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chimichurri sauce being spooned over slices of smoked tri tip
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4.93 from 13 votes

Smoked Tri Tip

The Santa Maria steak that is a West Coast crowd pleaser, this smoked tri-tip recipe is juicy, flavorful, and is going to be your new backyard barbecue go-to!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Grilling and Smoker Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 56kcal
Author: Eden Westbrook

Ingredients

  • 1 2 to 3 pound tri tip roast, trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon regular olive oil or high heat olive oil

Dry Rub

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoon brown sugar optional
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Mix the dry rub together in a small bowl, set aside. Drizzle the olive oil onto the tri tip and rub it all over on all sides. Season the tri tip with the dry rub, massaging it into the beef on all sides. Let rest for at least 20 minutes up to two hours.
  • Preheat your pellet smoker to 190 degrees F up to 225 degrees F. I like to use mesquite wood pellets in my hopper.
  • Place the tri tip directly in the center of the grill grates of your smoker and stick your probe thermometer into the thickest part of the roast. Close the smoker's lid and smoke the tri tip until the internal temperature is around your target temperature (chart is below in Notes) to pull it out and grill or pan-sear it.
  • Bring your grill's temperature to medium high, then grill the smoked tri tip for about 3 minutes on each side.
  • Move the tri tip onto a cutting board and let the roast rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing against the grain and serving.

Notes

To Sear in a Cast Iron Skillet

Put 2 tablespoons of butter and light olive oil into the cast iron skillet. Place the tri tip into the butter and sear for 3 minutes per side, basting with the butter while it cooks. Let rest before slicing and serving

Internal Temperature Guide

Rare (125 degrees F) pull from smoker at 115 degrees F
Medium Rare (135 degrees F) pull from smoker at 125 degrees F
Medium (145 degrees F) pull from smoker at 135 degrees F

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 632mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g