Smoked Tri Tip
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This is the only recipe for Smoked Tri Tip that you’ll ever need! The tri-tip is tender and juicy on the inside, with a smoky, flavorful crust on the outside. It’s made with the best steak seasoning rub, smoked low and slow, and seared with butter to finish, for a melt-in-your-mouth tri tip experience!
Thanks to my friends at California Beef Council for sponsoring today’s post!
Table of contents
A girl from Oklahoma moves to California and becomes a food blogger, what is her signature dish? I think it might just be this Smoked Tri Tip! For this recipe I combined my love of smoking meats with my Dad and Grandpa growing up in Oklahoma, with my love of “the California cut” of beef, also known as the Santa Maria roast, bottom sirloin roast, or most commonly known as tri tip.
The result was an absolutely juicy, flavorful beef recipe that I would be proud to serve any of my friends or family in Oklahoma, California, or anywhere in between!
I find that tri-tip is actually one of the easiest cuts to cook on a smoker. Once it’s been trimmed, a whole tri tip usually weighs between 2 1/2 – 3 pounds. A cut of beef this size will cook much faster, than say a brisket, which generally weighs between 12-14 pounds.
When tri-tip is slow smoked, it doesn’t need an overnight marinade or brine. The only prep for this recipe is to add a heavy coating of steak seasoning to the tri-tip before it hits the smoker. After that, it’s time to kick back with a beverage and let the tri tip smoke low and slow!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s incredibly juicy and tender! Follow the instructions in this recipe for how to season, smoke and slice the tri-tip, and you will achieve the most juicy and tender piece of meat!
- It’s so flavorful! This cut of beef is already full of flavor, then you coat it with the best steak seasoning rub, and you create a tri tip that’s even more flavorful! Add a reverse sear with butter to give it a seriously delicious crust!
- It’s easy! While some smoker recipes require a lot of prep work and a long day on the smoker, this smoked tri tip recipe only takes 5 minutes to prep and about 2 hours on the smoker.
Ingredients
- Tri tip roast – if the roast isn’t already trimmed, be sure to trim all of the excess fat from the roast before starting this recipe. You’ll usually find both trimmed and untrimmed tri-tip at the grocery store. I recommend purchasing a trimmed tri-tip because it saves prep-time and work, and you know the exact weight of the tri tip that you’re purchasing. For the smoker, I recommend finding a trimmed tri tip that’s around 3 pounds in size. A smaller tri-tip is better for grilling, but a larger tri-tip is better for smoking. It will take longer to cook, thus giving the tri-tip more time to soak in all of the delicious smoky flavors!
- Steak seasoning – I highly recommend spending 5 minutes to whip up my homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning recipe. It creates the perfect flavorful, peppery crust on the outside of this tri-tip with a combination of kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, minced garlic and onion. I’ve also used coffee steak rub to make this recipe, and it’s honestly really delicious too! My parents (non-coffee-drinkers) actually loved the coffee crusted smoked tri-tip, so even if you don’t like coffee, you should give this one a try sometime!
- Butter (optional) – really you only need two ingredients to make this recipe, but if you want to finish it with a couple tablespoons of butter, I don’t think anyone would be mad about it!
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season the tri tip. Rub 3-4 tablespoons of steak seasoning on the tri-tip.
- Smoke the tri tip. Preheat a smoker to 225°F. When the smoker is hot, place the seasoned tri-tip on the smoker. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 135°F for medium rare. Insert a temperature probe, or use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the temperature of the tri tip. A 3 pound tri tip will take approximately 2 hours to smoke, but always smoke to temperature, not to time!
- Sear the tri tip. To achieve a wonderful crust on the outside of the tri-tip, preheat a cast iron skillet on the stove over high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the smoked tri tip and sear for 30 seconds per side. If you’d like to add butter, add one tablespoon of butter to each side and let it melt over the tri tip. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use the heaviest pan you have, or sear the tri tip on a grill over high heat.
- Rest the tri tip. Transfer the tri tip from the cast iron skillet to a large cutting board. Loosely cover with a large piece of aluminum foil and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
How to slice tri tip
When slicing the tri tip, you’ll notice that the grain of the meat runs in different directions on the tri tip. Slice the long triangular tip from the other end of the tri tip where the grains intersect, then slice each piece of the tri tip against the grain. I recommend using a sharp knife, or electric knife, for the smoothest cuts.
For a visual of what this looks like, my friends at Traeger have a great video and image on their website for how to carve a tri tip.
Pro tips
- Remember to smoke to temperature, not time! If you don’t have a meat probe, or wireless meat thermometer, like the MEATER, to watch the temperature of the tri tip without opening the lid of the smoker, I recommend starting to check the internal temperature of the tri tip with an instant-read meat thermometer after 1 hour. Depending on the size of the tri tip, it could take anywhere from 1-2 hours to reach 135°F in the thickest part of the tri tip. Continue checking the internal temp every 15-20 minutes, until it reaches 135°F for medium-rare. Increase the temperature to 140°F for medium. I do not recommend smoking the meat above 140°F.
- The ideal smoking temperature for tri tip is 225°F. Low and slow is the name of the game! If you smoke the tri tip at a higher temperature, it will cook quicker, and won’t be as tender, or have as much smoke flavor.
- I recommend using hickory pellets, or wood, to smoke the tri tip. You could also use mesquite or pecan wood chips or pellets.
- Leftover smoked tri tip should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and eaten within 7 days. The leftover tri tip can be eaten cold, or reheated.
- To reheat the tri-tip, I like to drop the slices in boiling beef broth for 30 seconds. This heats up the tri tip, without overcooking it, and keeps it juicy and tender! The slices can be eaten by themselves, or used to make a delicious tri tip sandwich!
What to serve with tri tip
This tri tip is so delicious, I usually just eat it straight off the cutting board dipped in this White BBQ Sauce, if I’m being totally honest! But if you want to be a bit more civilized and serve it with sides for a bbq, dinner or party, here are some great side dish recipes to try.
- Red White and Blue Cheese Potato Salad – always a fan favorite!
- Pasta Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing
- Smoked Mac and Cheese – toss it on the smoker right next to the tri tip!
- Blue Cheese Salad – basically a chopped wedge salad.
- BBQ Baked Beans – my Dad’s famous recipe!
- Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Crock Pot Creamed Corn – a Bond family favorite!
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Sauteed Mushrooms – such a great pairing with beef!
Tools you’ll need
- Smoker – this is the Traeger Pro Series Pellet Smoker I have at home and used for this recipe.
- Wood or Pellets – I recommend Traeger Hickory Pellets for this recipe.
- Thermometer – on the Traeger, I use the probes that come with the smoker. If you do not have a smoker with a meat probe, I recommend this wireless meat thermometer.
- Electric knife – one of my favorite kitchen tools, this electric knife makes slicing meat effortless!
More smoked meat recipes
Don’t miss out on these other popular recipes to toss on the smoker!
Made this recipe and loved it? Be sure to rate it 5 stars in the recipe card below! Have questions about smoking tri tip, or other cuts of beef? Comment below and ask away!
Smoked Tri Tip
Ingredients
- 3 pound tri tip, trimmed
- 3-4 tablespoons steak seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 2 tablespoons butter, optional
Instructions
- Preheat a smoker to 225°F with hickory, mesquite or pecan pellets, or wood chips.
- Rub a trimmed tri tip with steak seasoning until it's fully coated.
- Place the seasoned tri tip on the grill grates of the smoker. Insert a meat probe, or wireless meat thermometer.
- Smoke the tri tip until the internal temperature reaches 135°F for medium rare.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet on the stove over high heat.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the smoked tri tip and sear for 30 seconds per side.
- If you’d like to add butter, add one tablespoon of butter to each side and let it melt over the tri tip in the skillet.
- Transfer the tri tip from the skillet to a cutting board and loosely cover with foil.
- Let the meat rest for 15-20 minutes, then slice the tri tip against the grain.
Notes
- Before starting this recipe, make sure that the tri tip is fully trimmed, without any fat left on the tri tip.
- To mix up the rub on this smoked tri tip recipe, try this coffee steak rub, to replace the steak seasoning.
- Remember to smoke to temperature, not time! If you don’t have a meat probe, or wireless meat thermometer, like the MEATER, to watch the temperature of the tri tip without opening the lid of the smoker, I recommend starting to check the internal temperature of the tri tip with an instant-read meat thermometer after 1 hour. Depending on the size of the tri tip, it could take anywhere from 1-2 hours to reach 135°F in the thickest part of the tri tip. Continue checking the internal temperature every 15-20 minutes, until it reaches 135°F for medium-rare. Increase the temperature to 140°F for medium. I do not recommend smoking the meat above 140°F.
- When slicing the tri tip, you’ll notice that the grains run in different directions on the tri tip. Slice the long triangular tip from the other end of the tri tip where the grains intersect, then slice each piece of the tri tip against the grain. For a visual of what this looks like, my friends at Traeger have a great video and image on their website for how to carve a tri tip.
- Leftover smoked tri tip should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and eaten within 7 days. The leftover tri tip can be eaten cold, or we like to reheat it by dropping the slices in boiling beef broth for 30 seconds. This heats up the tri tip, without overcooking it, and keeps it juicy and tender!
Nutrition Facts
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One Comment on “Smoked Tri Tip”
Can’t wait to try it! 😉