Perfect Brisket For Two In Under 8 Hours on a Komodo Kamado
Tri-Tip Cooked Like a Baby Brisket
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Introduction
A Dry-Aged Tri-Tip Treated Like a Brisket
What's up BBQ fans! One of the most common questions I get is, "Jake, you cook a ton of meat. What do you do with it all?" There are only two of us, and my wife eats way healthier than I do. So my neighbors love me, and my team of 25 at the office gets BBQ Mondays.
A lot of people don't want to cook a whole brisket for a small group. So today we're making brisket for two: a tri-tip, cooked just like a brisket, on the Komodo Kamado.
The Rub
I started with fresh cracked pepper from the Pepper Cannon (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). My BBQ bottle already had a 2-to-1 mix of pepper and salt, and I added about a tablespoon of fresh pepper.
Then I mixed in Cattleman's Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub (use code: RUMANDCOOK11 to save 11%). It has salt, black pepper, celery seed and dehydrated garlic. I eyeballed about 1½ to 2 tablespoons, enough for both sides. You can use it on its own, too.
The Meat
This was a dry-aged tri-tip from Porter Road. Honestly, it's great as just a steak, but it's been a long time since I did one as a brisket.
Trim: I left the fat cap on and just leveled one thick spot, closer to ½ inch, down to about ¼ inch. Unlike a brisket, this fat is super soft and cuts easily.
Binder: I don't use one very often, but with a coarse rub and 30 mph gusts, I wanted it to stick. I used W sauce. One of my subscribers turned me on to it a couple of years ago, and every person I've introduced it to has loved it. Not sponsored.
Season heavy. With that extra moisture, you can pack the coarse rub on.
Pro tip: the grain on a tri-tip shifts from one end to the other. Remember that when you slice, or it'll be chewier than it should be. It's not the cut of meat, it's how you cut it.
The Setup
Fuel: Komodo Kamado Coco Char, with white oak I cut for my woodpile and Bear Mountain Cherry.
Temp: 250°F for the first few hours, then a bump to 275°F after the wrap.
The Cook
Smoke at 250°F. At 3 hours, it had shrunk a bit and looked great. I gave it a light spritz.
Pull to wrap at about 170°F. On a traditional brisket I might go to 180 to 195°F before wrapping, but tri-tip is lean, so I wrapped earlier to keep the juices in.
Wrap with tallow. A generous coating of beef tallow, almost as much as I use on a big brisket, then wrapped tight in paper, fat cap up, just like a full packer. It's the cutest little brisket ever.
Cook to probe tender. It hit about 201 to 202°F.
The Overnight Hold
It was getting dark and windy, so I treated it like a full-size brisket. I let it cool for a good 45 minutes, then held it in my oven at 155°F for about 18 hours.
I punctured a small hole in the paper, so some tallow leaked out, but that just gave me more to pour back over the top.
Taste Test
It shrank a fair amount, but it was nice and tender. Slicing is tricky: it's hard to cut brisket-style, and I started the wrong way before switching to against the grain. It's lean, so it can look a little dry, but don't let that fool you. It's quite tasty, and with the tallow poured over it, even better. The bark was great, the smoke was great and the texture was great.
Final Thoughts
If you want brisket flavor without cooking a 10 to 16 lb packer, this absolutely hits the spot. Rub it heavy, smoke it at 250°F, wrap it with tallow around 170°F and cook it to probe tender. I turned mine into sandwiches with a nice cold beer.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
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