Tri Tips cooking different rates

[fuzzball]

I’m trying to cook a couple of tri-tips. Both are about 1.7 pounds each. Put them on the smoker at the same time from same starting temperature. One of them keeps reading a solid 15° lower temp than the other. Making about a 45 minute difference in target temp time.

Wondering if my probing on one of them is just not the best spot or could there be another reason for significant cook time difference between these two similar tri-tips?

 

[MOSmoke]

Have you identified the hot spots on your grill? If you have one of them over a hotter part of your smoker it will impact your cooking time. I have a Bull, and I know the left side runs hotter so depending on what I’m smoking I usually favor the right side unless I’m trying to move things along quicker.

 

[Ol' Smokey]

Have you identified the hot spots on your grill? If you have one of them over a hotter part of your smoker it will impact your cooking time. I have a Bull, and I know the left side runs hotter so depending on what I’m smoking I usually favor the right side unless I’m trying to move things along quicker.

Thats what i was going to say. Flip flop them mid cook.....

 

[RattleR]

Mad cow vs happy cow or um maybe a cow that lays on its left side compared to one that lays on its right side? Joking on Tri tip but have read it can really change tenderness on brisket. Unless that was an old wives tale.

 

[fuzzball]

Thanks for the responses. Good point on the hot spots. I don't know where those are yet, but maybe I now have an idea. I did swap them, and ultimately the slower one mostly caught up, but then I ended up overcooking it a little. Still good, but it was just starting to get a little dry (totally edible). I'll keep the spots in mind (think the left side is my hot spot).

 

[Roaniecowpony]

To me, tri-tip is best when cooked medium rare like a steak, then sliced about 1/8" cross grain. I do put some smoke on them by smoking as low a temperature as I can for maybe an hour or up to 2 hours to get just below the core target temperature, then sear. Or front sear and then smoke to medium rare.

 

[SmokeOCD]

Thanks for the responses. Good point on the hot spots. I don't know where those are yet, but maybe I now have an idea. I did swap them, and ultimately the slower one mostly caught up, but then I ended up overcooking it a little. Still good, but it was just starting to get a little dry (totally edible). I'll keep the spots in mind (think the left side is my hot spot).

Make toast. Cheaper than practicing with meat.
Cover the grate with white bread and figure out the hot spots.

 

[Jim6820]

Make toast. Cheaper than practicing with meat.
Cover the grate with white bread and figure out the hot spots.

And have some butter and jam handy so you can eat the results.