Spicy Grilled Tri-tip - Easy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long should I cook tri tip on the grill? ›

A general rule of thumb for grilling a tri-tip roast is about 10 minutes per pound (not counting the time of searing), but it's best to check after 20 minutes with an instant-read thermometer. You're aiming for 115°F for rare or 125°F for medium-rare meat.

When it comes to cooking tri-tip in the oven, opt for broiling the meat instead of baking to keep with the fast-cooking methods that make tri-tip recipes most delicious. As with grilling, marinating 2 to 3 hours will help to keep the steaks tender and moist, but it it's not essential.

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.

Marinating Tri Tip steak is a good idea because it's one of the leaner cuts of meat that can get a little tough when cooked without extra moisture. It's particularly good for steaks that will be grilled or smoked. Try marinades with any strong flavor that will pair well with beef.

Grill. Place the seasoned tri tip roast directly on the grill grates over indirect heat. Close the lid and grill for 30-40 minutes, flipping every 6-7 minutes. Mop liberally with mopping liquid after each time you flip the roast.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Place the meat directly above the flame to sear the meat and lock in the juices, about 5 to 10 minutes per side. Turn the grill down to medium heat and continue to cook, turning occasionally, for another 25 to 30 minutes.

Reverse searing is a cooking method that involves cooking a steak slowly in an oven or on the grill until it is almost done, then searing it quickly over high heat to create a flavorful crust. This method is ideal for cooking tri tip steak, as it results in a tender, juicy steak with a crispy crust.

While the tri tip is a steak-like cut, it has very long muscle fibers, and long muscle fibers mean stringy, chewy steak if you don't handle them correctly. You have to cut across the grain of the meat fibers to shorten the individual fiber pieces you'll be eating.

Ideally, you should marinate tri-tip for at least 4 hours or overnight for maximum flavor. Of course, you still need to consider the thickness of the cut to make sure you're giving it enough time to absorb the flavors.

Grill on medium heat (300-400°F). Grill for 20 to 40 minutes until internal temp is 135°F. Flip tri-tip every few minutes. Rotate around on grill if grill cooks unevenly.

Should tri-tip be covered or uncovered? ›

Set the tied tri-tip roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until an insta-read thermometer registers about 125 (rare) to 135 (medium) degrees F, or according to taste. Remove from the oven and loosely cover with foil.

Soaking your meat in marinades helps add flavor while making your meat tender. However, depending on how thin you have cut your pieces of meat, the marinade may fail to penetrate all that deep. In such cases, poking holes in your meat will help all the ingredients fully absorb and not remain on the surface.

Tri-tip doesn't need to be tenderized because it's already a naturally tender cut. If you want to enhance its flavor, you can marinate it for two to three hours before cooking it. Adding acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar to the marinade will help break down the muscle fibers, making the steak more tender.

Incorrectly slicing meat can make a perfectly Traegered steak tough and chewy. Within the tri-tip cut, two different grains intersect: approximately half of the steak contains fibers running vertically and the other half contains long muscle fibers coming in at an angle.

Cook it for about 10 minutes a pound, checking with an instant-read thermometer until it reaches 130 degrees for medium-rare.

Grill on medium heat (300-400°F). Grill for 20 to 40 minutes until internal temp is 135°F. Flip tri-tip every few minutes. Rotate around on grill if grill cooks unevenly.

The longer you cook tri-tip the more tender it will become, so you can choose your time according to what you are trying to accomplish. For a more traditional texture you can cook it until it is just heated through, usually 3 to 4 hours.