This Smoked Tri Tip is full of smoky flavor, seasoned to perfection, tender, and juicy. Serve this at your next backyard barbecue and you’ll be sure to wow your guests with this offering.
Love smoked meat? Then you have to try these delicious Smoked Chicken Thighs and Smoked Beef Brisket.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
Summertime is perfect for barbecues and smoking delicious meats. I love this Smoked Tri Tip recipe because it makes plenty for everyone and the meat is great served with other backyard party favorites.
- TASTE: This tri tip is full of smoky flavor with a rich, buttery taste and a hint of garlic.
- TEXTURE: Juicy and tender on the inside, this Smoked Tri Tip has a delicious crust on the outside.
- TIME: It will take you just under 2 hours to make.
- EASE: With simple ingredients and easy prep, this recipe is a breeze. Most of the work is done by the smoker.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Tri tip roast- Trim off any excess fat or silver skin from the meat so that you get a nice char on it.
- Hickory pellets- These pellets will infuse the tri tip with a strong smoky flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add other seasonings- Substitute other seasonings, such as smoked paprika, thyme, onion powder, rosemary, or chili powder.
- Use another smoker pellet- You can change up the flavor by using applewood, mesquite, pecan wood, or cherry wood pellets for your smoker.
- Make it spicy- Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the seasonings to make this Smoked Tri Tip spicier.
- Add to the rub– Introduce other flavors with ground coffee, mustard powder, or brown sugar.
How to Make Smoked Tri Tip
- Preheat the smoker. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit with an adequate number of hickory pellets inside.
- Mix the seasonings. In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add the rub to the meat. Drizzle the olive oil over the tri tip and rub the seasoning mix over the entire piece of meat.
- Cook. Place the seasoned tri tip directly on the smoker grill grates. Cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat is 130°F-135°F (about 1 1/2 hours).
- Sear the tri tip. Add butter to a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is sizzling and melted, remove the tri tip from the smoker and sear in the hot skillet for 30 seconds per side.
- Rest it. Now transfer the cooked tri tip onto a plate or cutting board and cover with foil. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.
Pro Tip: I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature. The cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your tri tip, so keep a close eye on it.
Recipe Tips
- Preheat the smoker- Preheating the smoker gets it to the right temperature that the meat cooks thoroughly and the texture is both tender and with a nice crust.
- Check the internal temp for doneness- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that your tri tip has reached the level of doneness you need, 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let it rest- This resting time allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat so that when you cut into it, they don’t run out, drying out the meat.
- Cut against the grain- Make sure to cut against the grain when slicing your tri tip for optimal tenderness.
FAQs
If you have a 2-lb. tri tip, it will take about 1 1/2 hours to reach medium rare when cooking at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. If the tri tip is 3 lbs, then it will take about 2 hours. It will take 30 minutes less if you want it to be rare.
If you want to get an even application of smoke to the meat, you can flip it once an hour while smoking. This gives it an even crust. This recipe sears the meat on a butter-soaked cast iron skillet for an even more flavorful crust.
Serving Suggestions
This Smoked Tri Tip is versatile enough to be paired with lots of classic sides. Enjoy it with salads, vegetables, potatoes, and dipping sauces.
- Sauces: Serve these slices of tri tip with a dipping sauce, like this Homemade BBQ Sauce, Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce, or Yum Yum Sauce.
- Salads: Pair this meat with some Potato Salad with Baked Salmon, Tri Color Pasta Salad (VIDEO), Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, or Cabbage Cucumber Salad.
- Vegetables: Enjoy this tri tip with some Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Air Fryer Green Beans, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, or Air Fryer Corn on the Cob.
- Potatoes: Serve potato sides with it, like these Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, Air Fryer Potato Wedges, Potato Pierogi (Perogies) VIDEO, and Crispy Air Fryer French Fries.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can smoke this meat ahead of time and then store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, heat it in the smoker or oven until warmed through.
Storing: Store this Smoked Tri Tip covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container once cooled. It can last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Once cooled, you can wrap the meat in foil and plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Smoked Meats!
Full Recipe Instructions
Smoked Tri Tip
Equipment
- 1 Smoker
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb tri tip fat cap removed
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- Hickory pellets
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. And make sure there are enough pellets inside. I used hickory pellets for this recipe.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the tri tip and rub the seasoning mix over the entire piece of meat.
- Place the seasoned tri tip directly on the smoker grill grates.
- Cook until the internal temperate of the thickest part of the meat is 130°F-135°F (about 1 1/2 hours). I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature. The cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your tri tip. So keep a close eye on it.
- Now bring a cast iron pan over medium-high heat and add in the butter. Once the butter is sizzling and melted, sear the smoked tri tip in the hot skillet for 30 seconds per side. This will create a flavor packed crust on the outside of the meat.
- Now transfer the cooked tri tip onto a plate or cutting board and cover with foil. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it. Make sure to cut against the grain when cutting for optimal tenderness.
Notes
- Preheat the smoker- Preheating the smoker gets it to the right temperature that the meat cooks thoroughly and the texture is both tender and with a nice crust.
- Check the internal temp for doneness- Use a meat thermometer to ensure that your tri tip has reached the level of doneness you need, 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Let it rest- This resting time allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat so that when you cut into it, they don’t run out, drying out the meat.
- Cut against the grain- Make sure to cut against the grain when slicing your tri tip for optimal tenderness.
Nutrition
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