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.
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!
Tri Tip Steak Ingredients
Tri-Tip SteakUnsalted Butter Cloves of Garlic peeledFresh ThymeCoarse SaltCoarse Black PepperGranulated Garlic
Smoking Tri Tip Steak Preparation
How to Smoke Tri-Tip
How to Sear Tri-Tip Steak
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.
How to Cut Tri-Tip
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. I use our Steak Temperature Chart which makes it easy to follow and guarantees the perfect steak every time!
Best Smoked Beef Recipes
Smoked BurgersSmoked Prime RibSmoked Chuck RoastSmoked Tomahawk SteakSmoked Beef Short RibsSmoked BrisketSmoked 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!
📋 Recipe
