Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Tri-Tip 4-2-11

Options
GeorgiaBorn
GeorgiaBorn Posts: 178
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Last summer I did a tri-tip that I bought from Publix. It was amazing. Several months ago I went against my boycott of Costco meat and bought a couple of tri-tips. I did one in January that was just ok. I did the last one (thank goodness) Saturday night.

My recipe was the same. Rub 24 hours in advance. Sear 3 minutes a side at 600-650. Pull tr-tip, cover in foil and set up BGE for indirect. Cool BGE down to 300. Throw in 3-4 chunks of apple and black cherry wood and cook for about 30-45 minutes until internal temp reaches 130 degrees basting with BBQ sauce and turning every 10 minutes. Comes out a perfect medium rare.

Unfortunately while the roast looked amazing, it was like eating shoe leather. I hate one of the sandwiches pictured and threw the rest of the tri-tip in the trash. Oh, my dog liked it. NO MORE MEAT FROM COSTCO FOR ME!

Enjoy the pictures.....

Rubbed and Ready To Cook
IMG_1546.jpg


BGE at 650. Starting To Sear
IMG_1549.jpg

Side One Seared. Flipped.
IMG_1550.jpg


Searing Complete. BGE Down to 300. Indirect Cook Set Up.
IMG_1551.jpg

Still My Favorite Sight. Sweet Smoke Billowing From BGE
IMG_1552.jpg


Basted and Done. 130 Internal Temp.
IMG_1554.jpg

10 Minute Rest and Sliced.
IMG_1555.jpg

Sandwiches
IMG_1556.jpg

I Had To Really Lighten This Picture So You Could See My Rottie Nicky. She Loved The Tri-Tip!
IMG_1557-1.jpg
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • boston_stoker
    boston_stoker Posts: 794
    Options
    I've never had problems with Costco's meat, but I don't buy Tri-tip there.

    Have you had bad luck with other cuts there?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GeorgiaBorn
    GeorgiaBorn Posts: 178
    Options
    Like I have said before, it's usually hit or miss with me. I have bought whole rib eyes that were great and others that absolutely suck. I have about 15 cut rib eyes in my freezer that I cut from a whole roast that are terrible. More or less a complete waste.

    The Publix near my house in Canton, GA has amazing meat. The best steaks I buy anywhere and most of the butchers know me there and actually call me when they have certain things that go on sale like porterhouse steaks. They will hold some for me and special cut them to the thickness I like.

    I just don't buy meat at Costco anymore.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Options
    Neither Publix nor Costco raise their own cattle. You run the risk of a bad piece of meat just about anywhere. Sometimes you just happen to get the rough and tough SOB that was hitting the gym 5 times a week instead of laying in the shade chewing cud. It happens.

    Any chance that freezing it for several months may have degraded the beef a little? How was is packaged before freezing? How was it thawed?

    I'm not trying to defend Costco, but there are too many moving pieces here to pin the blame directly on them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Options
    Take those 15 cut ribeyes and have them ground for burgers. At least not a total waste.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GeorgiaBorn
    GeorgiaBorn Posts: 178
    Options
    Great idea Photo Egg! Thanks :)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GeorgiaBorn
    GeorgiaBorn Posts: 178
    Options
    Good questions Fidel. I don't know. Does freezing after a certain amount of time ruin meat? They were vacuum sealed with a FoodSaver. Thawed in the fridge for about 36 hours.

    The Publix I shop at is so damn consistent with their meat. When their porterhouse steaks go on sale for $6.99 to $7.99 a pound, I buy 5-6 of them and freeze them the same way mentioned above. I can take one out after 3-4 months, thaw it and Egg it and it will be as tender and tasty as one that was never frozen.

    A little over a year ago, I went to Costco and they had their whole choice rib eyes marked and priced as whole briskets for $2.19 a pound. I pointed it out to the butcher there, who said "your lucky day". I bought all six they had and sold 3 to my neighbor. I cut them into 1.5" steaks. One of the whole ones was amazing, almost like prime. The other two are terrible. I have given some of the steaks away, cooked some and like I said have about 15 left.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tsheehan7
    tsheehan7 Posts: 105
    Options
    Funny, the Publix stores I go to in Marietta and Woodstock are about as inconsistent as I"ve ever seen with their beef. I had one of the best bone-in ribeyes in my life from Publix, and then followed it up with 3-4 of the worst steaks I've ever tasted.

    Costco, while not amazing, has always had far more consitency for me. At least the one on Windward Pkwy.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories