Wanting a change from brisket, but still looking for a cut of beef to slow-cook, I decided to try a tri-tip roast. They usually average two pounds as typically trimmed by your grocer. This one was a USDA Choice, priced at $2.99/lb. at a local supermarket. I got started at around 11:30am, figuring it to be done, rested and ready to eat by about 5:00pm.

While firing up a Weber chimney-and-a-half of charcoal, I trimmed some fat off the roast to leave about a 1/8-inch layer. I then coated it lightly with olive oil, and sprinkled on some McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning– great on grilled steaks– surprisingly good on slow-cooked beef barbecue. By 12:30pm, the coals were ready and I put the meat on the top grate. I added a large chunk of hickory, and a medium chunk of oak. With the bottom vents all closed, the temp dropped quickly from 315° to 210. I opened two bottom vents about 1/3 each, and the temp rose only to about 225. I then remembered I was using only 3/4 of the amount of charcoal I usually do, so I cracked the 2 vents to about 1/2 open each, which brought me to my target 240-250° range.

Things sailed along fine, and, at about 3:00pm, I broke out the digital probe thermometer to find I was already at 159°. I was going to be done much sooner than anticipated. It’s probably because I didn’t have anything else cooking, so there was nothing but the roast to absorb the heat energy. Within a half hour, I was at 165. No matter– I wrapped it in heavy foil and towels, and put it into a small ice chest to await dinner time. The temperature declined slowly, and since it dropped to 145 before I was ready to eat, I placed it in a 165° warm oven until a little later.

At 5:30pm, I carved it into 1/4-inch thick slices, and served it as-is. It was very tender and had good flavor, but I think I still prefer brisket.

I did a 9.75 pound whole brisket yesterday, and, while not the best I’ve done, it was OK. I didn’t have time for an extended cook, so I decided to forego cooking it whole, and separated the flat from the point and divided the flat approximately in half so I could remove the thinner half if it got done sooner.

The result was an 8 hour cook to reach 185* in the larger flat piece, with temps hanging rock-solid (not exaggerating– I barely nudged the vents twice in 8 hours) at 240*. I left the point on for another 90 minutes– until the coals were on their last legs.

The flat, sliced after resting, was very tender, but not as juicy or flavorful as my last brisket flat. I blame this on a couple of things: One, I was a bit lax on basting, even though I did turn at the half-times (at the 4, 6, and 7 hour marks). Two, it was an $.88/lb. select brisket. I think I can remediate this one with some careful re-heating procedures, though. (Update: a reheat of the sliced brisket in a warm oven in a shallow foil-covered dish with one cup of vegetable broth pre-heated in the microwave, for about 10 minutes did the trick.)

The point I shredded immediately upon removal, gave it a light sprinkle of rub, and mixed well. A taste test proved I’m gonna have some fabulous sandwiches this week.