The Best Smoked Tri-tip

Tri-tip can be tough and chewy, but when handled correctly, it’s one of the juiciest, flavor-packed pieces of beef you can have.

I recommend treating tri-tip like a steak, using simple seasoning, a relatively short smoke, and finishing with a quick sear and short rest, but if you want to go in a different direction, we have a brisket-style tri-tip recipe that can almost pass for the real thing.

Smoked Tri-tip

Smoking tri-tips and other lean cuts of beef are great because it allows the meat to cook evenly on the inside and adds a smokey flavor.

Smoking allows the meat to cook evenly and slowly. At high temperatures, muscle fibers tense and toughen up, making the meat tough and chewy.

You could cook tri-tip low and slow the whole way, but you can’t beat finishing with a quick sear over high heat to develop a flavorful crust.

You can certainly grill a whole tri-tip roast as we show in our Santa Maria Tri-tip recipe, but I find the reverse sear method yields a more even result.

What you’ll need

• 2-3lb Tri-tip – trimmed and with the fat cap removed. I’ll often smoke two tri-tips at once.
• SPG rub – Simple seasoning works best, so opt for a basic blend of salt, pepper, and garlic.
• Smoke wood – I used hickory wood chunks, but apple, cherry, or pecan would all be good choices.

What is a Tri-tip?

Tri-tip gets its name from its triangular shape. It comes from the bottom of the sirloin primal cut. The cut first became popular in California, although now quite common around the world and is known by a ridiculous number of different names, including triangle steak, bottom sirloin butt, and Santa Maria steak.

My favorite way to cook tri-tip is to reverse sear it, but you can also grill it, cook it in the oven, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, smoke it low and slow to a well-done finish, similar to a brisket.

It’s become easier to find at big grocery stores of late, and you can always score a top-quality cut from our friends at Porter Road.

How long does it take to smoke tri-tip?

It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to smoke a 2.5lb tri-tip.

The exact time will depend on the thickness of the meat and how well done you like it.

Use a reliable thermometer and smoke the tri-tip until it reaches an internal temperature of 115°F. Then sear until it reaches around 127°F, and you will have a perfectly cooked tri-tip.

How to smoke Tri-tip

1. Trim fat cap and silver skin

Depending on where you buy your tri-tip, it might already be trimmed and ready.

If yours comes with a fat cap, you can leave it on or remove it. I prefer to remove it so the seasoning hits all the meat.

To do this, remove any silver skin that may be on the tri-tip. It helps to use the full length of the blade for nice, clean cuts.

2. Season

There are a TON of amazing beef rubs out there, and honestly, this part is 100% your preference.

If you know you are going to sear over direct heat, you want to avoid rubs that have a high sugar content to prevent the meat from burning.  

I like to keep it simple and season with a blend of Kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and garlic powder.

If I have extra time, I typically like to do this 30-45 minutes ahead, which allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat and tenderize the roast.

If you really plan ahead, you can also dry brine the tri-tip in the fridge for up to 24 hours before smoking.

3. Smoke the tri-tip

For this cook, I used my Kamado Joe Classic II with Weber Hickory Wood Chunks.

You can use any type of smoker you want as long as you get a consistent temperature of 225°F-250°F.

Place your meat in the smoker away from any indirect heat. You want to cook tri-tip until the internal temperature reaches 115°F. Start checking the temperature around the 45-minute point.

To monitor the internal temperature during the smoking process, I used my MEATER+ Wireless Thermometer.

A wireless thermometer is a great tool in your BBQ arsenal – especially for lower-temperature cooks, but any good digital meat thermometer will do.

4. Searing the Tri-tip

Next, you want to sear the tri-tip over high heat.

Depending on your smoker, this may be as simple as moving the meat across to the direct heat side. Some pellet smokers have an open flame searing option, so utilize what you have. If all else fails, a screaming hot cast iron skillet will get the job done.

If you need some time to prepare your grill for searing, you can place your tri-tip on a cutting board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

While searing, flip the tri-tip every couple of minutes until the internal temperature reaches 127°F, for medium-rare.

Remove from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. 

The temperature will typically increase by 5-10°F as the meat rests, so be sure to stop searing the tri-tip before it reaches your desired doneness temperature.

5. Slicing is the most critical part!

It’s crucial to slice the tri-tip correctly. Otherwise, you’ll chew on what feels like a leather belt.

The tri-tip has grains running in two directions, and you need to make sure you are cutting against the grain. 

Place the tri-tip in the middle of a butcher block or cutting board. It’s easiest to start slicing at the smaller end and work towards the larger portion, where you will need to rotate to help make sure that you are slicing each part of the tri-tip against the grain.

I recommend thinly sliced pieces for the most tender bite. 

You can serve tri-tip any way you would serve steak. A great option is to pair it with our Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, or you could place it on Brioche Buns with pickles and BBQ sauce.