Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep
- Trim off any silver skin and any excess hard fat, but leave the natural marbling intact. The marbling is one of the keys to keeping this cook juicy.
- Generously season the entire tri-tip with your favorite brisket rub, or a simple salt, pepper, and garlic blend. Let the seasoning sit while the smoker comes up to temperature.
Smoke
- Preheat your smoker to 250 to 275°F with cherry wood. Place the tri-tip on the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches about 185°F and the bark has developed and set.
Wrap
- Wrap the tri-tip tightly in butcher paper. Foil works too and speeds up the cook, but it can soften the bark and sometimes wash some of it away. If your tri-tip runs lean, add some beef tallow to the wrap to help keep the meat juicy.
- Return the wrapped tri-tip to the smoker and continue cooking until it reaches around 203°F internal, or until probe tender. The temperature is a guideline. The real test is feel: the probe should slide into the meat with very little resistance, just like a brisket.
Rest and Slice
- Remove the trisket from the smoker and open the wrap slightly to let steam escape. Rest 15 to 20 minutes.
- Slice against the grain. Tri-tip's grain changes direction partway through the cut, so watch it as you go and rotate the meat when the grain turns. Serve with your favorite BBQ sides.
Notes
Grade Matters: Wagyu's marbling bastes the meat from the inside through the long cook. Prime is next best. Below Prime, add beef tallow to the wrap for insurance.
Paper vs Foil: Butcher paper keeps the bark crisp. Foil is faster but softens the crust.
Doneness: Probe tender beats any number. Around 203°F is the neighborhood, the feel is the address.
Nutrition: Values shown are estimates.