Reverse Seared Tri Tip
This reverse seared tri tip goes on the smoker first. Comes off at 110 and then goes face down straight onto lump charcoal. No grate. Sixty seconds a side. Then back onto the smoker to finish. Fat cap left on the whole time. It renders into your crust and you can’t get that any other way. Roasted lemon pepper potatoes on the side.
Searing Directly on the Coals
No grate involved. Caveman style means what it sounds like. The meat goes directly on the charcoal itself.
Why? Contact. A grate touches maybe 20% of the surface you put on it. The rest is floating, cooking in radiant heat off the coals. Put the tri-tip right on the coals and 100% of that surface is touching something glowing. That’s how it forms a crust in seconds, not minutes. And with reverse sear, that speed is important, because the inside is already 110 and you don’t have long before it creeps past where you want it.
One thing to do before you start. Fan the ash off first. People skip this part but don’t skip it. Use a piece of cardboard, or a little fan and blow all the loose ash off the top of your coals before the meat goes down. Ash is what will stick to your meat and it won’t burn off. Clear it away and what you’ll get is nothing but bare glowing charcoal to sear on.
The fat cap isn’t just resting there, it’s working. The direct coals render out the fat which crisps up. That’s mostly what you’re tasting when you eat the bark.
Author’s Notes
A Unique Way To Cook A Tri-Tip
This is a unique way to cook a tri-tip. It just gives a nice smoky flavor overall.
The fat is so crispy and it just rendered out perfectly, so it gives you such a juicy crispy bite that’s full of flavor.
You can enjoy this for a good dinner. You can serve it also with more sides, maybe like a salad, or mac and cheese, or asparagus. Just perfect.
Miguel
What You’ll Need for Reverse Seared Tri Tip
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| Tri-Tip | One whole tri-tip, fat cap left on. |
| Steak seasoning | Whatever your favorite is. |
| Lump charcoal | For searing. This is the step where charcoal matters. |
| Baby potatoes | Boiled, halved, then roasted. |
| Avocado oil or olive oil | As a binder on the potatoes, again in the pan. |
| Lemon pepper | On the potatoes. |
| Garlic herb butter or chimichurri or steak sauce | To finish. |
See recipe card below for exact amounts.
How To Make Reverse Seared Tri Tip
Trimmed off the loose pieces, but left the fat cap untouched.
Seasoned all over with steak seasoning.
Put it on the smoker and left it until it hit 110 internal.
While that smoked, got my lump charcoal going and fanned off the loose ash on top of the coals.
Put the tri-tip straight onto the coals, about sixty seconds a side.
Put it back onto the smoker to finish.
Pulled it at 135, let it rest ten minutes.
Sliced against the grain, hit it with garlic herb butter.
Times and temperatures for each step are in the recipe card below.
Preparing the Potatoes
Boiled the potatoes until cooked through, then let them cool.
Sliced them in half and put them in a bowl.
Hit them with some oil as a binder. Then seasoned them liberally with lemon pepper.
Got a pan hot with some more oil and roasted them until golden and crispy all over.
Pulling At 135 and Letting It Rest
Why pull at 135? Because that’s my perfect medium rare. USDA recommends 145 for whole cuts of beef. Take it up if that works for you.
Two things to note about that temp. The meat will continue to climb as it rests, so 135 off the heat gets you to around 140 once rested and sliced. Second, the rest isn’t optional. Skip the rest and a reverse seared tri-tip will seep all those juices onto your cutting board the moment you cut into it. Rest it ten minutes first and it stays in the meat where it belongs.
Slice Against The Grain
Slice against the grain. Tri-tip gets grain running two ways. Look at it before you cut and change direction when the grain does.
Miguel’s Tips
- Leave the fat cap on. It’s protecting the meat as it cooks. You can trim it up when it’s rested if you want it really pretty, but leave it on for cooking.
- Fan that ash off before you sear. There’s no fixing ashy meat. Spend thirty seconds messing with charcoal and you’ll never have to worry about it.
- 60 seconds a side! Don’t go long. It’s already at 110! Remember you don’t have much room to play with.
- Fully cook the potatoes by boiling first, then roast them. Two cooks are required.
- Rest it, every single time.
Make-Ahead and Storage
That’s not much of a make ahead there. Sure you could boil and half your potatoes ahead of time and roast them while the tri-tip rests.
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container. It’s delicious cold, sliced thin. If you wanna reheat it go low. It’s already at medium rare and will climb.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when tri-tip is cooked?
Pull it at 135 for medium rare. USDA recommends 145 for whole cuts of beef, so take it further if that’s where you’re comfortable. Remember it will keep climbing a few degrees while it rests.
Won’t this just ruin my meat with ash?
If you leave the ash on while you sear you’re only going to get ash in your crust. Fan it off first and you’ll get a clean sear.
Can I sear this on my grill instead?
Sure. It’ll taste good. Just know that it won’t crust up as well because you’re not touching 100% of that surface to the coals.
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Reverse Seared Tri Tip, Caveman Style
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Trim off any loose pieces from the tri-tip. Do not remove the fat cap. Leave it intact, because it protects the meat while it cooks and renders down during the charcoal sear.
- Season the tri-tip generously on all sides with your favorite steak seasoning.
- Preheat your smoker to 250°F. Place the tri-tip on and cook until the internal temperature reaches 110°F.
- While the tri-tip smokes, get your lump charcoal going for a high heat direct sear. Once the coals are hot, use a piece of cardboard or a small fan to blow all the loose ash off the top. Ash sticks to the meat and will not burn off.
- At 110°F, place the tri-tip directly on the hot lump charcoal. Sear approximately 60 seconds per side until you have a crust all around. Do not go longer, the inside is already at 110°F.
- Return the tri-tip to the smoker at 250°F and cook until the internal temperature reaches 135°F for medium rare.
- Remove and let it rest approximately 10 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain, and change direction when the grain does, since tri-tip has grain running two ways.
- While the tri-tip finishes, boil the baby potatoes until fully cooked and tender. Drain and let them cool slightly.
- Slice the potatoes in half, put them in a bowl and toss with a little avocado or olive oil as a binder. Season generously with lemon pepper.
- Heat a skillet over high heat with a little more oil and roast the potatoes until golden brown and crispy all over.
- Plate the sliced tri-tip with the roasted potatoes and finish with garlic herb butter, chimichurri, or your favorite steak sauce.
