Incredibly flavorful, the smoked tri-tip is so easy to make and never fails to impress. I have two versions today to share with you, the first is a simple rosemary garlic, and the second is perfect for summer with barbecue flavors. Either way you go, smoking tri-tip is one of the best ways to cook this tender cut of beef.
My family got into smoked tri-tip over 20 years ago now, and it’s still one of our favorite things to make! It all started with a local meat shop that made great marinades, and the owner persuaded us to try making tri-tip.
Watch How To Make Smoked Tri Tip
We had never had tri-tip before. But my dad put it on the smoker, and the rest, as they say, is history! We’ve been making tri-tip on the smoker ever since. And I know you’ll love our two favorite go-to flavors for tri-tip.
The rosemary garlic marinade is perfect year-round. In the summer, it’s great with fresh veggies and salads, or in the winter with cheesy baked mashed potatoes .
My other go-to version is barbecue tri-tip with a spice rub. It’s perfect with potato salad and all the fixings for your next barbecue or picnic.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tri-tip – is a very tender cut of beef. It just needs to be marinated, cooked correctly, and sliced against the grain. It can be marinated for 24 hours or up to 2 days if your marinade doesn’t contain any acid.
- Olive oil – adds flavor and helps to keep this roast moist.
- Garlic – adds depth of savory flavor. I recommend freshly minced over jarred. You can use a garlic press to speed up the prep, or sub in 2 tsp granulated garlic. Granulated garlic is like garlic powder but more granular in texture and has a wonderful toasty garlic flavor.
- Rosemary – freshly minced rosemary leaves are what you want for this recipe. You can also use thyme, we’re just partial to rosemary, and I don’t recommend dried in this case.
- Sea salt & pepper – both are key to this tri-tip being truly flavorful. Sea salt is especially important to bring out the best of the beef flavor.
- Optional balsamic vinegar – I leave this out when I’m after more of a ‘garlic butter’ flavor. But it’s a nice, flavorful variation, and the acid also helps to tenderize the meat.
- BBQ Tri-Tip marinade – is my other go-to tri-tip marinade, and it’s included in the recipe below. It has a spice mix like what I use on Oven Baked Ribs , and it’s finished with BBQ sauce for a classic summer flavor profile.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by choosing your tri-tip flavor listed in the recipe.
I’m going to show you step-by-step how to make the rosemary garlic version. Start by mixing together the marinade.
Step 2: Next, pour the marinade over the tri-tip, turn to coat, and refrigerate covered overnight.
Or up to two days for the rosemary version made without vinegar.
Step 3 : When you’re ready to eat, preheat the smoker and, if you have a probe or heat-safe thermometer like a Meater, insert it into the roast while it cooks.
Step 4: Turn the roast halfway through the cooking time.
You’ll notice it will take on a pinkish hue, as you can see in the photos, this means the magic is happening! The pinkish hue comes from the meat being smoked.
Step 5: When your tri-tip is 10° below your desired temperature, remove it from the smoker and reverse sear it on the stove.
This brief browning of the roast will bring your tri-tip up to your desired temperature as it rests. If your smoker has a sear option, use that because it’s less mess.
Step 6: Cover and allow the tri-tip roast to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing it against the grain, and serve immediately.
Ways to serve this
- For a summer menu, serve this tri-tip with my Grilled Potatoes and Grilled Vegetables or Strawberry Spinach Salad .
- Make the BBQ version of this tri-tip and serve it with Mom’s Potato Salad and Watermelon Feta Basil Salad .
- In the winter, serve this with Cheesy Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Honey Glazed Carrots . You can also smoke this tri tip with my Smoked Mac and Cheese at 210ºF, which will take a bit longer, so start the meat first. It’s also great with my Roasted Potatoes and Carrots .
- Try the Rosemary tri tip with my Mashed Butternut and Garlic Cream Sauce and add some Sautéed Green Beans and/or Garlic Butter Mushrooms .
- Serve the Rosemary version of this tri-tip with my Mushroom Cream Sauce , Mashed Potatoes , and Maple Carrots .
Other names for tri-tip are Newport steak ”, “Santa Maria steak” (from its use in Santa Maria-style barbecue), “triangle tip”, and “triangle steak.
Letting your tri-tip roast rest 20-30 minutes, then slicing it against the grain, are the most important ways to make your tri-tip tender, and a marinade is helpful as well. Also, tri-tip is at its most tender cooked no more than medium, it gets tougher the more well done it is.
Storing leftovers
- To store – place any leftover tri-tip roast into an airtight container in store in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Make ahead – this tri-tip is best served fresh, but it can be marinated for one to two days before cooking.
- Reheating – my favorite way to reheat tri-tip is to slice it against the grain and quickly pan-sear it over fairly high heat. This heats the tri-tip up without overcooking it and causing it to be dry.
- To freeze – p lace any leftover tri-tip into an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Tips & Tricks
- My number one tip for any large cut of meat is to use a meat probe, or a Wi-Fi-connected thermometer like Meater. This allows you to have real-time updates as your meat cooks, and it’s a foolproof way of making sure you never overcook or undercook a tri-tip again.
- It’s absolutely crucial that you slice tri-tip against the grain to make sure it is perfectly tender. You also don’t want to rush the resting process.
- Tri-tip is a larger cut of meat, so you need a one-day marinade to ensure the best flavor. It’s one of those times you can’t really get by with a one-hour marinade because not much happens in a larger cut of meat in a short time. Your tri-tip will still be very tasty if you marinate and cook within 1 hour, but the deeper flavor takes time!
Dietary Options & Substitutions
- Dairy-free – both versions of this tri-tip should be dairy-free as written, but be sure to check the labels on your barbecue sauce and spices just to be sure.
- Paleo – use a Paleo-friendly barbecue sauce or even the Primal Kitchen No Sugar Barbecue Sauce.
More Smoked Meat Recipe Inspiration
- Smoked Chicken Breasts
- Smoked Chicken Thighs
INGREDIENTS1x2x3x
- 2.5 pound Tri tip
Rosemary Garlic Marinade:
- 2 tbsp rosemary - finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - minced,or 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
BBQ Tri Tip Marinade:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by choosing your tri-tip flavor listed in the recipe. Combine the ingredients for your chosen marinade and evenly coat the tri-tip
- Turn to coat, and refrigerate covered overnight or up to two days for the rosemary version without vinegar.
- When you’re ready to eat, preheat the smoker to 225ºF, and if you have a probe or heat-safe thermometer like a Meater, insert it into the roast while it cooks.
- Turn the roast halfway through the 2-hour cooking time.
- When your tri-tip is 10° below your desired temperature, remove it from the smoker to reverse sear on the stovetop. Or if your smoker has a sear option, use that.
- To reverse sear on the stove, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil (like avocado), and sear the tri-tip for 2-3 minutes per side until well browned. This brief browning of the roast will bring your tri-tip up to your desired temperature, combined with the resting time.
- Cover and allow the tri-tip roast to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing it against the grain, and serve immediately.
NOTES
- Rare – 125ºF most of the meat will be red with a little pink around the edges.
- Medium rare – 135ºF looks like the beef tenderloin pictured here with a good amount of red in the center, turning to pink, then brown near the edges.
- Medium – 145ºF has just a bit of red in the center but is mostly light pink with brown edges.
- Medium well – 150ºF barely a hint of pink in the center and mostly brown throughout.
nutrition facts
Smoked Tri-Tip
Ingredients
- 2.5 pound Tri tip
Rosemary Garlic Marinade:
- 2 tbsp rosemary finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced,or 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Optional: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
BBQ Tri Tip Marinade:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Start by choosing your tri-tip flavor listed in the recipe. Combine the ingredients for your chosen marinade and evenly coat the tri-tip
- Turn to coat, and refrigerate covered overnight or up to two days for the rosemary version without vinegar.
- When you’re ready to eat, preheat the smoker to 225ºF, and if you have a probe or heat-safe thermometer like a Meater, insert it into the roast while it cooks.
- Turn the roast halfway through the 2-hour cooking time.
- When your tri-tip is 10° below your desired temperature, remove it from the smoker to reverse sear on the stovetop. Or if your smoker has a sear option, use that.
- To reverse sear on the stove, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil (like avocado), and sear the tri-tip for 2-3 minutes per side until well browned. This brief browning of the roast will bring your tri-tip up to your desired temperature, combined with the resting time.
- Cover and allow the tri-tip roast to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing it against the grain, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Rare – 125ºF most of the meat will be red with a little pink around the edges.
- Medium rare – 135ºF looks like the beef tenderloin pictured here with a good amount of red in the center, turning to pink, then brown near the edges.
- Medium – 145ºF has just a bit of red in the center but is mostly light pink with brown edges.
- Medium well – 150ºF barely a hint of pink in the center and mostly brown throughout.
Nutrition
The recipe Smoked Tri-Tip appeared first on Get Inspired Everyday! on August 19, 2025
https://getinspiredeveryday.com/food/smoked-tri-tip/
