Korean-inspired tri-tip
Difficulty Rating: 
Experimenting with bold, Asian flavors is a great way to switch up a classic tri-tip recipe.
Ingredients
1 Chairman’s Reserve® Beef tri-tip
3 to 6 tablespoons Big Poppa’s Double Secret Steak Rub
1 bottle We Rub You Korean BBQ Marinade
½ cup peanuts, crushed (for garnish)
1 to 3 tablespoons chives, chopped (for garnish)
Directions
- Preheat smoker to 275°F or “smoke” setting. Optional: have another grill set up to high-heat direct searing.
- While smoker is preheating, keep the tri-tip in the Korean BBQ marinade. It can be left in the marinade up to 4 hours.
- Pull from marinade, and season liberally with Big Poppa’s Double Secret Steak Rub (or to taste) — let spices/salt “melt” into meat, around 10 minutes.
- Put on smoker and smoke until internal temperature is at 128°F (around 15 to 20 minutes per side) — once internal temperature is reached, pull from smoker and set aside.
- Increase smoker temp and set up for direct searing/grilling (or use additional grill for this).
- Once ready, sear the tri-tip on both sides (around 5 minutes per side) and pull when internal temp of 140°F is reached.
- Rest the meat for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Slice against the grain, and garnish with crushed peanuts and chives — serve immediately.
Pro tip: Most people who are unfamiliar with tri-tip end up cooking it to 128°F — at that internal temp, it is tough and chewy. The structure of tri-tip needs additional rendering/cooking, and at 140°F internal temperature it is still very pink, but tender.
Pro tip: You can use this recipe and leave out the Korean marinade, peanuts and chives for a classic tri-tip flavor. You can also experiment with different marinades and seasonings. Tri-Tip leftovers are also great in sandwiches, tacos or salads.
Recipe courtesy of pitmaster Sterling Ball.
