to wet age all mine for at least 3 weeks and have gone up to 6 weeks.
I cook over red oak coals and pretty hot. Flip it over once and then stand on its end to finish it.
Susie Q’s seasoning is pretty much the standard around here for tri tip.
I don’t use a thermometer just go by feel. Pull it and let it rest at least 15 minutes. I always try for medium rare.
When slicing keep in mind to cut against the grain of the meat but note that a tri tip has 2 different pieces/sections to it and you need to cut accordingly against the grain.