This smoked tri tip is a tender beef roast coated in a homemade spice rub, then slow smoked to perfection. An easy and impressive main course that’s great for feeding a crowd!
When the weather is nice, I’m constantly smoking different cuts of meat such as smoked pork chops, smoked chicken thighs, and of course this tender and juicy smoked tri tip.
In my opinion, tri tip is one of the most underutilized cuts of beef. It’s inexpensive, tender and easy to prepare. This smoked tri tip is full of flavor, and is super simple to make!
Table of Contents
Smoked Tri Tip Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe could not be any simpler. All you need is a piece of tri tip, and some BBQ rub.
How Do You Make Smoked Tri Tip?
This recipe starts with a BBQ rub. I prefer to use my homemade BBQ rub, but a store bought rub will also work just fine. The homemade rub contains plenty of different spices including black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and paprika. Check your roast for silver skin, and remove any if needed with a small paring knife. Spread the rub all over both sides of your roast. Place the meat in a smoker, then cook it until a meat thermometer registers at 5 degrees lower than your desired level of doneness. Broil the meat in the oven for a few minutes to develop a browned and caramelized crust. Wrap the meat in foil, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the foil, then thinly slice the tri tip and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- If you’re using a store bought BBQ rub, check the ingredient list to make sure it contains salt. If it does not have salt, you’ll want to season the meat with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
- This steak is best when served immediately. Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can reheat individual portions of meat in the microwave. I recommend heating the meat in 30 second increments to avoid over cooking it.
- I make this recipe in an electric smoker, but you can also use a pellet smoker or grill.
Quick Tip
Broiling the meat briefly helps to create a crispy caramelized outer crust, which is the perfect complement to the tender juicy interior and works well instead of searing the meat.
Recipe FAQs
Smoked tri tip cooks at 225 degrees F. You can plan on it taking approximately 30 minutes per pound of meat. The best way to gauge when your meat is done is to insert a digital probe thermometer into the thickest part of the roast.
The traditional wood type used for tri tip is red oak, but other varieties of wood will also work. If you can’t find red oak, try hickory, apple wood, pecan, or cherry wood.
Tri tip is a triangle shaped roast that comes from the bottom sirloin area of the cow. This cut of meat is naturally tender and well marbled, and is great when cooked on the grill, a smoker or in a skillet on the stove. If you can’t find meat labeled as tri tip at your local grocery store, it may be packaged under another name such as Santa Maria cut or bottom sirloin tip.
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Beef Temperatures
I recommend that you use a thermometer to gauge when your meat is ready. I use a thermometer with a remote so that I can just leave the probe in the meat and monitor the temperature from inside the house. Personally, I like to cook my tri tip to medium rare, I don’t recommend cooking your meat over 150 degrees F as it will be more likely to be tough or dry.
Keep in mind that your roast will need to rest for at least 20 minutes before you slice it, so it’s best to take the meat out of the smoker when it’s 5 degrees before you reach your desired internal temperature, as the meat will continue to cook as it rests.
- Rare: 130 degrees F
- Med-Rare: 135 degrees F
- Medium: 145 degrees F
- Med-Well: 150 degrees F
- Well Done: 160 degrees F
How To Serve Tri Tip
Thinly slice your tri tip across the grain with a sharp knife for the most tender bites of meat. You can serve your meat as-is with an assortment of side dishes, or use it in other dishes. Some of my favorite side dish options include dill potato salad, grilled vegetables, oven baked potatoes, garlic mushrooms or homemade french fries. Smoked tri tip works well over salads, as a sandwich, in chili or in tacos.
Give this dish a try for your next summer party, you’ll be glad you did!
More Smoker Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Smoked Pulled Pork
8 hrs 20 mins
Smoked Chicken Wings
2 hrs 10 mins
Smoked Pork Tenderloin
1 hr 40 mins
Smoked Brisket Recipe
1 d 2 hrs
Smoked Ribs Recipe
6 hrs 10 mins
Smoked Tri Tip Video
Love This Recipe?
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Smoked Tri Tip
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds tri tip roast excess fat and silverskin trimmed away
- 1/3 cup BBQ rub homemade or store bought
Instructions
- Preheat a smoker to 225 degrees F.
- Coat both sides of the meat with the BBQ rub.
- Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, then place the meat in the smoker.
- Cook the meat for approximately 30 minutes per pound, or until a thermometer registers 135 degrees F. Preheat the oven broiler.
- Remove the meat from the smoker. Broil the meat for 5-6 minutes or until a browned crust develops.
- Wrap the tri tip in foil. Let the meat rest for 20 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the foil. Slice the meat thinly against the grain, then serve.
Notes
- If you’re using a store bought BBQ rub, check the ingredient list to make sure it contains salt. If it does not have salt, you’ll want to season the meat with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
- This meat is best when served immediately. Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
last minute idea and i loved it.
Can you make a gravy or a sauce for it?
It would be great with homemade steak sauce: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/steak-sauce-recipe/
This recipe & roast is killer! Never made a tri-tip before, already bought more. The rub works beautifully and the directions are easy to follow and turn out perfectly! Thank you Sara
I wish I had a smoker! I make your BBQ rub often, so I know I’d absolutely love this smoked tri tip recipe. I wonder if I should try it in the oven, maybe with some liquid smoke??