Smoked tri tip is incredibly delicious and very easy to make! It’s an incredibly flavorful cut of meat that is both juicy and tender! Small and triangular in size, it does an amazing job of taking on the flavors of ingredients it’s marinated and cooked with. Tri tip is a leaner cut of beef that is well marbled and that helps contribute to the flavor and juiciness. Butchers used to either discard this particular cut or grind it into ground beef. Since there is only one cut per side of beef, butchers felt it was a waste. It’s now an incredibly popular steak that tastes amazing when smoked, grilled, or broiled. Not only is this a relatively inexpensive cut of beef, people really enjoy the beefy flavor. It’s sometimes compared to the flavor of a beef sirloin, but it’s way more flavorful, tender, and juicy! Other than smoking a brisket, tri tip is one of the most satisfying smokes you can do. And it’s way easier, more affordable, and takes a fraction of the time to smoke. It used to be difficult to find at a grocery store and it was rare to see it being served in a restaurant. But it’s readily available now, especially in the western parts of the United States. Prime grade tri tip has the best flavor. However, choice grade also tastes amazing thanks to the marbling throughout the meat. It can be found at just about any butcher shop and in any grocery store. And, it’s also readily available for purchase in stores like Costco and Sam’s Club. It’s typically sold with the fat already trimmed. If the fat is over ¼ inch thick, then either cut it at home or ask the butcher to trim the fat (remove the fat cap) and remove the silver skin, if present.
🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need
For this recipe, use a whole tri tip roast instead of slices. It averages from 1.5 to 3 pounds after the fat is trimmed. Santa Maria is the most popular flavor for tri tip which contains the base ingredients of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Those are the base ingredients I use, but I add several more seasonings. I also add in a small amount of brown sugar. This adds a hint of sweetness and helps balance out the flavors in the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper. To help create a delectable crust on the outside of the steak, some choose to use a binder, such as olive oil or yellow mustard, before adding the dry rub. The dry seasoning ingredients used in this recipe do a great job forming a flavorful crust, so no binder is needed for this recipe.
📋 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Start by making the tri tip seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Put the steak in a large glass dish. Spread the seasoning over the entire piece of meat, ensuring to press the rub into the steak. Once the steak is completely covered on all sides, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours. After the steak is done marinating, prepare the smoker and preheat it to 225°F. I smoked this on a pellet smoker, but the recipe works great when made on charcoal, propane gas, or electric smoker. Ensure to prep the smoker as needed based on the type of smoker being used. Put the tri tip directly on the smoker rack, fat side down. Insert a digital thermometer into the side of the meat ensuring the tip is all the way in the center. Smoke low and slow. Remove the smoked meat off the smoker when it is within 5-7 degrees of your final target temperature. Wrap the smoked tri tip roast tightly in aluminum foil and allow to rest for 7-10 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat will continue to increase during the resting period. After the resting period, put the steak on a cutting board and slice against the grain. The thinner the slices, the more tender every single bite will be! Slowly smoked to perfection, this is a smoker recipe that is great for a family dinner or any special occasion!
🔪 Cutting Meat Against The Grain
In this Mexican flank steak recipe, I go into detail on why cutting steak against the grain is the key to ensuring tenderness. Tri tip steak consists of long muscle fibers that run in the same direction. Those long fibers are referred to as “the grain of the meat”. When slicing, the goal is to cut the grains into shorter pieces so it’s more flavorful and easier to chew. You do that by cutting in the opposite direction of the way the grains run. To cut against the grain on a smoked tri tip, cut the meat with sharp knife at a 45° angle. Don’t cut the meat straight up and down because that will increase the surface area of the slices making it too thick and harder to chew. When cutting at an angle, it helps break down the muscle fibers making it easier to cut the meat into thinner slices. Cut very thin slices, about ¼ inch. The thinner the meat is cut, the easier it will be to chew. Smoking a tri tip adds an incredibly rich smoke flavor while leaving the roast moist and tender.
👩🍳 How To Serve
While delicious on its own, it’s great when added to chili. I’ve substituted diced smoked tri tip in this Southwest Beef Stew. It adds a layer of smokiness that tastes amazing with the other southwestern ingredients. And just like these French Dip Sandwiches, smoked tri tip is amazing served in a sandwich! Especially when you add garlic aioli! It’s also great served on top of this Summer Corn Salad. This stand alone roast pairs well with this Smoked Macaroni and Cheese, as well as these Smoked Baked Beans with Bacon!
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
💭 Expert Tips
To enhance the flavor and texture of the crust even more, sear each side of the smoked steak in a very hot cast iron skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of butter. It takes around 30 minutes per pound to smoke tri tip at 225°F, so plan accordingly. Use a digital meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the meat. Always smoke to temperature, not time. It tastes best when cooked to medium-rare. To avoid dry and hard to chew steak, don’t overcook it. Remove the meat from the smoker when it is about 5 degrees of your final desired target temperature. During the resting period, the internal meat temperature will continue to slightly raise.Wrapping the meat tightly in aluminum foil during the resting period helps trap in the moisture. The fats and juices from the steak will get reabsorbed during the resting period.
🍴More Smoker Recipes
If you love smoking meat as much as I do, try smoking these chicken breasts. This is a simple recipe that is quick and easy to make and great for dinner. These smoked chicken thighs are another fan favorite that are full of flavor and turn out juicy every single time! If you want to smoke a whole chicken, then make this Applewood smoked chicken recipe! It’s a great beginner recipe that everyone raves about. And this smoked pork tenderloin is soaked in a citrus brine and incredibly juicy! It’s a must have! Explore the art and science of backyard smoking. This cookbook features all the essential info you need to get started, along with delicious recipes for smoked beef, pork, poultry, fish, and even sauces, sides, rubs, and marinades!
Smoking Meat 101 - Learn everything from choosing the right wood to preparing your smoker, controlling the temperature, and even smoking on a regular BBQ grill. Also includes quick reference charts!
Simply Smoked - These recipes are designed to require nothing but your favorite meat, a simple smoker setup, and several hours of smoke time
Build Your Skills - The recipes in each chapter get progressively more challenging, so you can decide which level of smoking you’re ready to take on.
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