Smoked Tri-Tip: The Perfect Family-Friendly Dish
Juicy, smoky tri-tip roast with a beautiful bark, cooked low-and-slow over hardwood smoke then finished with a high-heat sear. This Santa Maria-style favorite features a simple rub that lets the beef shine!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus resting)
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Smoking/Grilling
- Cuisine: American BBQ
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (2.5-3 lb) tri-tip roast
- 2 tbsp coarse kosher salt
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for binding rub)
- Wood chips: oak or hickory
Instructions
- Prep: Trim excess fat (leave ¼-inch fat cap). Pat dry with paper towels.
- Season: Mix all dry rub ingredients. Coat tri-tip with olive oil, then apply rub generously on all sides. Let sit 1 hour at room temperature.
- Smoke: Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C) with wood chips. Smoke fat-side up until internal temperature reaches 120°F (49°C), about 1.5-2 hours.
- Sear: Increase heat to 500°F (260°C) or transfer to hot grill. Sear 2-3 minutes per side until internal temp reaches 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare.
- Rest: Tent with foil and rest 15 minutes before slicing against the grain.
Notes
- Grain direction: Tri-tip has two grain directions – separate muscles before slicing
- For deeper smoke ring: Spritz with apple juice every 45 minutes
- Reverse sear option: Smoke to 110°F, rest, then sear
- Leftovers make incredible sandwiches or tacos
- Internal temp guide: 120°F rare, 130°F medium-rare, 140°F medium
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4oz cooked
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 90mg