Grilled Tri-Tip Roast
Grill this tri-tip up, low and slow, and serve it as is or slice it up for quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, salads, and sandwiches.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 1large tri tip roast, untrimmed, about 3-4 pounds
- Kosher salt, about 1/2 teaspoon per pound of beef
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Wood for smoking (mesquite or hickory work well)
Instructions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.Step 2
Trim off most of the fat, but on the side with the thick fat cap, leave about 1/4 inch.Step 3
Dry brine the tri tip. Apply the kosher salt all over. Use about 1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat. Place the salted meat on a tray and put it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. There is no need to wrap or cover the meat.Step 4
Set up the grill for two zone cooking: one grate directly over the coals, and one grate over empty space or a heat buffer such as a stone deflector. Adjust the air intake, aiming for an ambient air temperature between 225 F and 275 F. Place a chunk of wood (not chips, maybe something about the size of a baseball) at the edge of the coals.Step 5
Just before grilling, season the meat generously with fresh ground pepper. Place the tri tip on the indirect heat side of the grill. Grill until the meat hits an internal temperature of 90 F, then flip it over. Continue grilling in the indirect zone until the internal temperature reaches 115 F.Step 6
Move the meat from the indirect side to the grate directly over the coals. Grill for about 2 minutes on each side. Rotate the roast, if you like, to create crosshatched grill marks. When the beef's internal temperature reaches 125 F, remove it from the heat.Step 7
Wrap the tri tip tightly in aluminum foil. Rest the meat for about 10 minutes.Step 8
Slice perpendicular to the grain, and serve immediately.