Smoked Tri Tip

💡 Pro Tips

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  Trim fat cap to exactly 1/4 inch rather than removing it entirely, since this thickness renders slowly enough to baste the meat without blocking smoke penetration or insulating the surface from bark formation.technique1/4 inch
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  Smoke at 225°F using the reverse-sear method until internal temperature hits 115°F, then pull and rest before searing—this keeps the temperature gradient narrow so you get an even edge-to-edge medium-rare instead of a gray overcooked band.temperature225°F smoker, 115°F pull temp
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  Insert your probe thermometer into the thickest part of the tri tip parallel to the grain, since this cut has two different muscle fibers running in different directions and probing perpendicular can give false high readings from hitting connective tissue.equipmentparallel to grain
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  Pull the tri tip off smoke at 130°F for medium-rare and sear hard on a 500°F cast iron skillet for 60-90 seconds per side to trigger the Maillard reaction without pushing the interior past 135°F.timing130°F pull, 500°F sear, 60-90 sec/side
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  Always slice against the grain, and since tri tip has a distinctive V-shaped grain pattern, rotate your cutting angle 90 degrees halfway through the roast to keep every slice properly perpendicular to the muscle fibers for maximum tenderness.technique90 degree rotation