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    Home » Recipes » Smoked Beef

    Smoked Tri-Tip

    Published: Sep 22, 2022 Modified: Sep 23, 2022 by Isabel Laessig

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    My Smoked Tri-Tip recipe is so juicy, tender, and flavorful. Learn how to smoke tri-tip with just a handful of ingredients by following my simple instructions! It takes just 1 hour in the smoker and a quick sear in a pan to make the most beautiful tri-tip steak.

    Smoked tri tip sliced on a white platter
    Jump to:
    • Best Tri Tip Recipe
    • Tri Tip Steak Ingredients
    • Smoking Tri Tip Steak Preparation
    • How to Smoke Tri-Tip
    • How to Sear Tri-Tip Steak
    • Tri-Tip Steak Recipe Tips
    • Tri Tip Recipes FAQs
    • How to Cut Tri-Tip
    • Where to Buy Tri-Tip
    • Steak Temperature
    • Best Smoked Beef Recipes
    • 📌 Pin it for later!
    • 📋 Recipe

    Best Tri Tip Recipe

    So, I am completely obsessed with my smoker. There is nothing like smoking a juicy cut of beef to tender perfection. It adds so much flavor to any beef cut! It only seemed natural to try smoking tri tip next, and let me tell you... I am going to be making this recipe all the time.

    Smoked tri tip has so much flavor and is so lusciously tender and juicy. It makes a gorgeous centerpiece and is one of my absolute favorites to serve with crisp roasted potatoes and herbs.

    I cannot even tell you how quickly this smoked steak disappeared after I served it! Everyone at the table was torn between savoring each bite and gobbling it down. It is just so irresistibly tasty.

    The best part is, smoking tri tip takes just 1 hour, plus some extra time to prep and sear the steak. It's one of the quickest smoked beef recipes you can make, so you can make it on a whim if you want to. And trust me, you will want to!

    This was my first time smoking a tri tip steak and it turned out amazing. My guests all loved it and every last bit was gone.

    Ed via email
    whole smoked tri tip on a platter with garlic and herbs

    Tri Tip Steak Ingredients

    • Tri-Tip Steak
    • Unsalted Butter
    •  Cloves of Garlic peeled
    • Fresh Thyme
    • Coarse Salt
    • Coarse Black Pepper
    • Granulated Garlic
    Smoked tri tip ingredients on a white surface

    Smoking Tri Tip Steak Preparation

    1. Trim off any excess fat from the steak. This includes any chunks of fat and the silver skin on the beef. You can do this by carefully running your knife under the membrane to cut it away and remove it.
    2. Season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic in that order. Cover the entire steak front and back. Be generous with your seasoning! If you need more to cover the whole steak, use more.
    Seasoning tri-tip steak with garlic powder

    How to Smoke Tri-Tip

    1. Preheat your smoker to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. After seasoning your beef as instructed above, place the meat on the smoker.
    3. Add garlic cloves, thyme, and butter to a cast iron skillet. Place it inside the smoker with a little bit of room between it and the steak.
    4. Smoke for 1 hour or until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit. For a different degree of doneness, refer to my Steak Temperature Chart and use a meat thermometer.
    Tri-tip steak and cast iron skillet placed in smoker

    How to Sear Tri-Tip Steak

    1. After smoking, immediately remove the pan from the smoker and place it on your stovetop. Heat to medium-high.
    2. Once hot (about 5 minutes), sear the steak for 2 minutes on each side. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
    Searing tri-tip steak in a cast iron skillet

    Tri-Tip Steak Recipe Tips

    • Leaving the tri-tip to sit after it’s finished cooking gives it a chance to soak up some of the juices that were released in the cooking process.
    • I used hickory pellets for this smoker, but you really can’t go wrong with any wood choice.
    • This steak will cook/look different than your average steak. This means, you won’t see that deep, dark red as a meaty center when it’s rare.
    • It’s important you go off of temperature and not by appearance when cooking beef, especially this cut. For a medium-rare cook, it will be an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Go up about 5 degrees or so for each level you want it cooked more. For example, medium would be 145 degrees, internal temp. Pull your steak off of the smoker 5 degrees below your desired degree of doneness.
    • When heating up your cast iron skillet, it shouldn’t take long since it was already in the smoker heating up for quite a while. Be careful when heating it further on the stove, as you don’t want to burn any of the ingredients.
    sliced smoked tri-tip steak on a platter with herbs

    Tri Tip Recipes FAQs

    What is tri-tip steak?

    Tri-tip steak is cut from the tri-tip roast, which is a section of the bottom sirloin cut. It is budget-friendly, but flavorful, with a good amount of marbling (lines of fat running through the beef). You may also hear it referred to as triangle steak for its shape, or Santa Maria steak. When cooked correctly, it is tender and juicy. Tri-tip steak is best grilled, smoked, or cooked in a hot skillet. You can also prepare tri-tip in the oven.

    What temperature do you cook a tri tip?

    Smoke tri-tip at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. To ensure the steak reaches your desired degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the beef, and refer to our Tri-tip Temperature Chart.

    How long should you smoke tri-tip?

    Smoke tri-tip for at least 1 hour for medium-rare (135 degrees Fahrenheit), or until it reaches your desired internal temperature.

    What is better: brisket or tri-tip?

    Tri-tip steak and brisket are both popular cuts of beef for smoking and are similar to each other. For a beginner to smoking beef, tri-tip is a better choice, as it is easier and takes less time. However, both are tasty and rewarding options. Try my Smoked Brisket Recipe to compare!

    How to Cut Tri-Tip

    1. Find the grain of the beef - this is the direction the fibers run through it.
    2. Slice against the grain to a thickness of your liking using a sharp knife.
    Slicing tri-tip steak on a white platter

    Where to Buy Tri-Tip

    Tri-tip steak goes by a few names, including Santa Maria steak, triangle tip, and triangle steak. You can purchase tri-tip steak from most grocery stores, or from a local meat shop. It can also be ordered online.

    Steak Temperature

    It is so important to always use a meat thermometer when cooking steak. It is truly the only way to get that perfect steak every single time regardless of which cooking method you are using.

    DonenessTemperatureAppearance
    Rare Tri-tip temp125°Fbright red in the middle
    Medium-rare Tri-tip temp135°Fwarm red in the middle
    Medium Tri-tip temp145°Fwarm pink at the center
    Medium-well Tri-tip temp150°Fslightly pink at the center
    Well-done Tri-tip temp160°Flittle to no pink throughout

    I use our Steak Temperature Chart which makes it easy to follow and guarantees the perfect steak every time!

    chart showing beef temps

    Best Smoked Beef Recipes

    • Smoked Burgers
    • Smoked Prime Rib
    • Smoked Chuck Roast
    • Smoked Tomahawk Steak
    • Smoked Beef Short Ribs
    • Smoked Brisket
    • Smoked Wagyu Steak

    Try more of the best beef cuts according to your needs and budget by following my guide on the Best Cuts of Beef and our Popular Beef Dishes!



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    Sliced smoked tri tip on a white plate with garlic and herbs
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    5 from 3 votes

    Smoked Tri-Tip Recipe

    Learn how to smoke tri-tip following my easy Smoked Tri-Tip recipe! Complete with a gorgeous sear, herbs, and garlic. Done smoking in 1 hour.
    Prep Time25 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 25 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: smoked tri tip, smoked tri tip recipe, smoking tri tip, tri tip recipe
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 970kcal
    Author: Isabel Laessig

    Equipment

    • 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet
    • Meat thermometer

    Ingredients

    • 5 Pound Tri-Tip Steak
    • 1 Stick Unsalted Butter ½ cup
    • 8 Cloves Garlic peeled
    • ¼ Cup Fresh Thyme
    • 2 Tablespoons Coarse Salt
    • 2 Tablespoons Coarse Black Pepper
    • 2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic

    Instructions

    • Preheat the smoker to 300 degrees. Trim off any excess fat from the steak. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic (in that specific order) and cover the entire steak, front and back. Be generous, if you need more seasoning to totally cover it, use more.
      5 Pound Tri-Tip Steak, 2 Tablespoons Coarse Salt, 2 Tablespoons Coarse Black Pepper, 2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic
      Seasoning tri-tip steak with garlic powder
    • Place the meat on your smoker. Add the garlic cloves, thyme, and butter to the cast iron skillet, and place it inside the smoker, leaving a bit of room between it and the steak.
      1 Stick Unsalted Butter, 8 Cloves Garlic, ¼ Cup Fresh Thyme
      Tri-tip steak and cast iron skillet placed in smoker
    • Smoke for about 1 hour or until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees. Immediately remove the pan from the smoker and place it on your stovetop. Heat to medium/high. Once your pan is hot (no more than 5 minutes), sear the steak for about 2 minutes on each side.
      Searing tri-tip steak in a cast iron skillet
    • Let the steak cool for about 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
      Slicing tri-tip steak on a white platter

    Notes

    • Leaving the tri-tip to sit after it’s finished cooking gives it a chance to soak up some of the juices that were released in the cooking process.
    • I used hickory pellets for this smoke, but you really can’t go wrong with any wood choice.
    • This steak will cook/look differently than your average steak. This means, you won’t see that deep, dark red as a meaty center when it’s rare.
    • It’s important you go off of temperature and not look when cooking meat, especially this cut. For a medium/rare cook, it will be an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Go up about 5 degrees or so for each level you want it cooked more. For example, medium would be 145 degrees internal temp.
    • When heating up your cast iron skillet, it shouldn’t take long since it was already in the smoker heating up for quite a while. Be careful when heating it further on the stove, as you don’t want to burn any of the ingredients.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 970kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 119g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 375mg | Sodium: 3787mg | Potassium: 1927mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 10mg

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    About Isabel Laessig

    Isabel Laessig, better known as Family Foodie and the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement, is passionate about food and family! She is the author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook, and makes regular television appearances to spread her mission of bringing Sunday Supper back around the family table in every home.

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