Santa Maria Grilled Tri-Tip

If you are not from the West Coast, you may never have had the pleasure of cooking tri-tip. This cut of beef is wildly popular in California and along the West Coast of the United States, but it doesn’t tend to be as readily available in other parts of the country.

While the cut is gaining popularity nationwide, and there are many different ways to make it delicious, the best way to prepare a tri-tip is by grilling it on a Santa Maria-style grill and serving it alongside a fresh, homemade chimichurri.

If you don’t have a Santa Maria grill, you can also make this recipe on any charcoal grill.

Santa Maria Tri-tip with homemade Chimichurri

Ingredients you’ll need

• Tri-tip – I got mine from Snake River Farms.
• Beef seasoning – I used Smoke Kitchen Beef rub, but you could use our prime rib rub.
• Chimichurri – parsley, garlic, jalapeño, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt.

Equipment you’ll need

• Santa Maria grill – or a charcoal grill
• Knives – for chopping and one for trimming. Our 6.5″ knife is perfect for trimming.
• Tongs
• Bowl
• Instant read thermometer

What is tri-tip?

A tri-tip roast is a cut of beef from the bottom of the sirloin. Its triangular shape gives it its name.

Tri-tip is a lean cut of beef without a lot of fat, though many butchers will leave the fat cap on the bottom of the roast. It’s a versatile cut packed full of beefy flavor.

Other names for a tri-tip are Santa Maria roast, Newport steak, and bottom sirloin.

What is Santa Maria grilling?

Santa Maria-style grilling dates back to the mid-1800s when cowboys known as vaqueros lived in the Santa Maria valley of what is now the Central Coast of California.

The vaqueros and ranchers grilled meat over pits of hot coals on grates that could easily be moved up and down to adjust the heat exposure during cooking.

Santa Maria grilling is known as one of the most classic forms of grilling in California and is gaining popularity across the country and around the world.

I used my custom Santa Maria grill for this recipe, which is attached to my offset smoker.

The offset’s firebox is completely insulated, and the bed of the Santa Maria sits on top. I can add wood and charcoal to the grill on the Santa Maria without affecting the firebox’s temperature.

What is Chimichurri?

Chimichurri is an acidic and herbaceous sauce made from fresh herbs, vinegar, and olive oil. It originated in Argentina and is a popular sauce throughout North and South America.

A simple chimichurri only contains parsley, jalapeno, and garlic, but you can add things like poblano peppers, mango, or bell pepper to create a unique flavor.

Chimichurri adds a level of freshness and acidity that works perfectly with cuts like tri-tip, Picanha, and other cuts of beef from the sirloin.

How to make Santa Maria tri-tip with homemade chimichurri

1. Prep

Preparing a tri-tip for cooking is very easy. You don’t need to trim off the fat cap, as it helps to protect the meat from the heat of the fire.

Sometimes, you will find loose pieces of meat or fat hanging off of the roast, and you can use a knife to remove those.

Some people like to keep it simple and just season their tri-tip with a bit of salt and pepper. For this recipe, I used our Smoke Kitchen Beef Rub. It’s a blend of salt, pepper, and spices with a hint of truffle that really tastes amazing on all different cuts of beef.

Once you’ve seasoned your tri-tip, you can let the meat rest at room temperature while you fire up the grill.

2. Fire up the Santa Maria

I like to start with a bed of charcoal before adding wood to get a good coal bed going. You can place your charcoal in a charcoal chimney and light it.

Once the charcoal is covered in about 85% ash, you can pour the hot coals into the grill’s bottom.

Add a few wood chunks on top of the charcoal. I used Post Oak wood for this recipe.

You want to allow the wood to catch fire before adding your meat to the grates. This will give your beef a nice, smoky kiss of flavor.

Once your grill is hot, you can use a paper towel to add olive oil to the grates to prevent sticking.

4. Chimichurri

Finely chop the parsley, garlic, and jalapeño, and add to a bowl with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt to taste. Mix to combine and set aside.

3. Grill

When the grill is hot and the grates are greased, you can add the tri-tip right above the coals. For the first 30 minutes, you want to start with the meat about 8” away from the coals. Then, you will lower the grates down and give the meat a sear at the end.

You want to continue to flip the meat every 5 minutes or so to build up a nice crust and char on the steak. This will also help with more even cooking.

Once your tri-tip reaches 115°F internal, you can lower the grates to just a few inches above the coals and finish it off with a nice char. The perfect temperature to serve tri-tip is medium rare, so you are shooting for about 130°F.

The final step is to pull the tri-tip off and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. You can tent the roast in foil to keep it hot, but it’s essential to let this cut of beef rest before slicing in.

4. Carve

One unique aspect of Tri-Tip is that the grain of the meat actually runs in two different directions.

At the crook (corner) of the roast, you will see that the grain of the meat changes. Be sure to slice both sides of the roast against the grain to get the most tender slices possible.

We have a more detailed guide to slicing tri tip if you’re unsure.

More charcoal grill recipes

• Grilled New York Strip
• Smoked Pork Tenderloin
• Grilled Ribeye Cap Steak
• The Best Method For Smoked Picanha
• Pickleback Wings