Slow-Smoked Tri-Tip Brisket Style
This smoked tri-tip, cooked brisket-style, delivers a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness while preserving the beef’s rich, marbled flavors.
Why It Works
- Marbling Matters:Using a well-marbled cut like Wagyu or Prime-grade tri-tip ensures it stays juicy even at high internal temperatures.
- Extended Moisture Retention:A light brine injection helps the meat stay moist and enhances its flavor.
- Slow Cooking for Tenderness:Cooking low and slow at 225–250°F allows the collagen to break down, mimicking a brisket’s texture.
- Resting for Peak Juiciness: A long rest at 150°F post-cook ensures the juices redistribute, making the meat exceptionally tender.
Introduction
Tri-tip is typically cooked like a steak, but what happens when you smoke it like a brisket? Inspired by pitmasters like Malcolm Reed, I decided to take a marbled Wagyu tri-tip and push it to brisket-like temperatures to see if we could achieve fall-apart tenderness without drying it out. The key to success? A light brine, careful temperature control, and a long rest. Let’s get smoking!
Step 1: Preparing the Tri-Tip
Start with a high-quality, well-marbled tri-tip. Australian or Canadian Wagyu is ideal, but Prime-grade can also work. If you use a lower-marbled cut, it may dry out at high temperatures.
Trim any sharp, thin edges to prevent burning but keep as much meat as possible to maximize yield.
Step 2: Brining for Moisture Retention
To counteract tri-tip’s naturally thinner cut, a light brine injection helps retain moisture and prolongs the cooking time for better tenderness.
- Mix 3 cups of waterwith 5 grams of salt to create a 0.75% saline solution.
- Inject this lightly across the grain, ensuring the meat plumps slightly but doesn’t over-expand.
- Place the tri-tip in a vacuum-sealed bag with the remaining brine and refrigerate overnight.
Step 3: Seasoning
Remove the tri-tip from the bag and pat it dry. Apply an even coating of Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse rub (or your favorite brisket rub). Be generous—this will form the crusty bark we love.
Step 4: Setting Up the Smoker
Use a wood-burning offset smoker like an Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn.
- Set the temperature to 225–250°F.
- Use oak or hickoryfor a deep, rich smoke flavor.
- Stack small wood splits in a crosshatch pattern for efficient burning and airflow.
Step 5: Smoking the Tri-Tip
- Place the tri-tip thick end facing the firebox.
- Smoke until an internal temperature of 180°F.
- If edges start to dry, spritz lightly with water and foil-wrap them to protect from further drying.
Step 6: The Texas Crutch & Holding
Once the tri-tip reaches 190°F, it’s time to rest it like a brisket.
- Wrap in butcher paper, then foil, and place in a holding chamber (or faux Cambro) at 150°Ffor 10–18 hours.
- This rest period allows the meat’s fibers to relax, creating exceptional tenderness.
Step 7: The Reveal & Slicing
After resting, unwrap and slice against the grain for the best texture.
- Expect burnt-end-like edgesand a tender, juicy interior.
- A quick drizzle of beef tallowenhances presentation and flavor.
Smoked Tri Tip like a Brisket
Ingredients
- 1 well-marbled tri-tip (preferably Wagyu or Prime)
- 3 cups water
- 5 grams salt
- 2 tbsp Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse rub (or preferred rub)
- Oak or hickory wood for smoking
- 2 tbsp beef tallow
Instructions
- Brine, Inject tri-tip with a light saline solution (3 cups water + 5g salt). Refrigerate overnight in a vacuum-sealed bag.
- Season: Remove from brine, pat dry, and coat evenly with steak rub.
- Prepare Smoker: Heat smoker to 225–250°F with oak or hickory wood.
- Smoke: Place tri-tip thick-end toward fire. Smoke for about 4 hours until internal temp reaches 180°F.
- Foil Wrap Edges: If edges begin to dry, wrap them in foil to slow cooking.
- Final Temp: Continue smoking until internal temperature reaches 190°F.
- Rest: Wrap in butcher paper and foil, then hold at 150°F for 10–18 hours.
- Slice & Serve: Unwrap, drizzle with beef tallow, and slice against the grain.