Santa Maria Tri-Tip Recipe

How To Grill Tri-Tip Steak

Follow these tips to get the best results when cooking your steak.

  • Season it in advance to give the seasoning time to penetrate the meat and enhance its flavor.
  • Let it come to room temperature before cooking for more even doneness.
  • While searing the tri-tip on the grill, watch it carefully. As the meat's fat heats up, it can drip down and cause flare-ups. Keep moving the tri-tip away from the flame if flare-ups occur.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check for your desired level of doneness (120°F for a rare, 130°F for medium-rare, and 140°F for medium).
  • Rest the meat 5 to 10 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute.

How To Cut Tri-Tip Steak

It's best to slice tri-tip thinly against the grain, which shortens the muscle fibers and makes them easier to chew. Heads up: tri-tip actually has two different grain directions which intersect near the top point of the "triangle."

No Grill? How To Make Tri-Tip in the Oven

To prepare tri-tip in the oven, start in the same way as you would with the grilling method—assemble your seasoning rub, massage it into the roast, and allow the seasoned meat to come to room temperature.

Rub softened butter all over the meat and sear it in a cast-iron or carbon-steel pan on the stovetop. Finish the roast in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes or longer, until the internal temperature is 120°F for a rare roast, 130°F for medium-rare, and 140°F for medium.

For a delicious oven-roasted tri-tip recipe, try our Marinated Tri-Tip Roast with Mushrooms and Garlic.

More Steaks to Try

  • Skirt Steak
  • Flank Steak
  • Steak Tips
  • London Broil
  • Cowboy Steak
From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

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