Braised Tri-Tips Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to cook tri tip fast or slow? ›

If you need shredded or strips of beef for fajitas, tacos, salads, or sandwiches, a slow-cooked tri-tip steak meal might be the best choice. Not only is it convenient to make when you want something ready to go after a long day, but it also makes for a tasty and satisfying meal.

Marinating Tri Tip steak is a good idea because it's one of the leaner cuts of meat that can get a little tough when cooked without extra moisture. It's particularly good for steaks that will be grilled or smoked. Try marinades with any strong flavor that will pair well with beef.

The longer you cook tri-tip the more tender it will become, so you can choose your time according to what you are trying to accomplish.

The ideal cooking temperature for a tri-tip cut is 200-250 °F or 93-121 °C (for indirect heat). This will enable you to cook the meat slowly over low temperature. It ensures an even cook helps avoid overcooking the outside of the meat.

While the tri tip is a steak-like cut, it has very long muscle fibers, and long muscle fibers mean stringy, chewy steak if you don't handle them correctly. You have to cut across the grain of the meat fibers to shorten the individual fiber pieces you'll be eating.

You may need to brown in two batches in order to allow air to circulate freely around the food, but during the slow simmer, meat should be nestled as closely together as possible. There are four basic steps to braising: browning the meat, deglazing the pan, slow cooking, and finishing.

Tri-tip doesn't need to be tenderized because it's already a naturally tender cut. If you want to enhance its flavor, you can marinate it for two to three hours before cooking it. Adding acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar to the marinade will help break down the muscle fibers, making the steak more tender.

Searing Tri Tip Steak

If you want a sear that your oven isn't achieving, consider searing the tri tip steak before putting it in the oven. Just heat up a skillet with a drizzle of oil and sear the steak on each side for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can do the same after it comes out of the oven.

Should I poke holes in the tri-tip before marinating? Poking holes in the meat before marinating can help the flavors penetrate the meat more deeply, but it's an optional step. Some people also don't poke holes in the meat so the juices don't run out when cooking.

Incorrectly slicing meat can make a perfectly Traegered steak tough and chewy. Within the tri-tip cut, two different grains intersect: approximately half of the steak contains fibers running vertically and the other half contains long muscle fibers coming in at an angle.

How to make tri-tip fall apart? ›

The key to being able to smoke a tri tip like a brisket (low and slow so you get fall-apart meat goodness) is to begin with a Prime cut tri tip. You need enough fat in your steak because tri tip is leaner than a brisket.

Start with the fat side up (in truth it makes no difference. "If you put the fat side of the tri tip on the fire first, the moisture will come up through the meat and make it tender.") The problem I have with this is that, as the fat warms, it will drip down into the fire and will not evaporate until it's in the fire.

Allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes before carving. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). While resting, the juices in the roast will redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring the best succulence, texture, and flavor.

Typically tri-tip is rubbed first with a mixture of salt, black pepper, and garlic salt, and then whatever other seasonings you want before getting barbecued over red oak wood.

Let the tri-tip cook for about 3 hours at 250°F (121°C) or until the thickest part measures 160°F (71°C) as read by an accurate meat thermometer.

Tri tip is a steak-like cut with very little connective tissue, and that means it should be cooked to the same doneness as a steak would be: 130°–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare or 135°–145°F (57–63°C) for medium. The temperature to cook the tri tip at is kind of up to you.

Tri tip steak usually cooks best when cooked in low heat over a long period of time, so roasting it in the oven or smoking it are excellent methods for moist tri tip. Sous vide and slow cooking also work well, as these methods lock moisture into the meat.

Place in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until an insta-read thermometer registers about 125 (rare) to 135 (medium) degrees F, or according to taste. Remove from the oven and loosely cover with foil. Let the meat stand for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Over the past 20 years, I've cooked tri-tip roasts both low & slow and hot & fast in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. In recent years, I've advocated cooking tri-tip hot & fast because it's quick, easy, and tastes great.

Keep the lid on when braising meat, as it needs moist heat over a long period of time to break down the collagen and connective tissues for fork-tender results. "Pot covered, the ingredient you are braising gets continuously bathed in these steaming and simmering liquids, which the item flavors in turn," says Welsh.

What is the best liquid for braising beef? ›

Braising liquid is traditionally stock and wine; however, beer emphasizes other flavors in meats. Stock emphasizes the meat flavor, while wine and beer diversify the profile. Wine works in any braise, increasing depth, nuance and acidity.

Keep in mind the meat will release about a third of its weight in the form of fat and juice into the braising liquid as it cooks. Add only enough liquid to come halfway up the meat, no more.

Making My Hot and Fast Tri-Tip

Our rub mixture of my Simple Citrus and Garlic Jalapeno rubs, chopped rosemary, and ground black pepper created a beautiful crust on this tri-tip. I ran my Traeger at 500 degrees F, cooking hot and fast, and pulled it out after about 30 minutes. It was so tender and juicy.

Using a sharp knife, cut small slits in the top of the roast; insert garlic slices into the slits. Mix salt, pepper, and garlic salt together in a small bowl; rub all over the tri-tip and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Remove tri-tip from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before grilling.