I love a good smoked Tri-tip! Yesterday we went for a 13 mile hike at Wilder State Beach, with the last 5 miles along the Pacific ocean in Santa Cruz on a gorgeous bluff. The hike and the views were stunning. Suffice it to say toward the end of the day we had built up a bit of an appetite.
On the way home we stopped and picked up a fairly lean Tri-tip. The hubby suggested we should smoke it. No need to twist my arm here! Tri-tip is a gorgeous and flavorful cut of lean meat widely available on the west coast. The cut originates from California’s Santa Maria Valley. If you have never heard of it, don’t feel bad; Tri-tip is still not widely available in some places on the east coast. See this article prepared by our friend, Chris Allingham over at the Virtual Weber Bullet.
What I like about smoked Tri-tip is that it is an easier, quicker alternative to a Brisket. It also comes at a much friendlier price point. Brisket can be a 6-7 hour long commitment. With Tri-tip you still get great flavor in about an hour to an hour and a half.
Preparing the Tri-Tip
The tri-tip we picked up was already trimmed and just under 2 pounds. You’ll need to adjust smoke times to accommodate smaller or larger pieces of meat.
The first decision you need to make is how to season the meat. The seasoning could make or break it for me! I often err on the side of restraint in order to allow the flavor of the meat to shine through. However, for today’s smoke, I decided to use a dry rub – primarily because I had previously made this Dry rub for some short ribs we had with family recently, and I had it available. Or, you can use an authentic Santa Maria style seasoning. Tri-tip is also fantastic with just salt pepper and garlic, too.
In either case, rub the Tri-tip with about a tablespoon of olive oil, prior to applying the rub or the spices. Be liberal with the spices – these do not penetrate the meat, rather create a crust, so you can afford to load it on pretty thick.
The Smoke
I set the smoker to 225 and used a mix of applewood (Weber Wood apple chips) and plum wood chips from the orchard. For a more authentic smoke, try Post Oak BBQ Smoking Chips. Once the smoker was up to temp, it took about 60 minutes to fully smoke the tri-tip to about 125-130 degrees. I always rely on an Digital Instant-read meat thermometer to make sure I don’t under or over cook my meat.
Once the meat is up to temp, remove it from the smoker and wrap it in foil for about 15 minutes before carving. If you do any smoking at all, you already know how important the “rest” period is at the end of the smoke, to settle the juices back into the meat.
Wine Pairing
A peppery Zinfandel is the expected pairing for smoked Tri-tip. I’d recommend one of the fuller bodied zins like those grown at elevation. Try a lovely Picchetti Zinfandel grown on 110 year old ancient vines from the Santa Cruz mountains appellation – yes, the vines were put in before prohibition!!!
But, if you are looking for something a bit different, Smoked Tri-tip pairs beautifully with many bigger red wines; I like it with a good Syrah or … surprise! … Pinot Noir. Try it with one of the “audacious” dry farmed Pinot Noirs. My picks are a Big Basin Frenchie’s Ranch Syrah or the Far Away Block Pinot from Wright Station, grown at about 1900 feet above sea level.
Freakin’ awesome.
