How To Slice A Tri Tip Roast
Tri tip is kind of weird because the grain runs in two different directions. You cant slice it in the same direction all the way across. Use the above photo as a guide. The black lines are where you should cut.
Tri tip should be cut against the grain, and that means your knife should be perpendicular to the lines you can see in the meat. The thick black line that Ive drawn above, where you see that thicker fat, is where you can cut the roast in half. Then slice each section of the tri tip against the grain. Thats why some of the photos on this post show small pieces of meat, and some show super long and thin slices, like this:
So, now you know how to cook tri tip! If your family is not into turkey, this would be an AWESOME main dish to serve at Thanksgiving. And as I already mentioned, we always have it for Christmas dinner, with all the regular fixings: mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, etc. Its so good.
The traditional way to serve tri tip is in sandwiches though. Slice it up, put it on a soft roll, hoagie, ciabatta, whatever you want. Slather with mayo, add in some onions and BBQ sauce and you will be in heaven! UPDATE JULY 2020: I finally tried the traditional Santa Maria side dish that goes along with tri tip: Santa Maria Pinquito Beans. They are SO good and the perfect summer compliment to tri tip! Try it out! Im obsessed:
P.S. If you are into grilling, I recently posted all about How to Cook Flank Steak. Check it out!
Why This Recipe Works
My favorite grilled steak marinade starts with olive oil and soy sauce and ends with Chinese five spice and Sriracha, with some lime juice and garlic mixed in for tang and tenderness with every bite. You wont want to sleep on this step!
Tiger Sauce Dont let the name scare you, its not nearly as fierce as it sounds! It only takes its name from its orange color and slight spicy bite, but otherwise its quite tame. I love this sauce made from mayo, Sriracha, and lime juice on grilled Tri-Tip, it really brings out the delicious sizzle, smell, and taste of delicious beef on the grill.
Grilling Sure, you could bake this Tri-Tip Steak or even cook it on a skillet on the stove and it will still taste good but learning how to cook Tri-Tip on the grill is one skill I think everyone should try to master.
How To Grill Tri
The grills high heat is ideal for cooking tri-tip steak. Tri-tip doesnt have as much fat as other beef steaks, so theres nothing to render out with low cooking temperatures. The grill flash-cooks the meat, creating a nice sear on the outside while preserving the juices inside.
Start by preheating the grill to high heat. A charcoal grill will impart the most flavor into the meat, but a gas grill works just fine. Add the steaks and cook them for about 6 to 7 minutes. Flip the steaks and cook for another five to six minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 135°F. If your steaks are thinner than one inch thick, reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.
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To Learn How To Cook Tri
Want to wow friends at your next backyard gathering? Serve them a type of steak theyve probably never heard of: tri-tip steak. This lean, tender steak is usually more affordable than other steaks, but it has a full-flavored characteristic thats missing from other cuts. It tastes great even if you dont use a fancy dry rub or marinade!
Its easy to learn how to cook tri-tip steak, too, because it tastes best when cooked over high heat. That means it was basically made for the grill!
You Only Need 3 Ingredients
Start with top-quality tri-tip, being sure to trim it as needed to remove any unnecessary fat or silver skin from the surface. Then gather your spices, for this one, I used a base of my Ooomami with the pop of OvertheFireCookings Jalapeno Lime Pilsner for my blend. That was it.
And dang, it was good.
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Complimentary Side Dishes And Drinks
Steak isnt an everyday dish, so its important that when you do grill it, you have the perfect combination of side dishes. Youre not short of options and you have the room to experiment. While the steak might be the main attraction on the lunch or dinner menu, you cannot live on meat alone. Make sure your side dishes have a bit of everything: color, nutritional content, and wholesomeness. Since the meat is protein, add some vegetables such as asparagus, green beans, and tomatoes. For starches, you can have potatoes or butternut squash for a truly all-round meal.
For drinks, red wine or a beer is usually the ideal partner, but you also need something for the non-alcoholics. Steak has a particularly rich flavor profile that is deep, sometimes sweet, and subtle in other instances. Cocktails offer a good and wide range of options. Pairing a delicious drink to the steak will enhance the taste experience for both while giving you a blend of flavors that work well together on the palate.
Feeling confident enough to try it out? .Tri-tip grills are always a great choice that never disappoints. Stop hesitating and fire up that gas grill before life gets busy again! Good luck!
What Is Grilled Tri Tip
Tri tip is a cut of beef that is shaped like a triangle. Its a beef roast that comes from the bottom portion of the sirloin. An untrimmed tri tip can weigh nearly 5 pounds , but most purchased tri tips will weigh 2-3 pounds. Tri tips were originally called the triangular part of the loin butt, but the name tri tip emerged in the 1960s and has stuck ever since.
Tri tip is amazingly delicious and can be grilled or smoked. I like to go low and slow when I smoke my tri tip . Grilling tri tip using two-zone grilling results in that perfect, juicy interior, and a gorgeous crust on the exterior.
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Cool And Serve The Tri
Cover your tri-tip with aluminum foil and let it cool down for about 10 minutes before slicing it against the grain with a sharp knife. Slicing against the grain will keep the tri-tip intact and tender.
To serve, I like to add a side of salsa and something simple like garlic bread. If you have leftovers, you can make delicious bbq sandwiches for an easy lunch.
In conclusion, I hope you enjoy this easy-fix dinner for the whole family. Having grown up in California, this recipe is tried and true and reminds me of fond picnics with friends and family. If youve enjoyed this tutorial, please share this article! Id love to hear your tips, tricks, and serving suggestions in the comments below.
How To Cook Tri Tip
Rich and meaty in flavour and low in fat, tri tip cooks like a tender steak but slices like a brisket perfect for people who want to do a brisket-like cook up but dont have the time. It can be smoked, barbecued, grilled or roasted, but its always best when cooked to a nice medium rare, before letting it rest and slicing.
Cook the tri tip in a low oven at 275ºF / 135ºC or smoke it with indirect high heat for about 45 minutes, letting the meat cook evenly the whole way through. For best results when cooking, always use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer horizontally into the thickest part of the tri tip and aim for an internal temperature of 125ºF130ºF/51ºC54ºC. Remember that its triangular shape will mean that the tail or tip will be more done, while the centre will be slightly pinker.
Once you have achieved your desired doneness, transfer the tri tip directly onto charcoal or onto a hot pan to give it a final sear on the outside.
Allow the meat to rest for 510 minutes before slicing.
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The Tri Tip Traeger Grill Experience
The Traeger grill lineup is impressive and includes models appropriate for the casual weekend BBQ chef or the professional grill master. The grills are fueled by wood pellets that are dispensed over time to ensure a constant source of heat and smoke. It could not be any easier.
While you can grill a tri tip over an open flame, the meat can easily become dry, chewy, and overcooked. The Traeger grill takes the uncertainty out of cooking a roast perfectly. You simply plug in the grill, fill the pellet hopper, turn on the grill to the right temperature to preheat with the top closed, place the meat on the rack, then go open a beer and relax while the Traeger goes to work.
Pro tip: I recommend using only Traeger brand pellets. They have a moisture content of 10%. This eliminates the need for a water pan that you might use in other types of smokers.
There are many recipes for preparing beef on a Traeger grill. These include marinated, brined, or dry rubbed preparations. The tri tip roast bbq recipe outlined in this tutorial is for a dry rubbed preparation. This is ideal for anyone who is just getting started with grilling and smoking. That said, many a pit master are quite content with the theory that less is more when it comes to allowing the protein itself to be the star of the dish. Tri tip is one such cut that does not beg to be overpowered by too many ingredients or a heavy bbq sauce.
How To Bbq Tri
A grilled Tri-tip is a favorite for every steak enthusiast. Grilled tri-tip roast is bound to satisfy all preferences, from the I like it rare to the no pink for me, all in one cut of beef. The steak-like quality makes grilling tri-tip steaks, either for the family or a special celebration, an enjoyable experience. Tri-tip has had continuous growth in popularity due to its remarkable texture and flavor assimilation which is just as good as any other regular steak. You might also hear it being referred to as California cut, Santa Maria roast, Newport steak, and triangle steak or roast.
Tri-tip can be sliced for fajitas, grilled as a whole roast or steak, and can even replace ground beef in gourmet chili recipes. Depending on where you live and availability, tri-tip can be an inexpensive cut of steak for your weekend grilling as a whole roast or sliced into steaks.
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This Santa Maria Style Tri Tip Steak Recipe Explains The Authentic Way To Prepare The Dish With Adjustments For Different Grills And The Oven
Disclosure: Swift Meats compensated me for this recipe.
You know a dish has to be good when there is a special grill designated for cooking it. If you dont have a Santa Maria style grill, dont worry. Im going to show you how to cook a tri tip steak like they do in Santa Maria with some slight adaptations for any grill in any region of the world.
When Is The Best Time To Make This Recipe
It is no secret that summer time is the best season for grilling and being outdoors. Searing tri tip steak is a process that requires attention to detail, so you want to have your Grilla Grill set up in a comfortable environment. However, if grilling out in the winter, your pellet grill will surely keep you nice and warm.
When is the perfect time to eat and prepare this recipe? With family and friends by your side, this cut goes excellent as a main dish for dinner or even with some scrambled eggs first thing in the morning.
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How Long To Grill A Tri
Tri-Tip steak has got to be the most underrated steak out there.
Why? Because its packed with flavor and its CHEAPER compared to the other popular cuts of steak.
But first…how long does it take to grill a tri-tip? It depends how cooked you want it to be! For a full answer, our guide will answer all your questions!
Well even show you the best and fool-proof method to get the most flavorful, juiciest steak ever in just a couple of minutes!
How To Grill Tri Tip
Grilling tri tip is a fairly easy process when all is said and done. All it takes is keeping an eye on the steaks and monitoring the internal temperature of the meat for doneness.
Before putting your tri tip cut on the grill, make sure to let it come to room temperature. This step helps ensure the steak cooks evenly and achieves the desired tender texture.
Once the meat is room temperature, its time to blend the spices. My favorite spice blend for tri-tip includes salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion and just a little sugar to bring it all together.
Preheat your grill then rub your spices all over the steak. When coating the meat in your spice blend, do your best to get as much of the beef covered as you can. I usually end up having a little bit of the spice blend leftover, so dont worry if you wind up with extra.
You want to place your tri tip on the grill fat side down and let it cook for about 5 minutes on the first side. This may take more or less time once you see a dark brown crust develop youre ready to flip the meat.
The second side of the steak will take a little longer, about 8 minutes. After both sides are beautifully brown and crusted, take them off of the grill and let them continue cooking on indirect heat until they reach desired doneness.
When Im cooking a medium rare steak, I remove it from heat when its internal temperature has reached 130. This is where your meat thermometer will come in handy!
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Picking The Right Piece Of Meat
Prepping the perfect tri-top starts with the choice you make at the butchery or grocery store. The quality and freshness of the meat chosen will affect the final product. Look for red cuts , with noticeable streaks of fat running through the meat. These streaks are a good indicator of a well-marbled, flavorful cut. If the cut is closely trimmed, you can see these white streaks across the muscles within the grain of the meat.
Some tri-tip cuts are sold untrimmed, meaning that quite a thick layer of fat is left on the meat on one side. Try to find a steak that has a balanced fat to lean meat ratio. If the outside fat cap is thicker than 1/4-inch, trim it to a little less under the ¼-inch thickness. Also, depending on the size, you can trim more or less. The fat is what holds the flavors from a marinade or dry-rub, but too much of it is not good for your health. As soon as you get home, refrigerate your raw steak and keep it in plastic packaging to avoid any leakages.
Setting Up Your Grill
Authentic Santa Maria style barbecue starts with red oak logs. Red oak may be a little challenging to find, so you can substitute it with white or post oak logs or wood chunks or oak lump charcoal.
In Santa Maria, chefs cook on a grill that has an adjustable grate that can be raised and lowered over the red oak coals. Fortunately, I have a couple of these in the backyard.
Theres no exact temp when cooking on a grill like this. Instead, hold your hand at the grill grate and aim for a heat that allows you to hold your hand there for 5-6 seconds, until it gets too hot. Thats roughly 325-350F degrees.
If you dont have a Santa Maria style grill, thats okay.
For instance, when using a kettle grill, adjust the vents, so the temperature is about 325-350F degrees and cook over an indirect cooking area following the recipe.
When using a ceramic grill, add the ceramic plate to diffuse the heat and get the temperature to 325-350F degrees.
If you have a pellet grill, simply set the temp to 325F degrees, using oak pellets.
Lastly, if youre cooking with gas, adjust one burner so the grill temperature reaches 325-350F degrees and cook the meat over the indirect zone. Add a foil pouch with oak wood chips to the grill to get some smoke flavor.
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Dry Rub For Flavor And Crust
A dry mixture of salt, pepper, dried herbs, or spices used to add flavor and texturethe seasoning works to form a crust. It is the salt in the dry rub that truly penetrates the meat beyond the surface. Other seasonings in the rub will flavor the outer edges.
- Salt needs 40 minutes to penetrate and flavor the meat, so dry rubs should be allowed to rest on the meat for at least 40 minutes before grilling. Otherwise, apply just before placing it on the grill.
Dry Rub TIP:A good rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon of rub per pound of meat, depending on how salty the rub tastes raw. If you taste it straight from the package and you only taste salt, go with a little less. If the salt is pleasant and savory enhancing other flavors, the 1 tablespoon rule works.
The Key To An Ideal Tri
Indirect Heat with a Two-Zone Fire: Most of us dont have an authentic Santa Maria grill in the backyard, so we took our tri-tip to a gas grill. A two-zone fire configuration for indirect and direct heat cooking is in order to let this cuts best qualities shine through. Read more detail on how to set up a two-zone fire with a charcoal or gas grill in our post Indirect Heat: Sweet Stuffed Pork Loin. The ambient temperature surrounding the meat cooks it more gently than direct heat.
A grill grates surface is usually around 500-600°F over high, direct heat. On the indirect-heat side of the grill where the grill is turned offor there arent any hot coalsthe grill grate will typically be in the range of 200-250°F perfect to avoid overcooking the outside of the meat. Even at low cooking temperatures, the tri-tip will cook through quickly because of its size and shape.
Two-Zone Fire Setup
Charcoal Grill Gas Grill
Not only is a two-zone fire the ideal setup for grill-roasting larger cuts of meat, its a good practice anytime youre grilling. When cooking multiple items on the direct-heat side of the grill, each can be moved over to the indirect heat side once at their ideal pull temperature. This dual-heat method along with careful temperature tracking is a simple way to manage the ideal doneness of several foods at once.
Let it Rest
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