Smoked Beef Tri-Tip & Lone Star Hot BBQ Sauce

Smoked Beef Tri-Tip & Lone Star Hot BBQ Sauce

This recipe is courtesy of Chef Victor Paez of Austin’s Restaurant, Mountain View, California and is perfect for an adventerous day's grilling this July 4th weekend! 
Chef Victor says "the tri-tip is a lean, boneless, economical cut of meat taken from the bottom sirloin of the cow. The tri-tip roast is also called a triangle roast. It has great texture and flavor and tends to be lower in fat than most other cuts of beef. Ordering from a butcher is the best way to obtain the proper cut."
Quantities can be double or tripled if you are cooking for a large group.
As with all barbecuing recipes exercise caution and proper safety methods when using your grill.

One beef tri-tip should make approximately 6 - 8 servings.

Smoked Beef Tri-Tip Ingredients: 
4 Tbsp. paprika 
2 Tbsp. chili powder 
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper 
1 Tbsp. garlic powder 
1 Tbsp. ground ginger 
1 Tbsp. dry mustard 
2 Tbsp. Kosher Salt 
2 Tbsp. fresh ground pepper 
1 Tri-Tip Roast (1.5-2.5 lbs)

Lone Star Hot BBQ Sauce: 
1/2 small jalapeno pepper 
1/2 small chopped yellow onion 
1 1/2 cup Ketchup 
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar 
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar 
2 tsp. red pepper flakes 
2 Tbsp. root beer 
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions fo the Lone Star Hot BBQ Sauce:
Puree the pepper and onion in a food processor then combine with remaining ingredients. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth, then simmer over medium heat for 1 hour. Chill the portion you don't use immediately.

Instructions for the Smoked Beef Tri-Tip:
Sift the first 6 ingredients together. Then combine them with the salt and pepper and mix well. Use the spice rub to coat all sides of the tri-tip liberally, approximately 2 ounces per tri-tip. Letting the meat sit briefly at room temperature is fine; it will allow the spice rub to penetrate the fabric of the meat much better.

Smoking is a process where by meat is cooked with the indirect application of heat from smoldering wood, usually at low temperatures, such as 225 F. The smoke of the burning wood adds significant flavor to the meat. Use different woods to infuse different flavors into the roast. Due to the lower temperature, smoking meat takes much longer time than grilling. You'll need to prepare your fire. Although a gas grill is less work, you can use a kettle charcoal grill and burn mesquite, which can reach 700 degrees F. Make sure you have clearance overhead. You shouldn't be near trees, cables and roofs. Build a cone shape in the middle of the base. We like to have a piece of oak soaking in water while we get the mesquite going. Douse the mesquite with starter fluid once, then wait five minutes and repeat. Wait another minute or two, then strike a match. The flame will reach 5-6 ft., SO STEP BACK QUICKLY AND BE CAREFUL!

Wait for the coals to turn white so that all starter fluid has burned off and coals are at their hottest. Rake coals to one side of the base and put the grill top back on. Place the tri-tip (or two or three tri tips) over the hot coals and sear on both sides to seal in the spices and the juices. Searing can be also done on a gas grill. When you are satisfied with the exterior color, remove the meat to a platter. Lift the grill and add the moist piece of oak over the coals. As mentioned earlier, the main source of heat will be on one side of the base. The objective is to cook over indirect heat. Put your grill back on and place the meat over the side opposite the fire. You will need to open the vents on the bottom and the lid of your kettle grill. Most gas grills will allow you to regulate heat in the same fashion. Remember to add wet oak wood or chips for flavor.

Cooking a tri-tip will take about 30-45 minutes. Cook until the meat reaches 130-145 F, depending on how rare you want it. The longer you let the meat cook under the hood of the grill, the more the meat will taste of smoke. In any case allow the meat to rest 10 minutes before carving, so that the juices won't bleed out.

Just remember, in Texas the BBQ sauce is always on the side so the meat can speak for itself. Feel free to use our simple Lone Star Hot BBQ Sauce recipe to compliment your meat.