Tri Tip Roast

Name: Juicy and Flavorful Tri Tip Roast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (see notes below); 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 whole tri tip roasts (about 2 pounds each); Oil spray (I use avocado oil spray )

by Vered DeLeeuwUpdated Sep 12, 2024

7 Comments

5 from 37 votes

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This juicy and flavorful tri tip roast is coated in a mixture of spices and then cooked in the oven to a perfect medium rare. It's an inexpensive cut that produces impressive results. The leftovers keep well for several days and can be enjoyed cold or reheated.

A sliced tri tip roast is served on a white platter with a serving fork.

There's something about roasting a large piece of meat and carving it at the table. It makes for festive holiday dinners. Pork roast, ribeye roast, and tenderloin roast are big favorites. However, they are expensive, so for everyday meals, I opt for cheaper cuts such as London broil and tri tip roast. They're not as tender, but they have a great beefy taste. When properly sliced against the grain, they are wonderful!

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the ingredients needed to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

Dry rub: You'll mix kosher salt, black pepper, and several spices to create a tasty dry rub that significantly enhances the flavor of the roast. I like to use garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
Tri tip roast: I get it at Costco or order it online at Wild Fork Foods. You can get two 2-pound roasts, cook them in the same pan, and get lots of tasty leftovers to last several days.
Oil spray: This is only needed if the meat has been completely trimmed by the butcher and has no fat layer to keep it moist and juicy as it cooks.

Variations

The best way to vary this recipe is to experiment with different spices and herbs. Spices that I tried and liked include dried thyme and dried oregano. I sometimes add a teaspoon of either of them to the spice mixture.

Instructions

The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:

Your first step is to mix salt, black pepper, and spices.

Rub the spice mixture all over the roast, massaging it in. Place the roast on a greased wire rack fitted into a rimmed roasting pan and insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into its thickest part.

Cook the roast briefly in a 500°F oven for 15 minutes. This is instead of sauteing it on the stovetop. It's much easier and achieves the same goal - browning the meat.

Turn the oven down to 350°F. Keep cooking the roast until the thermometer indicates it reaches 135°F for medium-rare or 145°F for medium. Let the meat rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Two fully cooked tri-tip roasts in a pan.

Expert Tips

Avoid overcooking

It's best to cook this cut to medium rare or medium. This ensures a tender roast. It will be tough and chewy if you cook it to medium well.

The USDA says we should cook whole roasts to 145ºF with a three-minute rest time. This is medium doneness.

Carving instructions

Since this is a fairly tough cut of meat, you should cut it against the grain. Cutting against the grain means slicing it in a way that breaks the meat fibers, making chewing easier.

The challenge is that the tri tip has two parts, and the muscle fibers run in a different direction in each of these parts.

So you'll want to identify that direction before cooking, cut the roast into two parts, and slice each of them against the grain of that part.

Slicing each tri-tip half against the grain.

Recipe FAQs

What is a tri tip?

This cut comes from the sirloin, which butchers divide into top sirloin and bottom sirloin.

The top sirloin can be cut into steaks. I use it in several recipes, including steak stir-fry, beef stroganoff, Korean beef, beef kabobs, beef and broccoli, steak salad, and steak fajitas.

The bottom sirloin gives us the tri tip, named after its triangular shape. It's also called Santa Maria Steak. It has a rich, beefy flavor and marbling that helps keep it juicy.

Is tri tip tender or tough?

While it's a flavorful cut, it's also fairly tough, with many muscle fibers running throughout the meat.

That's why I recommend cutting it across the grain. Slicing across the grain severs those fibers, making chewing easier.

Why do you let the roast rest before slicing it?

It's important to let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes after pulling it out of the oven.

This allows the juices to redistribute and settle, preventing them from escaping the meat as you cut it (although some juices will escape, and you can pour them back on top of the roast after slicing).