It seems to me that Santa Maria Tri-tip was originally (and still is along the coast of Central California) cooked over an open pit similar to this.
So what if I cooked one on the bottom rack of my WSM with the lid OFF? Would I get the same effect as an open pit? Would the distance from the flame be the same or would I want to use the top rack instead? And what differences could I expect not using the lid? Has anyone tried this?

Steve,

I have heard it was originally done on a large pit skewer, but yeah, over heat like that.

The only problem is that the WSM is not setup for grilling, but it will work.

One of your kettles would be better, IMO.

I did a tip on the WSM with less than stellar results. I pulled it too late, and when I reverse seared it on the WSM it overcooked it slightly, so it wasn't pink inside...

I first cooked it on the top shelf of the WSM, then took the entire top off, and placed my 22 1/2" grill over the coals and seared it on the WSM. Didn't produce very good bark/char either.

Normally I sear in the beginning and finish indirect. That seems to work better for me, but I'm still going to try the WSM again.

HTH,

Here's some good info for you Steve. HTH.

Start here.

Good information but Bryan did his cook with the lid on. I guess my thought is to do it with the lid off-Open pit style. I am going to try it and see what happens. Maybe this weekend. I will post my results.

I did one on the middle rack, no lid, and no water pan, a while ago early in the summer. I got a great bark, and it turned out just fine with the exception that I wasn't watching my internal temps close enough and pulled it at 152, and it climbed over 160 and was over done.

It will work just fine if you watch your internal temps.

A Santa Maria style pit has the ability to raise and lower the grill to control the heat reaching the food. Trying to cook over direct heat without that ability might make it difficult to get the meat to the proper doneness both inside and out.

I usually cook tri tip on a Weber kettle indirect and then sear the meat at the end of the cook. Then, while the meat is resting, I make garlic bread on the grill using Johnny's Great Caesar Garlic Spread.

Bill

I do my tris similar to Bill, in fact I think Bill is one of the guys who turned me on to the reverse sear, love it! Tried tris on my WSM, didn't like the end product. I do mine on my kettle or Kamado.

Also remember that traditional open pit tri-tip is cooked over oak not charcoal.

for people reverse searing and over cooking because you catch it too late on the first part ... why not just let the steak cool down first before searing?

Alton brown actually does his rib roast this way, taking the steak up to temp, then removing it for a long while, then just searing it blindly in the oven without a probe.

i suppose you could but i sure couldn't wait that long.

Yeah the only constraint on that is time. But I have a probe inserted in mine usually, and I'm so neurotic I check every two degrees. Idiotic at 60F but I can't help it.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Whiting:
Good information but Bryan did his cook with the lid on. I guess my thought is to do it with the lid off-Open pit style. I am going to try it and see what happens. Maybe this weekend. I will post my results.

For the pork chops I did leave the lid on kind of. Most times when doing the lower grate grilling/smoking thing I leave the lid a skew a bit. Lid is on but not on right. I leave the lid hang over the egde of the rim a bit (about a 1/4" - 1/2") to keep the temps high. All my Tri-Tips are cooked direct on the lower grate, no water pan and the lid hanging off some. HTH