This fantastic tri-tip brisket style recipe takes tri-tip roast to new and unbelievably delicious heights. Brisket style? Yes, you read that right.
You can smoke tri-tip just as you would a brisket. The only difference is that the tri-tip is a great budget-friendly option that takes less time to cook, yields a smaller amount of meat, has the same tenderness, and it is just as flavorful as smoked brisket. The smoking process breaks down the connective tissue, and yields tender morsels of meat.
This brisket style tri-tip, also called a “trisket,” will take about 6 hours to cook. And the best part is that it doesn’t require lots of ingredients. Furthermore, you can cook this roast on any outdoor grill or smoker including a simple charcoal grill, kamado, offset smoker, or a pellet grill. Follow my easy-to-use recipe guide, and let’s get started!
“Trisket” 101:
- Wood: I recommend using pecan, cherry, or oak wood for this cut of meat. However, if you’d like a more robust smoky flavor, use mesquite or hickory or a combination of robust and a mild woods.
- Fuel: This recipe will take anywhere from 4-6+ hours of cooking time. This depends on the size of the roast and the type of cooker you’ll be using. Take stock of your fuel supply before cooking and replenish accordingly.
- Temperature: The cooking temperature for this brisket style tri-tip is 225 degrees F.
- Doneness: Unlike other tri-tip recipes where the roast is pulled at an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees (medium), this brisket-style tri-tip is pulled at 200 degrees F. Use a reliable instant-read thermometer or temperature monitoring device to help you get this off the smoker at the right time.
- Spritzing: You will need a kitchen-safe spray bottle and a warmed liquid like beef broth or cider vinegar to the tri-tip.
- Wrapping and Resting: I recommend using peach butcher paper to wrap the tri-tip. However, if you’d prefer a steamed finish, then use aluminum foil. Plan on a resting time of 45-60 minutes. See instructions below for more detail.
- Sourcing: Tri-tips are fairly easy to find at more supermarkets, bulk food stores, and through local butchers. We sourced ours through Porter Road, and it was one of the best tri-tips we’ve ever had.
Tri-Tip Brisket Style Ingredients:
- 1 tri tip roast, 2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons SPG for Beef
- Cider vinegar
- Butcher Paper
Steps to Make It:
- Prepare your grill or smoker for 225 degrees, and add your preferred hardwood chunks or chips.
- Trim down the fat cap from your trip tip roast to about 1/8″ thick.
- Some folks like to brush mustard onto the meat before applying the rub. This recipe doesn’t require it, but you are more than welcome to use mustard if you’d like to.
- Apply SPG (salt, pepper, garlic) rub evenly to the roast. Please note that you can use a more traditional brisket dry rub that contains paprika, cumin, and other spices instead of SPG.
Cooking a Tri-Tip Brisket Style:
Place seasoned tri-tip roast onto the grill grates, close the lid, and let it go for 1 1/2-2 hours.
Once that time has passed, check on the roast. By now you will notice that the bark has been set up, and smoke spots might look a little dry. That is a good indication that the meat needs spritzing. Fill a clean food-safe spray bottle with cider vinegar, and spritz the meat to add some moisture. Don’t over spray.
Close the lid and continue cooking for another 1 more hour or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F.
Wrapping:
- Once the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F, it’s time to wrap. Use a 14″-16″ sheet of peach butcher paper to wrap the tri-tip, and place it back into the smoker.
- Close the lid and continue cooking until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.
Resting and Slicing Your Tri-tip:
- Remove the wrapped tri-tip from your grill or smoker. Cover it in a clean kitchen towel, and place it on your counter top or in a cooler. Let it rest for 45 to 60 minutes before carving.
- After the resting period, unwrap your brisket style tri-tip and place it onto a clean cutting board. Follow the grain of the meat as shown in the diagram above. Cut the the smoked beef roast in half, and then each section into thin slices. Serve with coleslaw, baked beans, and a heaping helping of funeral potatoes!
- Store your leftover smoked “trisket” in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Like this recipe? Try these!
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Tri-Tip Brisket Style
Ingredients
- 1 tri tip roast 2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons SPG for Beef
- 1/3 cup Cider vinegar
- Butcher Paper
Instructions
- Prepare your grill or smoker for 225 degrees. Add your preferred hardwood.
- Trim down the fat cap from your trip tip roast to about 1/8″ thick.
- Apply SPG for Beef Rub evenly to the roast.
- Place seasoned tri-tip roast onto the grates, close the lid, and let it go for 1 1/2-2 hours.
- By now you will notice that the rub on the “trisket” has set up, and starting to look at little dry. That is a good indication that the meat needs a BBQ spritz. Fill a clean food-safe spray bottle with cider vinegar, and spritz the meat about 4-5 times.
- Close the lid and continue cooking for another hour or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Once the thickest part of the meat reaches 165 degrees F, it’s time to wrap. Use a 14″-16″ sheet of butcher paper to wrap the tri-tip, and place it back into the smoker.
- Continue cooking the brisket style tri tip until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.
- Remove the wrapped tri-tip from your grill or smoker. Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, and place it on you counter. Let it rest for 45 to 60 minutes
- Unwrap your brisket style tri-tip and place it onto a clean cutting board. Follow the grain of the meat as shown in the diagram. Cut the the smoked beef roast in half, and then each section into thin slices. Serve with coleslaw, baked beans, and throw in a heaping helping of funeral potatoes!
- Store your leftover smoked trisket in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
All images on this post were taken by Sabrina Baksh for derrickriches.com
3 responses to “Tri-Tip Brisket Style”
Best way to cook a Tri Tip period. Only downside, my wife will no longer eat Tri Tip any other way!
Thank you for the great feedback! We are so glad it was a hit.
Made this on a Weber kettle using the snake method. It was a 3 lb. tri-tip, so it took a while. I ended up cranking the heat up to 300 after wrapping it. It turned out great! Just like a brisket. SPG was tasty too. Thanks!