How to Cook Tri Tip (recipe for oven or grilled!)

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Dairy-Free
Paleo
Low Carb
Keto
Whole30

In this post I walk you through exactly how to cook tri-tip. I have instructions for BOTH oven roasted and grilled! I love it grilled/smoked, so that’s the method I usually use. But it’s also delicious when roasted in the oven! Oven-roasting is the perfect way to use this cut of meat for an easy weeknight meal.

What is tri-tip?

Tri-tip is a boomerang-shaped, triangular cut of beef from very bottom of the bottom sirloin, near the flank steak. It is highly marbled and perfect for grilling, smoking, and roasting. It produces juicy, flavorful slices of beef that are perfect for serving like slices of steak or chopping up and stuffing in tacos!

This triangular shape roast is most commonly found in California, but you can ask most butchers in the US and they’ll know what it is and be able to cut it for you. This classic California cut is actually making waves recently and becoming much more popular in the rest of the US!

This delicious cut of meat is so underrated. It’s super flavorful, juicy, and an affordable alternative to steaks or beef tenderloin if you’re feeding a crowd. Another advantage of the tri-tip is that you have slices of varying doneness to serve, so everyone can choose if they like medium-rare, medium, or even well done on the ends!

Some other names for the tri-tip are tri tip steak, triangle steak, triangle tip, and Santa Maria steak. You may also come across something called a “Newport steak” or “apartment steak” in places like NYC. This steak is cut from the tri-tip but the perfect size for 1 or 2 people, whereas a whole tri-tip can feed a crowd.

How to cook tri-tip

This delicious cut of meat can be cooked on the grill/smoker or in the oven! Both methods are super delicious! Grilling is probably the best way (and my favorite way) to cook it, but if you aren’t feeling up to grilling then oven-roasting is a great alternative!

Grilled/Smoked – This is definitely my preferred method, as the flavor is just unmatched. I don’t do much grilling or smoking on weekdays though, so I save this for the weekends. Just season the meat, grill over high heat to get a nice sear, then move to indirect heat to finish the cooking/smoking process. It takes about 1.5 hour total.

Oven-roasted – This cooking method is perfect for weeknight meals! It’s super simple, practically fool-proof, and definitely the easiest way to cook a tri tip. Just the meat season, sear, then roast to perfection in the oven. This is very similar to how you would roast a prime rib or beef tenderloin. And it kind of comes out like part steak, part roast! Also similar to a prime rib or tenderloin. The total time for oven roasting is going to be about 1 hour.

How to get the juiciest, most perfectly cooked tri-tip

I know you don’t want to hear this, but to get the tri-tip roast cooked just right, you really need to use a meat thermometer. Using a meat thermometer will ensure that your tri-tip is cooked to perfection every single time. No undercooking or overcooking. No guesswork!! Just the best results. The first time and every single time. I love that!!

This is such a great thing when you are serving to guests! You can always make sure you are serving them perfectly cooked meat (i.e. less stress for you!!).

I love this meat thermometer and have had it for years! It’s simple and affordable. An instant-read thermometer is also good to have on hand, but I prefer one that can be left in the meat to avoid having to open the grill or oven to check the temperature. This is essential when grilling during colder months, as you don’t want let too much heat escape by having to open up the grill to check on the temp.

What kind of grill can I use to cook tri-tip?

You can really use any kind of grill to cook tri tip roast. I use a ceramic grill (Big Green Egg) as it is a great for grilling and smoking. I’ve been using mine for a long time and cannot recommend it enough! But regular charcoal grills like Webers and even gas grills can be used to make a delicious tri-tip!

If using a ceramic grill, like the Big Green Egg, you’ll set the grill up for indirect heat using a heat deflector after the initial direct heat cooking. I love this cast iron heat deflector!

If using a regular charcoal grill, like a Weber, you will want to create two zones in your grill by placing coals only on one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty so that you can move the meat from direct heat over to indirect heat.

If using a gas grill, just use the burners on one side of the grill to first grill over direct heat, then move the meat over off the direct heat to a zone without burners on to finish the cooking process.

Ingredients needed for this tri-tip recipe

2 lb tri-tip roast (preferably organic and grass-fed/pasture-raised)
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp dried lemon peel
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Avocado oil

Please keep in mind that the ingredient amounts are for a 2-pound roast. So, if your tri tip is larger or smaller you will need to adjust the seasonings a bit.

How to cook tri-tip in the oven

(printable recipe card below!)

Make steak rub by combining spices in a small bowl. Mix well. Trim any silver skin off. Coat the tri-tip with dry rub on all sides. If the tri-tip still has the fat cap on it, score the fat cap in a criss-cross pattern and work some of the rub into the grooves. If the fat cap is very thick, trim some of it off before this to give you a thin layer of fat, then score and season. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to take the chill off.
Preheat oven to 250ºF.
Pan sear tri-tip. Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. This can be a cast iron skillet or metal skillet. I love to use my 12-inch cast-iron skillet for this. Once hot, sear the meat on all sides until well-browned (about 10 minutes total). Move the tri-tip to a roasting pan with a rack. I like this roasting pan. You can also use a rimmed baking sheet with a metal rack.
Roast in oven. Insert a meat thermometer into the center at the thickest part and place on the center oven rack of preheated oven. Roast until until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 130ºF for medium rare and 140ºF for medium doneness. If the tri-tip still has the fat cap on it, roast it with the fat side up. Cooking time will vary, but it should be around 30-40 minutes for a 2 lb tri tip. As always, I recommend medium-rare steak.
Remove and rest. Remove tri-tip from the oven and let the meat rest for 10 minutes on the roasting rack.
Slice. Move to a cutting board and slice against the grain in thin slices with a very sharp knife. Leave in whole slices if serving as a main dish or for sandwiches. For tacos, cut slices into strips against the grain.
Serve with your favorite sauce. I love it in slices with my creamy peppercorn herb sauce. You can also pile it high on a sandwich with bbq sauce, or stuff into tacos with plenty of fresh salsa, avocado slices, or other toppings.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. But let’s be honest, will there really be enough leftovers to freeze?!? This flavorful piece of meat is just too good! Ours disappears pretty quickly!!

How to cook tri-tip on the grill

(printable recipe card here!)

Make steak rub by combining spices in a small bowl. Mix well. Trim any silver skin off. Coat all sides of the tri-tip with dry rub. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to take the chill off. If the tri-tip still has the fat cap, I actually like to remove most of it for the grilling method
Preheat grill to medium-high heat (450ºF). For cooking tri-tip, the first step is to cook over direct heat (to get that nice sear at a higher temperature), then move to indirect heat to finish the cooking process. If using a ceramic grill, you’ll set the grill up for indirect heat using a heat deflector after the initial direct heat cooking. If using a regular charcoal grill, you will want to create two zones in your grill by placing coals only on one side of the grill, leaving the other side empty so that you can move the meat from direct heat over to indirect heat. If using a gas grill, just use the burners on one side of the grill to first grill over direct heat, then move the meat over off the direct heat to a zone without burners on.
Grill tri-tip over direct heat. Once grill is hot, carefully oil the grates. Take care because oil can cause flames to jump up over the grates. Place roast on the grill, close the top, and cook for 6 minutes. Flip, close the lid, and cook for 7 more minutes or until well browned on the outside. Some variation in grill temperature is okay, just try to keep it between 450-500ºF during this part of the cooking process.
Grill/smoke over indirect heat. Insert a meat thermometer and move the tri-tip to indirect heat. Close the lid and bring the grill temperature down to around 250ºF and cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 130ºF for medium rare and 140ºF for medium. Cooking times will vary, but it should be about 10-15 minutes here over indirect heat. I recommend a medium rare roast, which will be 130 degrees F right off the grill and 130-135 degrees F after resting.
Remove and rest. Remove tri-tip from grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board.
Slice against the grain in thin slices with a very sharp knife. Leave in whole slices if serving as a main dish or for sandwiches. For tacos, cut the slices of tri-tip meat into strips against the grain.
Serve with your favorite sauce. I love it in slices with my creamy peppercorn herb sauce. You can also pile it high on a sandwich with bbq sauce, or stuff into tacos with plenty of fresh salsa, avocado slices, or other toppings.

How to slice tri-tip steak (this is important!!)

One thing to take note of: there are TWO different directions of the grain within the tri-tip roast. You want to make sure to cut each portion of the triangle roast against the grain. The grain is basically the way the muscle fibers run.

You can cut the tri-tip joint down the center where the direction of the grain changes before cooking or after cooking. And some tri-tips are even sold already cut, as shown in the photos.

If you cut before cooking, you’ll have more surface area to season and brown, so probably more flavorful slices overall. But cutting in half after cooking is also fine! Just make sure to check to see what direction the grain is going before you slice to get the most tender slices.

Other ingredients/techniques that you could use:

Your favorite BBQ sauce – Heat gently over medium heat in a saucepan while the meat is resting so it’s nice and warm for serving with the meat. This should only take about 2-3 minutes.
Santa Maria rub – You can find this online or in a specialty grocery store. It can be used in all sorts of great recipes, not just for tri tip. I love it on ribeyes!
Chili powder
Red wine
Garlic salt
Onion powder
Kosher salt
Aluminum foil to tent at the end (I usually don’t bother)
Slow cooker (just sear then insert a meat thermometer and cook on high to desired level of doneness)
Olive oil – If you don’t have avocado oil on hand, a few tablespoons of olive oil will do in a pinch (it just has a lower smoking point)

What other cuts of meat can be used with this recipe?

Top sirloin steak
Bottom sirloin steak
London broil
Thick Beef steaks like ribeyes
Top round
Bottom round (probably the least tender option, but very flavorful)
Chuck roast (less lean, so it’s better slow cooked)

Love meat recipes? Check out these!

Melt in Your Mouth Roast Beef
Simple Crock Pot Pork Loin Recipe with Honey Garlic Glaze
Perfect Air Fryer Steak with Blue Cheese Garlic Butter
Instant Pot Carnitas
Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew (by my friend Jean at What Great Grandma Ate)

Tri Tip sliced with creamy peppercorn herb sauce

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How to Cook Tri Tip in Oven

Gluten-Free
Dairy-Free
Paleo
Low Carb
Keto
Whole30

4.92 from 134 votes

This recipe for oven-roasted tri tip has all the grilled flavors you love without having to fire up the grill, thanks to my delicious homemade Santa Maria steak rub. This recipe is easy to make and perfect for a weeknight dinner!

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 45

Resting Time: 10

Total Time: 1

Servings:

Ingredients

2 lb tri-tip roast preferably organic and grass-fed/pasture-raised
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp dried lemon peel
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Avocado oil

Instructions

Make steak rub by combining spices in a small bowl. Mix well. Trim any silver skin off. Coat the tri-tip with dry rub on all sides. If the tri-tip still has the fat cap on it, score the fat cap in a criss-cross pattern and work some of the rub into the grooves. If the fat cap is very thick, trim some of it off before this to give you a thin layer of fat, then score and season. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to take the chill off.
Preheat oven to 250ºF.
Pan sear tri-tip. Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. This can be a cast iron skillet or metal skillet. I love to use my 12-inch cast-iron skillet for this. Once hot, sear the meat on all sides until well-browned (about 10 minutes total). Move the tri-tip to a roasting pan with a rack. You can also use a rimmed baking sheet with a metal rack.
Roast in oven. Insert a meat thermometer into the center at the thickest part and place on the center oven rack of preheated oven. Roast until until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 130ºF for medium rare and 140ºF for medium doneness. If the tri-tip still has the fat cap on it, roast it with the fat side up. Cooking time will vary depending on the weight and thickness of your roast, but it should be around 30-40 minutes for a 2 lb tri tip. As always, I recommend medium-rare steak.
Remove and rest. Remove tri-tip from the oven and let the meat rest for 10 minutes on the roasting rack.
Slice. Move to a cutting board and slice against the grain in thin slices with a very sharp knife. Leave in whole slices if serving as a main dish or for sandwiches. For tacos, cut slices into strips against the grain.
Serve with your favorite sauce. I love it in slices with my creamy peppercorn herb sauce. You can also pile it high on a sandwich with bbq sauce, or stuff into tacos with plenty of fresh salsa, avocado slices, or other toppings.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. But let's be honest, will there really be enough leftovers to freeze?!? This flavorful piece of meat is just too good! Ours disappears pretty quickly!!

Did you love the recipe? I would love it if you left me a 5-star review below!

Notes