Smoked Tri-Tip Pastrami with Beef Tallow
Pastrami has long been a symbol of old-school deli craftsmanship, but there’s something unforgettable about taking that heritage and giving it a backyard barbecue twist. This smoked tri-tip pastrami was born from the idea of blending patience, smoke, and old-world technique with a cut of beef that’s pure California flavor. Tri-tip, known for its rich marbling and deep beefiness, transforms during a week-long brine into something remarkably tender and savory. The pepper-forward spice crust and hint of mustard play beautifully against hickory smoke, creating an aroma that clings to the cool evening air. The final wrap in rendered beef tallow locks in moisture and gives every slice a buttery, silky finish. The result is a pastrami that walks the line between tradition and rebellion — everything you’d expect from a true pitmaster’s experiment gone right.
Hickory Smoked Tri-Tip Pastrami Wrapped in Beef Tallow
10
30 minutes
8.5 hours
385
American
Main Dish
This smoked tri-tip pastrami delivers the flavor depth of traditional brisket pastrami in a fraction of the time. What makes this recipe stand out is how the tri-tip’s dense grain responds to the Jaccard tenderizing, allowing the curing brine to fully penetrate over a seven-day rest. Once cured, it’s cold soaked to balance saltiness before being blanketed in a simple but assertive rub of black pepper, coriander, garlic, and onion. The slow hickory smoke builds a bark with an earthy edge, while the beef tallow wrap turns the final cook into pure magic — sealing in the juices and amplifying that rich, old-world flavor. The first slice reveals that signature cured pink hue with a smoky crust that rivals any deli pastrami. This is backyard barbecue with an artisan’s touch, where patience meets payoff in every single bite.
Ingredients
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- 1 (4 to 5 pound) tri-tip roast, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 gallon distilled water
- ¾ cup kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons pickling spice
- 2 teaspoons pink curing salt #1 (Prague Powder #1)
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- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
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- ¼ cup beef tallow
- Hickory wood (chunks or pellets)
Directions
- Tenderize and Brine: Use a Jaccard tenderizer to puncture the tri-tip evenly. In a non-reactive container, combine distilled water, kosher salt, pickling spice, and pink curing salt until fully dissolved. Place the tri-tip into a brining bag, pour in the brine, remove the air, and seal tightly. Refrigerate for 7 days, flipping the bag daily.
- Desalinate: After 7 days, remove the tri-tip from the brine and rinse with cold water. Place in a pot, cover with cold water, and refrigerate for 8 hours to draw out excess salt.
- Dry and Rest: Pat the tri-tip completely dry with paper towels and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour before smoking.
- Preheat the Smoker: Set your smoker to 250°F using hickory wood for rich, balanced smoke flavor.
- Season the Meat: In a small bowl, mix together black pepper, coriander, garlic, onion, and mustard powder. Coat the tri-tip evenly on all sides with the rub.
- Smoke: Place the tri-tip on the smoker and cook for 5½ to 6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 170°F.
- Wrap with Tallow: Lay out a double layer of butcher paper and spread the beef tallow roughly the size of the roast. Place the tri-tip on top and wrap tightly. Return to the smoker and continue cooking for another 1 to 1½ hours, until the internal temperature reaches 201°F.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the wrapped tri-tip from the smoker and rest at room temperature for 1 hour. Unwrap, slice thin against the grain, and serve.
