The Best Smoked Tri Tip Chili Recipe - Hey Grill, Hey (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to smoke tri tip at 225? ›

The amount of time it takes to cook a tri tip depends on the size and also the level of doneness you're going for. At 225 degrees Fahrenheit, a 2-pound tri tip takes an hour for rare, to an hour and a half for medium-rare. A 3-pound tri tip requires about 90 minutes for rare, and 2 hours for medium-rare.

Place tri-tip on smoker unwrapped for 60-90 minutes. Cook until internal temperature reaches 125 – 130 degrees F for rare and remove. Wrap tri-tip in foil and let rest for 15 minutes. When slicing any cut of beef, it's important to slice against or perpendicular to the grains.

Smoking tri-tip and other lean cuts of beef is great because you allow the meat to cook evenly on the inside. Smoking and then searing tri tip gives you perfectly even meat with a beautiful crust.

The simplest is to add liquid smoke, which will start building a smoky flavor, and is a nice addition to most chili, but doesn't bring the same thing to the party as real smoke does. Another way you can add a smoky flavor to your chili is to add a BBQ or hot sauce to your mixture that already has a smoky flavor to it.

Place the tri-tip in the smoker, fat side up, and cook until an internal temperature of 120-125°F for medium-rare. This will typically take 60 - 90 minutes, depending on the size of the tri-tip and the temperature of your smoker. Preheat a skillet over high heat. Remove the tri-tip from the smoker.

Need a refresher on temperatures for beef and steak? Check out my post for Internal Temperatures for Meat. After the steak has been slow smoked, sear it in a cast iron skillet for 2-3 minutes per side. I also like to let my tri tip rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

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.

I've done this enough to know about what it needs to look like in order to get a good result. For this tri-tip, I coated one side and then flipped it over to do the other side.

If your roast is frozen, we recommend thawing it in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours. Once thawed, remove your roast from the refrigerator at least one hour (but not more than two hours) before cooking to allow the roast to come to room temperature. Season your Tri-Tip roast well.

Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F. I like to use a strong wood like oak or hickory. Season the meat. Season the tri tip on all sides with the Beef Seasoning or equal parts salt, pepper, or garlic powder.

Why does my tri-tip come out tough? ›

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.

If your tri-tips come with the fat layer intact, you can leave it as-is, or trim it to 1/4″ thick, or trim most of it off as you see here. If you leave the fat on, the only differences will be the length of cooking time and the amount of trimming you'll have to do before slicing.

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

If your tri-tips come with the fat layer intact, you can leave it as-is, or trim it to 1/4″ thick, or trim most of it off as you see here. If you leave the fat on, the only differences will be the length of cooking time and the amount of trimming you'll have to do before slicing.

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.