Smoked Beef Tri Tip....the most beautiful cut of beef you've probably never heard of. When carved across the grain, this crescent-shaped beef roast renders the most rich, tender and satisfying slabs of steak you will ever put in your mouth.
1Tbs.each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, combined
1 tsp. granulated garlic, may substitute 2 tsp. garlic powder
Instructions
Smoke the Tri-Tip Roast
Remove the tri tip roast from refrigeration, letting it rest on the counter at room temperature for a couple of hours to remove the chill.
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the salt and pepper with the granulated garlic. Rub the tri-tip roast with olive oil, then sprinkle the beef liberally with the salt and pepper mixture; applying it liberally all over the roast. (This will allow a nice crust to form on the exterior of the tri tip as it smokes.)
Place the seasoned tri-tip roast directly onto the preheated smoker grill, unwrapped, for 60-75 minutes, cooking until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F in the thickest part of the roast for medium rare. (Keep in mind this is not the FINAL internal temperature at this point in the tri-tip cooking process!) **Also, for alternative stages of doneness (such as rare or medium well) see the notes in the body of this post for directions beneath "To what internal temperature should a tri tip roast be cooked?"
Remove the tri-tip roast from the smoker, wrapping it tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil; place the tri-tip into a small cooler (no ice) for approx. 30 minutes, allowing it to finish cooking as the roast rests and relaxes. (In the cooler, the cooking process will continue, raising the internal temperature of the meat another 5-10 degrees, plus this rest will also allow the beef to become extremely tender as the juices slowly redistribute into the meat.)
Slice the Tri-Tip
Once the tri tip has rested in the cooler, place it onto a large cutting board. Locate where the two grains intersect, cutting the tri tip apart vertically, splitting it in half. Check each half of the roast to see which way the grain of the meat is running, then slice ACROSS the grain into slices of steak. Serve at once!