How to Cook Tri Tip Steak

It’s no secret that a well grilled steak is the ultimate way to appease your carnivorous desires. Tri-Tip Roast, derived from the lower sirloin, had humble origins on the sunny West Coast. Thanks to its juicy texture and robust beef flavor, it has gone from a local favorite to a national phenomenon. This post will show you exactly how to cook tri-tip. So let’s get right to the point: what is tri-tip steak?

What Is Tri Tip?

Tri-tip is a triangle cut of beef derived from the hindquarter’s bottom sirloin, and it typically weighs 2 to 3 pounds. It has a unique flavor, with just the right amount of toughness and rich beefiness. A perfectly cooked tri-tip steak can be the star of any backyard barbecue or family dinner.

How to Cook Tri Tip?

Making the Proper Preparations

For optimal results, prep your tri-tip steak before you begin cooking. These are the procedures to take:

Trim extra fat: Scrape the tri-tip’s surface of any sizable chunks of fat. But don’t go overboard—a tiny amount of fat gives flavor and keeps the meat juicy while it cooks.
Seasoning: Rub your tri-tip simply with salt, pepper, herbs, and garlic powder. Alternately, get inventive and try out different spice combinations.
Resting: Give the tri-tip half an hour or so to come up to room temperature before cooking. This speeds up and more evenly cooks the steak.

How to Cook Tri Tip in Oven?

After we’ve rubbed tri-tip with spice mixture while it’s at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

As the oven is heating up, put a few teaspoons of olive oil into a pan set over high heat. Once the pan is heated, place the tri-tip inside and fry for roughly 4-5 minutes per side.

After that take the pan off the burner and put it in the oven. Roast tri-tip in the oven at 400 degrees for around 15-20 minutes. Or, for medium-rare, till the inside temperature hits 130°F (54°C). Though cooking times will vary, a 2 lb tri-tip should take about 30 to 40 minutes.

How to Cook Tri Tip on Grill?

Grilling tri tip steak is a popular method for barbecue enthusiasts. For delicious outcomes, do these things:

Turn on your grill. Get your grill heated up to medium-high (around 375°F or 190°C).
Spice up the tri tip. The tri tip roast can be seasoned with beef rub on all sides or with equal parts kosher salt, course black pepper, and garlic powder to create your own dry rub.
Grill over direct heat. Seasoned tri-tip should be placed on the grill, right over the heat. Sear it for four to five minutes on each side, or until both have attractive, deep grill marks.
Heat a grill indirectly. Slide the tri tip over to the grill’s indirect heat side. When the meat reaches 130°F for medium rare or 140°F for medium, close the cover and reduce the grill temperature to around 250°F. Though cooking times will differ, here over indirect heat, they should be around 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove and rest. Always fight the desire to prod and poke; let that tri tip do its magic on the grill. It should be done to your liking when it’s moved to a cutting board and given ten to fifteen minutes to rest before slicing.

How to Cook Tri Tip in a Skillet?

Get the skillet nice and heated to 450°F over medium-high heat. Here a cast-iron skillet works nicely. Spoon or two of oil into the pan, then carefully add the seasoned tri tip. Sear the steak until a lovely, golden-brown crust forms, four to five minutes on each side. Cook the tri-tip steaks for a further two or three minutes if you like them well done. After cooked, let the tri-tip to rest for ten to fifteen minutes before slicing.

Getting Your Temperature Right

Speaking of temperature, nailing that perfect doneness is key to a stellar tri-tip steak. Here’s a quick guide to help you out:

Rare: 125°F (52°C)
Medium-Rare: 135°F (57°C)
Medium: 145°F (63°C)
Medium-Well: 150°F (66°C)
Well-Done: 160°F (71°C)

How Is Tri Tip Best Cooked?

Cooking tri tip steak doesn’t have a universal method. Which approach works best actually comes down to your own taste and the tools you already own.

Your greatest option if you enjoy that traditional, smoky, grilled flavor is the grill. An oven-roasted method is more hands-off. And the reliable skillet is a great choice if you’re pressed for time or don’t have a grill.

For my part, while making tri-tip in the oven, I prefer to broil the meat rather than bake it.

How to Slice Tri Tip Steak?

First and foremost, allow the tri tip to rest for at least 10-15 minutes before touching it with a knife. This makes the juices disperse and guarantees a luscious, soft finished result.

When it comes time to slice, cut the meat against its grain. Since the muscle fibers are long and parallel, cutting them perpendicularly is the way to go. By breaking down the fibers, this method of cutting produces a steak that is more soft and easy to chew.

How Do You Keep Tri Tip From Drying Out?

Above all, marinating your tri-tip will keep it moist. The mild brining action of the salt in most marinades can assist the meat hold onto more moisture.

Additionally, do not cook it for too long. Pulling your tri tip off the heat at the right internal temperature is essential, as we previously covered. If you err toward medium-rare, you’ll be well on your road to moist, delicious perfection.

And last, give your tri tip some time! I understand the want to tuck in right away when it comes out of the oven or off the grill, but fight the want. The meat’s liquids redistribute throughout during those ten to fifteen minutes of resting, keeping them from leaking out when you slice into it.

Final Thoughts

That’s all you need to know to prepare a show-stopping tri-tip steak. Whether you like to cook it in the oven, on the grill, or in a skillet, the key is to follow the temperature limits, allow it to rest, and slice across the grain.

After some practice and using these tips, you’ll be able to make tri tip steak that is juicy and soft, and everyone will be praising you.

FAQs

What is the best cooking method for tri-tip steak?

When it comes to cooking tri-tip in the oven, opt for broiling the meat instead of baking to keep with the fast-cooking methods that make tri-tip recipes most delicious. As with grilling, marinating 2 to 3 hours will help to keep the steaks tender and moist, but it it’s not essential.

How do I make sure my tri-tip is tender?

A good tri tip can be delicious all on its own. But giving the meat a few hours to marinate in a delicious blend of herbs, spices, vinegar, oil, and more will infuse every bite with flavor and make the meat extra tender.

Does tri-tip get tender the longer you cook it?

The longer you cook tri-tip the more tender it will become, so you can choose your time according to what you are trying to accomplish. For a more traditional texture you can cook it until it is just heated through, usually 3 to 4 hours.

Is a tri-tip a tender cut of steak?

It’s rich in meaty flavor and lower in fat than other cuts. Though the cut is lean and boneless, it’s still very tender and full of flavor. Tri-tip is either sold as a small roast (the entire triangular cut from the tip of the sirloin), or it’s sliced into tri-tip steaks.