Keeping Tri-Tip moist in Chaffing Dish

[The Midnight Smoker BBQ]

So I am going to do tri Tip on-site for the first time and I have a question. After I slice it and place in the chaffing dish how do I keep it from drying out? Do you guys add a bit of beef broth to the dish? If so, how much?
Thanks
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Steve Whiting
The Midnight Smoker BBQ
SJG, Genesis EP-320, 22" OTG/Cajun Bandit Conversion with Rib-O-Lator, 22" Platinum, Jumbo Big Drum Smoker, Lang 60 Deluxe

[Geronimo]

I have done a LOT of tri-tips and the first time I did it, I did so just as you mentioned....it dried out

So from then on, I sliced it as they came through the line...people really like the little extra attention too as they tell you how much they want.

Cut it thin across the grain for best results.
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[fireman_pete]

I do ALOT of Tri-Tip for catering. No kidding, over the last 2 months I have cooked more than 1,000 pounds of tri-tip.

The ONLY way we serve it is via a carving station and slice to serve for the guests.

We cook to 130* IT, then wrap in foil and place in a cambro. Pull out a tri-tip as needed and slice to serve.

I have not found a good way to keep sliced tri-tip fresh in a chaffing pan.

Just my two cents!

Pete

[The Midnight Smoker BBQ]

Thanks for the help guys. Looks like I will be keeping the TT in my Carlisle and carving as needed.
_________________
Steve Whiting
The Midnight Smoker BBQ
SJG, Genesis EP-320, 22" OTG/Cajun Bandit Conversion with Rib-O-Lator, 22" Platinum, Jumbo Big Drum Smoker, Lang 60 Deluxe

[Harry Nutczak]

I agree with others, slice it to order. Start with a quality knife that is honed to being as sharp as a razor, you should be able to shave the hair off your arm with no pulling, have a steel handy and run the blade across the steel as needed during carving to keep a fine edge. If your knife is mediocre, you'll be hating life for a few days from wrist and arm pain,

If we want to add a little showiness to an event, we'll run the tri-tip across a hot charcoal-fueled grill to give it some color before going in the pit
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[Geronimo]

[PorkQPine]

I set up a carving station for slicing tri-tip to order. It really sets us apart from most of the other caterers as well as the restaurants. You are there anyway, it doesn't slow down the line much and the labor cost is only marginally increased and the wow factor more than offsets the time and effort.

[frankncali]

[quote="fireman_pete"]I do ALOT of Tri-Tip for catering. No kidding, over the last 2 months I have cooked more than 1,000 pounds of tri-tip.

The ONLY way we serve it is via a carving station and slice to serve for the guests.

We cook to 130* IT, then wrap in foil and place in a cambro. Pull out a tri-tip as needed and slice to serve.

I have not found a good way to keep sliced tri-tip fresh in a chaffing pan.

Just my two cents!

Pete




Interesting 130 degrees

I know it will rise a little but that's serving it pretty rare isn't it?
Just curious as I do a decent amount and usually go a little higher. I like to pull at about 140 and let it rest for a good 25-20 mins.

What temp do you smoke at?
Last time I did 10 and we smoked at 250 and then wrapped and moved to oven to finish to temp. I don't like them with a really strong smokey taste.
Seems like I pulled them all between 45 and one hour. Always seems to be a little different.

Sounds like you do a lot of Tri Tip and do it well!

[Geronimo]

For personal use I like the 130-135 also but for catering most people like it a little more on the med-well side so I pull around 140-145 and if some run over that, I serve those to the ones that like it well done.
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Where rumors end and legend lives forever...

[PorkQPine]

I cook until 125 deg. and put it in the Cambro for an hour. The temp rises so that it is cooked to med. rare.

[fireman_pete]

I shot for 130* IT, but on most cases, some of the cuts will be 140*. We cook at 275* for about an hour to 90 minutes, depending on the size of the cut. We then wrap in foil (tightly) and hold in a cambro for at least 30-45 minutes. When I am slicing all of the meat is usally medium, some of the smalled ones are more well. Allows me to serve the client the different cuts they like.

We are cooking on our traegers using a 50/50 mix of hickory and apple pellets. The smoke is very mild, and nice.

[quote="frankncali"]

[The Midnight Smoker BBQ]

Well the gig was on Saturday and all went well. Along with the Pulled Pork and Chicken i did 18 Tri Tips. Pulled at around 140 and foiled. I took everyones advice and set up a carving station. Had help from a friend who owns an italian restaurant to do the slicing while I worked the pit. Thanks for the good advice.
_________________
Steve Whiting
The Midnight Smoker BBQ
SJG, Genesis EP-320, 22" OTG/Cajun Bandit Conversion with Rib-O-Lator, 22" Platinum, Jumbo Big Drum Smoker, Lang 60 Deluxe

[Geronimo]

If (and I rarely did) wrap in foil I did so loosely (at least one open end). Too tight and the meat "steams" and loses too much of it juiciness)...great if you're going to make gravy

Yes, I tried serving the "juice" as Au-Jus but didn't like it too much.

BTW, Tri-Tip is GREAT served with horseradish on the side.
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Where rumors end and legend lives forever...

[PorkQPine]

I can't tell you how hard it is to watch someone pour BBQ sauce on my tri-tip but I just smile and think to myself that that poor person doesn't have a clue how to BBQ and so their BBQ is so bad that they are used to pouring on sauce to cover up their miserable BBQ. Out here in CA the most popular sauce besides regular BBQ sauce is Chipotle Mayo. When I do a job that has lots of our southern border residents I make sure I have lots of Chipotle Mayo on hand.

[1buckie]

[TOPS BBQ]

I too have cooked thousands of pounds (smoked). I remove from the smoker at 135-degrees. Keep in Cambro stacked on top of each other, no foil (about 12 to a full hotel pan). I let them sit in there for about 30-minutes and I use a meat slicer. Then back into the Cambro(s). Pull them out in foil tins to the chaffer as needed. Never had a problem with drying out, unless it sat for hours or the chaffing dish was too hot.

BBQ sauce? I don't add it and I don't provide it (except a little on ribs). I may have had a couple of people ask over the years, but I just explain it's not what we do. Haven't had a complaint.

If I have to carve by hand, that's going to add a lot more money to the bill. I would do it if asked, but they would pay too.
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www.TOPS-BBQ.com (Competition Team & Caterer)

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[Geronimo]

[cjschuckwagon]

i found through the years that what works best for me, i fully cook the t tip to med rare, then slice and cool it properly. store in cooler.
bring to temp a large double boiler full of au jus ( made from thee marinade, strained and boiled, then diluted to taste )
drop in one bag of sliced t tip, 30 seconds later hot to trot, no loss of quality, uncooked stays on ice, no loss of product....nice and juicy....if interested,google cline's tritip...cj

[PorkQPine]

[cjschuckwagon]

when you are cooking in the outdoors with moderate facilities at best, you do what works.

i have cooked green beans in an ice chest using the water i just boiled the potatoes with...cj