The Beef You Need: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Brisket-Style Tri-Tip

I accidentally did this a year ago when my wife was still working from home and she sent me out to run errands for her, so this time is a bit more intentional.

Wanna see how I did it? Keep reading.

INGREDIENTS

One beef tri-tip, approximately 2-3 lbs

Worcestershire sauce

Brisket rub

Fire and Smoke Society's Thundering Longhorn rub

STEP ONE. First things first: Remove the meat from its packaging and pat it dry. Once done, give it a few tablespoons on Worcestershire sauce and spread it all around before applying first the Buc-ees brisket rub and then Fire and Smoke Society's Thundering Longhorn. Allow it to come up to room temperature and as that happens, go outside to light the smoker.

STEP TWO. The smoker is ready for the tri-tip at 250 degrees. Unlike Still Tippin' For Tri-Tip from a couple of years ago where we seared the steak on all sides before cooking indirectly on the grill to an awesome 130 degrees, this tri-tip is going all-in on the brisket-style cook. Don't think much of the time only cook to a temperature of approximately 160 degrees before wrapping it up in butcher paper and returning to the smoke.

STEP THREE. In the miracle of time, the tri-tip is finished at a temperature of 205 degrees. Give it a two-hour rest before slicing and serve alongside some of these other goodies from the past weekend's cook; if this happens to be leftovers, the slices can become taco meat, the base for hash, sandwiches, or anything else that comes to mind. Just don't disrespect your efforts and drown your beef in A-1 or Heinz 57.

Is it as good as regular brisket? Close, but nothing truly replaces that taste.

For a great midweek meal or if it is just too darn hot to babysit a fire or inflation priced you out of brisket - thanks, Moneybagg Joe - brisket-style tri-tip is the ticket. With a little planning ahead, your family will love outdoor cooking a little more. Thanks for reading this post and if you like what you see, try it out and tag me on either blue social media platform or in this blog's comments section. As always, be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

Stepping Up: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Beef Tenderloin

I scored a wicked awesome good deal on beef tenderloin at the grocery store nearest my job the other day. This is probably one of the few mainstream cuts of beef I had never cooked and considering its normal prices, it would have to be a really special occasion such as Juneteenth or Father's Day.

Here is the story of how it went down and how good it tastes.

INGREDIENTS

One beef tenderloin*

Worcestershire sauce

Fire and Smoke Society's Holy Garlic rub

Fire and Society's Thundering Longhorn rub

*With this cut, some barbecuers prefer the center cut such as this one. If you're blessed to get a whole tenderloin, congratulations; the ends can be used for stir fry, amongst other things if the need to square them off arises. 

STEP ONE. Remove the beef tenderloin from its packaging and trim off the silver skin. Slather on the Worcestershire sauce all over it after which apply the Holy Garlic and Thundering Longhorn rubs liberally. Once completed, go outside and light the grill to 250 degrees.

STEP TWO. Once the grill reaches optimal cooking temperature, set the tenderloin indirectly from the coals and let it work. Since this is a premium cut (to me), it is critically important that I don't mess this up by overcooking it. I know there are some of you who like eating well-done steaks and you deserve chicken and cheeseburgers instead but this is neither the time nor the place for mistakes with my hard-earned money. The way your tenderloin is placed on the grill is how it cooks so be aware of that factoid.

STEP THREE. Beef tenderloin is finished at 130 degrees (medium rare). I know stopping at 122 (rare) is ideal and I'm not that brave to do blue rare anything; once this one hit 130, I pulled it off the grill and let it rest for about twenty minutes before slicing. For my small family, I could have given them 1/2 lb steaks but for this exercise, I chose to make them a bit thinner to enjoy with side items or the eventual sandwich. Steakums ain't got nothing on Dub Shack BBQ!

When I say do this, DO. THIS. It took about 90 minutes on my PK from start to finish and since I was also smoking cream cheese, I tended to keep a bit of an eagle eye on this protein during that process. Enjoy the holiday weekend and although we dads have to cook our own dinner (Mom got feted last month), it is another day to eat great barbecue. Be blessed, be safe, and be good to each other and most of all, tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! 

IYKYK

Not Flipper! Dub Shack BBQ Presents Grilled Mahi Mahi

Flipper and his friends at Sea World are safe.

What is mahi mahi, exactly?

I should've brought this guy out several months ago during the #quickienights series but here is dinner. #DubShackBBQ🏚️ #everydayisaGREATdayforbbq #pitmasterlife #igotthesauces #mahimahi🐬 pic.twitter.com/o2wXKE8UYv

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) June 13, 2022

Known as dorado, it is a ray fish dwelling in the warm waters such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a white fish meaning the strong taste associated with some fish such as catfish is minimized. It can be baked but for the purpose of this recipe, my three pieces went outside onto the grill.

INGREDIENTS

Mahi mahi

Olive oil

Big Poppa's Desert Gold barbecue rub

STEP ONE. Thaw out the fish. If you're lucky enough to find a fishmonger, get the best filets you can afford. We know Whole Foods is sometimes called Whole Paycheck; people remember the protein served so get the best your meat budget and deep freezer space allow.

As a trial run, I got mine from Walmart.

STEP TWO. Rub the filets with olive oil and Big Poppa's Desert Gold barbecue rub and set aside for ten minutes. In the meantime, go outside and light the grill! Be certain the grill grates are oiled down so the fish does not stick before putting it on. Once the grill reaches a minimum temperature of 350 degrees, it is time to place the filets on the grill.

Proof that even on rainy days, every day is a GREAT day for barbecue

STEP THREE. Don't go too far away; mahi mahi is done at 137 degrees but I would not dare take it beyond 145 degrees. At six minutes, give it a flip and pull within the next three minutes for a short rest before diving in!

What do you serve with mahi mahi? 

Your choice. However, some of the most commonly suggested side items are asparagus; green salad; and veggie kabobs as you see in this picture below. 

In that quest to lose weight - and keep it off, mahi mahi is a suitable stand-in for the normal fish like tuna and salmon without the feeling of same old, same old. I will do this recipe again as a quick weeknight dinner idea, and I recommend you try it at least once. As always, thanks for reading this post, and if you like it enough to make mahi mahi, do so and share it amongst friends. Be blessed, be safe, and be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!