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Mastering Tri-Tip: Your Ultimate Guide to Grilling and Roasting This Flavorful Beef Cut

The tri-tip steak, often known as the “Santa Maria steak” or “California cut,” is a phenomenal piece of beef celebrated for its rich flavor and tender texture when cooked correctly. This distinct triangular cut from the bottom sirloin gained its fame on the open-air, wood-fired Santa Maria style barbecue grills of California, where a unique pulley system allowed precise control over cooking temperatures. Whether you’re aiming to recreate that authentic barbecue experience or seeking a versatile roast for your weeknight dinner, mastering the tri-tip is a rewarding culinary journey. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to achieve a perfectly cooked tri-tip, from preparation and seasoning to grilling, roasting, and the crucial slicing technique.

Tri-Tip, sliced against the grain, in two different directions, as is common with this cut of meat. Topped with an onion, cilantro, and vinegar relish.

Traditionally, Santa Maria style tri-tip is served with a vibrant relish or salsa. This zesty accompaniment, typically made with finely diced red onion, fresh cilantro, a splash of red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and a touch of red pepper flakes, plays a vital role in balancing the inherent richness of the tri-tip. The acidity from the vinegar beautifully cuts through the beef’s fattiness, while the fresh herbs and spices provide a welcome burst of flavor, elevating the entire dish beyond a simple steak.

While the classic relish is undeniably delicious, feel free to experiment with your own variations. Some prefer to incorporate bell peppers, corn, or diced tomatoes, drawing inspiration from Mexican pico de gallo but with that quintessential California twist. The key is to create a fresh, acidic counterpoint to the savory beef. For an in-depth look at crafting the perfect Santa Maria salsa, many resources are available. For a simple version, focusing on the core flavors, continue reading.

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Essential Ingredients for Perfect Tri-Tip

Our primary focus here is on achieving a perfectly cooked tri-tip. This cut of beef, while lean, often boasts a good amount of marbling and a fat cap, contributing to its succulent flavor. Therefore, I advocate for a minimalist approach to seasoning to truly let the beef’s natural goodness shine. When selecting your tri-tip, look for a good quality cut, ideally from a reputable butcher. I once had the pleasure of cooking a Wagyu tri-tip that had been expertly trimmed of all silverskin and excess fat, leaving behind a truly magnificent piece of meat ready for seasoning.

Ingredients needed for How to Cook Tri-Tip.

Beyond the star of the show – your tri-tip – the ingredients are remarkably simple: coarse kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a touch of olive oil. The olive oil isn’t just for flavor; it acts as a binder, helping the salt and pepper adhere evenly to the meat’s surface, ensuring every bite is perfectly seasoned. This straightforward seasoning method allows the beef’s inherent qualities to be the focal point of your culinary creation. Remember, sometimes the simplest ingredients yield the most profound flavors.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Cooking Your Tri-Tip: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Preparing and Seasoning the Tri-Tip

Begin by patting your tri-tip dry with paper towels. This crucial step helps create a better sear. Next, liberally sprinkle kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper over the entire surface of the beef. Don’t be shy with the seasoning; tri-tip is a thick cut, and it needs a generous amount for the flavor to penetrate to its core. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the seasoned meat and rub it in thoroughly, ensuring the seasonings are evenly distributed and firmly adhered. Once seasoned, allow the tri-tip to rest. For optimal flavor penetration, an hour at room temperature is ideal, but you can also season it the night before and let it rest in the refrigerator, bringing it out an hour before cooking.

Tri-Tip seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil, resting till ready to cook.

Step 2: Grilling for the Perfect Sear and Even Cook

About an hour before you plan to cook, remove the seasoned tri-tip from the refrigerator to allow it to come closer to room temperature. This promotes more even cooking. Preheat your grill to high heat, aiming for a consistent high temperature across the grates. The initial goal is to achieve a deep, flavorful sear on both sides of the tri-tip. Place the tri-tip directly over the high heat and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until a beautiful, dark brown crust has formed. This searing process is key to developing rich flavors through the Maillard reaction and locking in juices.

After searing both sides, reduce the grill heat significantly. If you have a multi-burner grill, turn off the burners on one half and move the tri-tip to this “no-heat” side. Close the grill lid and allow the tri-tip to cook using indirect heat. This method ensures the interior cooks gently and evenly without over-browning the exterior. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit for a perfect medium-rare. Always use a reliable meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding any bones or large pockets of fat, to accurately gauge doneness.

Tri-Tip placed on a hot grill, searing the second side.

Tri-Tip just off the grill, resting on a pan till ready to slice.

Step 3: Resting and Precision Slicing

Once your tri-tip reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the grill and place it on a cutting board or tray. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for a crucial 10-15 minutes. This resting period allows the juices within the meat to redistribute, resulting in a more tender, flavorful, and moist steak. Skipping this step often leads to dry, tough meat as the juices escape upon slicing.

The most important, and often overlooked, aspect of serving tri-tip is the slicing technique. Due to its unique anatomical structure, the grain of a tri-tip typically changes direction about halfway through the cut. Before cooking, try to identify where this “break” occurs. After resting, carefully observe the cooked tri-tip to confirm the grain direction. To ensure maximum tenderness, you must slice against the grain. This means cutting perpendicular to the muscle fibers. To achieve this, it’s often best to cut the tri-tip into two distinct pieces at the point where the grain changes. Then, slice each piece separately, always cutting directly across the visible grain. Serve your perfectly sliced tri-tip generously topped with your homemade relish, pico, or Santa Maria salsa, and enjoy immediately.

Expert Tips for Success, Variations & Substitutions

Achieving a perfect tri-tip requires attention to a few key details. Here are some invaluable tips, variations for different cooking methods, and smart substitutions to ensure your tri-tip is always a triumph:

Mastering the Slice: The Tri-Tip’s Unique Grain

As highlighted in the method, the grain direction in a tri-tip is not uniform. It usually shifts dramatically near the middle of the roast. Before you even begin seasoning, take a moment to examine your raw tri-tip and identify this crucial break. Making a mental note (or even a small incision) will guide you after cooking. Slicing against the grain is paramount for tenderness. After resting, locate the grain change, cut the tri-tip into two distinct sections, and then slice each section individually, ensuring your knife cuts perpendicularly across the muscle fibers. This technique guarantees a melt-in-your-mouth experience rather than a chewy one.

Seasoning for Depth of Flavor

Given that tri-tip is a relatively thick cut of beef, proper seasoning is essential for flavor to penetrate beyond the surface. Don’t be afraid to season it heavily with coarse kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. More importantly, allow adequate time for the seasonings to work their magic. Resting the seasoned meat for at least an hour at room temperature, or even overnight in the refrigerator, gives the salt time to draw out some moisture, dissolve, and then reabsorb, carrying the flavors deeper into the meat. This process, often called dry brining, significantly enhances both flavor and juiciness.

The Art of the Sear and Indirect Cooking

When grilling tri-tip, a screaming hot grill is your best friend. The objective is to achieve a beautiful, dark, caramelized crust (the Maillard reaction) on the outside, which locks in the juices and creates incredible depth of flavor. After searing both sides, transitioning to indirect heat is critical. This two-zone cooking method allows the interior of the tri-tip to cook gently and evenly to your desired doneness, preventing the exterior from burning while the inside remains undercooked. The goal is a crisp, flavorful exterior and a juicy, medium-rare to medium interior.

Oven Roasting Tri-Tip: A Reliable Indoor Method

For those times when grilling isn’t an option, the oven can produce an equally delicious tri-tip. Preheat your oven to a robust 400˚F (200˚C). Start by searing the tri-tip on both sides in a large, oven-safe cast iron skillet over high heat on your stovetop until a dark, appealing crust forms. Once seared, transfer the skillet directly to the preheated oven. For a 2-3 pound roast, cook for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 130˚F (54˚C) is reached for medium-rare. Remember to rest, slice against the grain, and serve in the same manner as grilled tri-tip.

Serving with Santa Maria Style Relish

The traditional Santa Maria style relish is more than just a condiment; it’s an integral part of the tri-tip experience. Its bright, acidic, and slightly spicy notes provide a perfect foil to the rich beef. My quick version includes finely diced red onion (about half a red onion), a generous amount of fresh cilantro, a splash of red wine vinegar, and salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. The vinegar, in particular, helps to cut through the inherent fattiness of the tri-tip, creating a balanced and refreshing bite. Feel free to adjust the ratios to your preference, perhaps adding a squeeze of lime juice for extra brightness or a diced jalapeño for more heat.

Understanding Tri-Tip’s Many Names

Don’t be surprised if you encounter this tender and flavorful cut under different aliases at your local butcher or supermarket. It’s often referred to as a California cut, Santa Maria steak, Newport steak, triangle steak, or bottom sirloin butt. Despite its many names, the tri-tip remains a somewhat less common cut outside of specific regions. If you can’t find it readily displayed, don’t hesitate to ask your butcher to order it for you or to cut it from a larger bottom sirloin primal. It’s worth the effort!

Versatile Substitutions and Flavor Enhancements

While this recipe celebrates the unique qualities of the tri-tip, the cooking method itself is versatile enough to be applied to other beef cuts. If tri-tip isn’t available, or you simply wish to try a different cut, this grilling and roasting technique works beautifully for beef tenderloin or sirloin roasts, with minor adjustments to cooking times based on thickness.

For those who love an extra kick of flavor, feel free to swap the simple salt and pepper seasoning for a more elaborate dry rub or a store-bought steak seasoning blend. Look for blends that complement beef, often containing garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and other spices. Just be mindful of the salt content in pre-made rubs.

Regarding cooking oils, I typically opt for extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for its flavor and versatility, as it holds up surprisingly well for most cooking applications. However, if you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point for searing at very high temperatures, alternatives like avocado oil or vegetable oil are excellent choices.

More Great Beef Recipes

Best Marinade for Steak

Hearty Steak and Potato Soup

Homemade Roast Beef for Sandwiches

Classic Italian Beef Sandwiches

Comforting Beef Pot Pie

Easy Homemade Swedish Meatballs

Hatch Green Chili Cheeseburgers

Gourmet Beef Tenderloin Sliders

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 2-3 pounds (Serves 8)

How to Cook a Tri-Tip: Grilled or Oven Roasted to Perfection

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

Here we will go over How to Cook a Tri-Tip. It’s a cut of beef that made famous when traditionally cooked over a Santa Maria style bbq grill.

Ingredients

1, 2-3 pound Tri-Tip Roast
2 tbsp Kosher Salt, Morton’s (or to taste)
1 tbsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper (or to taste)
1-2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

If your tri-tip has any silver skin or excessive fat on it (beyond a thin fat cap for flavor), trim it off using a sharp knife. Pat the entire roast dry with paper towels.

Liberally season the tri-tip with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on all sides. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it evenly over the meat, ensuring the seasonings adhere well.

For best results, let the seasoned meat rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or even overnight. This allows flavors to penetrate deeply.

One hour before you plan to cook, remove the tri-tip from the fridge and let it rest on the counter to come closer to room temperature.

Preheat your grill to high heat. Once hot, place the tri-tip directly over the high heat. Sear each side for 6-8 minutes, or until a deep, crisp brown crust has formed.

Reduce grill heat to low or turn off the burner on one side. Move the seared tri-tip to the indirect (no-heat) side of the grill.

Close the grill lid (or place a cover over the meat) and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes longer, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 130˚F (54˚C) for medium-rare. Adjust time for desired doneness (135˚F for medium, 140˚F for medium-well).

Remove the tri-tip from the grill and place it on a cutting board or tray. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This is an excellent time to prepare your Santa Maria relish (diced red onion, cilantro, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes).

Before slicing, identify where the grain of the tri-tip changes direction (usually around the middle). Cut the tri-tip into two separate pieces at this point. Then, slice each piece individually against the grain for maximum tenderness.

Serve the sliced tri-tip immediately, topped with your fresh Santa Maria relish or salsa.

For oven cooking: Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Sear the tri-tip in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat on the stovetop until dark brown on both sides. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 130˚F (54˚C). Rest, slice, and serve as above.