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Smoked Tri Tip

Tender and juicy Smoked Tri Tip reverse seared to produce a deep brown crust. This smoked tri tip recipe starts with a flavorful California-inspired tri tip rub and is cooked low and slow on the grill.
Servings 8 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Resting 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes

Equipment

  • Charcoal Grill

Ingredients

Tri Tip:

  • 2-2½ lbs Tri Tip Roast

Tri Tip Dry Rub:

  • ½ tbsp Paprika
  • ½ tbsp Cumin
  • ½ tbsp Brown Sugar
  • ½ tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Onion Powder
  • ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

  • Add all the dry rub ingredients to a small bowl and mix to combine.
  • Pat dry the tri tip and trim any silver skin or excess fat. Evenly coat the roast with the dry rub. Let rest on the kitchen counter for an hour to marinate.

Gas Grill:

  • Generously grease the grates and turn the burners on low. If you find it going over 225° F, turn off a burner or two to get it as close as possible. Create smoke by using a smoker box filled with wood chips/chunks.
  • Transfer the roast to the grill and grill until the internal temperature reaches 110° F.
    Increase the temperature of the grill to 450° and continue cooking, flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature hits 5-7°F LOWER than your desired final temperature.
  • Remove from the heat and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing against the grain and serving.

Charcoal/Wood Grill:

  • Pre-heat the coals and dump them in the center of the grill. Open the vents as needed to maintain the temperate at 225° F. Create smoke by placing wood chunks directly on the pre-heated coals, right before cooking.
  • Transfer the roast to the grill and grill until the internal temperature reaches 110° F. If you DO NOT want to reverse sear the tri tip, keep it on the grill until it reaches 5-7° F LOWER than your desired final temperature and skip the next "reverse sear" instructions.
  • REVERSE SEAR (*NOTE 1): Transfer the beef to a cutting board and cover with foil. Pre-heat a grill to "high". Once at a high temperature, transfer the beef back to the grill and continue cooking the roast, flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature hits 5-7° F LOWER than your desired final temperature.
  • Remove from the heat and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing against the grain and topping with chimichurri.

Pellet/Electric Smoker:

  • Generously grease the grates and set the smoker to 225°F.
  • Transfer the roast to the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 110° F.
    Increase the temperature of the smoker to 450° and continue cooking, flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature hits 5-7°F LOWER than your desired final temperature.
  • Remove from the heat and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing against the grain and serving.

Notes

Here are the “final doneness temperatures”. Your “pull from the grill” temperature will be 5-7°F below the temperatures called out as resting will increase the tri tip internal temp. Use a meat thermometer to ensure accuracy.
  • Rare: 125°F - 130°F
  • Medium Rare: 130°F - 140°F
  • Medium: 140°F - 150°F
  • Medium Well: 150°F - 160°F
  • Well Done: 160°F+
Calories: 274kcal
Cost: $30
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beef Recipes, Grilled Beef, Smoked Beef, Tri Tip

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 531mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3mg