Project Smoke

FUEL: The traditional wood

in tri-tip’s birthplace, Santa

Maria, California, is red oak.

You can buy California red oak

smoking chips online from

Susie Q's (susieqbrand.com).

Any hardwood will work—you'll

need enough for 1 hour of

smoking (see chart on page 6).

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons coarse salt (sea or kosher)

2 teaspoons freshly ground black

pepper

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crumbled

between your fingers

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 large beef tri-tip (2 to 2V2 pounds)

Vegetable, for oiling the grate

Extra virgin olive oil

GEAR: A remote digital

thermometer or instant-read

thermometer (see page 14) so

you can monitor the internal

temperature during smoking

and grilling

1

6. Lightly brush or drizzle the tri-tip
   on both sides with olive oil. Place it
   on the grate over the fire and direct
   grill until the top and bottom are
   sizzling and darkly crusted and the
   internal temperature on an instant-
   read thermometer inserted into one of
   the ends deep into the middle reaches
   120° to 125°F for rare to 130° to 135°F
   for medium-rare (2 to 3 minutes per
   side, 4 to 6 minutes in all), turning
   with tongs. If you like, give the tri-tip
   a quarter turn on each side halfway
   through searing to lay on a crosshatch
   of grill marks.


7. Set up your smoker following the
   manufacturer’s instructions and
   preheat to 225° to 250°F. Add the
   wood as specified by the manufacturer.

1

,

:

SHOP: Tri-tip is widely

available in West Coast

supermarkets; here in Miami.

I've begun to see it at Fresh

Market. One good mail order

source is Snake River Farms

(snakeriverfarms.com).

2. Place the salt, pepper, garlic
   powder, rosemary, and oregano in a
   small bowl and stir to mix. Place the
   tri-tip in a baking dish and sprinkle
   the rub on all sides, rubbing it into the
   meat with your fingertips. Insert the
   thermometer probe through one end
   of the tri-tip, deep into the center.

i

II

WHAT ELSE: If you have

a smoker with grilling

capabilities, such as a charcoal

grill, ceramic cooker, pellet

grill, or offset barrel smoker

with a grate over the firebox,

you can cook this recipe on a

single device. Otherwise, you'll

need to smoke the tri-tip low

and slow, then finish it on a

charcoal or gas grill. Tradition

calls for serving tri-tip with

grilled garlic bread, salsa, and

pinquito beans.

3. Remove the tri-tip from the baking
   dish and place it in the smoker as
   far away from the fire as possible.
   Smoke the tri-tip until the internal
   temperature reaches 110°F, 45
   minutes to 1 hour, or as needed.

w

7. Serve the tri-tip hot off the grill,
   very thinly sliced across the grain.
   (There’s no need to let it rest—you
   did so after smoking.)


8. Transfer the tri-tip to a wire rack
   set over a rimmed baking sheet and
   let rest, loosely tented with aluminum
   foil, for at least 10 minutes or up to a
   half hour.


9. Meanwhile, set up your smoker
   or grill for direct grilling and heat to
   high. Brush and oil the grill grate.

82 | BEEF