Recipes / Smoked Meats & BBQ Mains
Free Recipe
Smoked Tri-Tip
A Santa Maria classic: a triangular beef roast smoked low and slow, then seared hard over direct heat for a deep crust, sliced thin against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Prep15 min
Cook1 hr 45 min
Total2 hr 15 min
ServingsServes 4-6
DifficultyMedium
Rating★ 4.5
Why You'll Love This
- Restaurant-quality beef roast in about 2 hours
- Great introduction to the reverse-sear technique
- More affordable than brisket or prime rib
Ingredients
- 1 (2.5 to 3 lb) tri-tip roast, trimmed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Method
- Trim the tri-tip of any silver skin and excess surface fat, leaving a thin layer to protect the meat.
- Pat the roast dry, rub it all over with olive oil, then mix the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, and smoked paprika and coat the meat evenly on all sides, pressing the rub in.
- Let the tri-tip sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes while you preheat the smoker to 225F for indirect heat.
- Add 2 chunks of oak or red oak wood if available, since it is the traditional wood for Santa Maria-style tri-tip, though hickory works well too.
- Place the tri-tip on the grate with the thicker end toward the hotter side of the smoker if your heat is uneven, and insert a thermometer into the thickest part.
- Smoke for 60 to 75 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 115F to 120F for a final medium-rare result.
- Remove the tri-tip and increase your smoker or grill to high heat, at least 450F, or prepare a hot charcoal chimney for a direct sear.
- Sear the tri-tip directly over the hot coals or flame for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms; watch closely since the sugar in the rub can scorch quickly.
- Pull the roast once it reaches 130F to 135F internal for medium-rare, or 140F for medium.
- Rest for 10 minutes under loose foil - this cut has grain that changes direction across its width, so identify the grain lines before resting ends.
- Slice thinly against the grain, changing your knife angle partway through the roast to follow the grain shift, and serve immediately.
Tips
- Tri-tip has two different grain directions running through it - find where they change (usually near the middle) and adjust your slicing angle there, or every other piece will be chewy.
- Searing after smoking (reverse sear) gives you a deep crust without overshooting your target internal temperature, which is easy to do if you sear first.
Nutrition (estimated per serving)
Calories: 360
Protein: 40g
Fat: 21g
Carbs: 1g
Fiber: 0g
Sodium: 560mg
