Tri-tip
Place the tri-tip in the brine for 6 hours.
Heat the smoker to 225 degrees.
Dust the tri-tip with a generous amount of the dry rub.
Place the tri-tip on the smoker and cook at 225 degrees for 30 minutes.
Increase the heat to 425 degrees and cook until the internal reaches 125-130 degrees or desired doneness.
Remove the tri-tip from the grill and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Onions
When the tri-tip is first put on the smoker at 225 degrees place the butter into a saute pan over a medium-high heat on the stovetop.
When the butter melts add in the garlic and thyme. Cook 20 seconds until it becomes fragrant.
Add in the onions and salt. Begin to saute to achieve a golden color.
Add in the Cognac and continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated.
Turn the heat to low and let slowly cook until the color becomes deep brown. Approximately 20 minutes.
Continue stirring so it does not burn. The juices coming out of the onions will keep this moist.
Adjust the seasoning with the salt and vinegar as desired. Remove from the heat.
When the tri-tip is finished resting and the onions are evenly brown in color pour the juices that come out of the cooked tri-tip into the onions.
Carefully spoon the caramelized Cognac onions over the tri-tip.
Spread the onions evenly over the tri-tip. Ensure they are spread to all edges of the meat.
Slice, serve and enjoy with the Stateline Road Truffle Sauce.
