TheMeatGuy: October 2009

The Tri-tip is one of the most versatile and economical cuts we sell. The "tri" part comes from it's triangular shape (that's the shape with three sides for those of you who are geometrically challenged) and it is the very tip of the sirloin muscle, where it connects to the round. It is tender enough for steak or yaki-niku, and it has enough flavor to make a great roast or carving
piece. Smoked tri-tip is awesome, below is quick way to smoke one on a gas grill (that we sell!).

Smokin' with GAS!

I have a real smoker, a nice little box that I
build a charcoal fire under and slow roast briskets for hours.
But when you start with a piece of meat as tender and tasty as Meyer
Natural Angus tri-tip, sparking up the smoker would be a bit of an
overkill. Luckily, you can smoke on a gas grill just fine, here
is how you do it.

	Getting Started: You need some wood chips, pretty much any home center has these for sale in a variety of flavors. I can never decide which flavor, so I just get the mix. I have a well used little metal tray that I got from 100 yen store (105yen) but you can make do with foil in a pinch. Soak the chips for about 10 minutes while you heat up the grill.
	Meet the Meat: This is a beautiful little tri-tip, tightly trimmed. Season it a little, you want some salt in your seasoning, this softens the proteins on the surface and makes them tacky--this helps the smoke penetrate and stick to the meat. It will come out better if you let the meat sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before putting it on the grill.
	Load up the grill: Put the smoke-chips on one side and the meat on the other.
	Crank it up: Turn the burner that is below the wood chops up to high. I've customized my grill with a nice little "11" so that I know I've got it turned up just right, I suggest you do the same. Turn the other burner off, all the way off.
	Smokin'!: After about 15 minutes or so you should have smoke rolling out of the grill and things will start to smell great! I used to have this friend in college, everybody called him "Shaggy", his car looked like this most of the time...
	Almost there: After about 45 minutes, if you have successfully resisted the urge to peak, the tri-tip should be about ready. All the wood chips will have burned up and the meat should look cooked. If you squeeze it with some thongs it should be springy but not wobbly, like a good beer-belly.
	Resting: Both you and the meat deserve a little time-out. You've been watching a smoking grill and drinking beer for nearly an hour. Take 10, this will allow the beef to finish cooking and let the juices sink back into the meat.
	Ba-Booooom!: Now you've got one of the best pieces of meat you could hope to sink your teeth into. If this tri-tip were scotch it would be single-malt, barrel aged, 20 years old. You should have cooked more...