The Kitchen
Tri Tip Recipes for the Whole Table
Every recipe from the guide. Cooking methods, rubs, sauces, sides, and more. Each one tested, measured, and written for the backyard.
Last updated:
Tri Tip Recipes
Carne Asada Tri Tip
Carne asada tri tip marinated in orange, lime, garlic, and chiles, grilled hot and sliced thin for tacos. Big citrus-chile flavor on a bigger cut.
Chimichurri Tri Tip
Grilled tri tip sliced thin and spooned with fresh parsley-oregano chimichurri. Garlicky, herby, and bright with red wine vinegar.
Coffee-Rubbed Tri Tip
Tri tip coated in a ground coffee, cocoa, and brown sugar rub that builds a dark, bittersweet bark. Reverse-seared for edge-to-edge pink.
Garlic Butter Tri Tip
Reverse-seared tri tip basted in foaming garlic-herb butter, then sliced into the drippings. Rich, savory, steakhouse style.
Korean BBQ Tri Tip
Korean BBQ tri tip marinated bulgogi-style in soy, Asian pear, sesame, and garlic, then grilled and sliced thin. Sweet, savory, deeply caramelized.
Mustard Tri Tip
The simplest tri tip there is: French’s yellow mustard, a heavy coat of kosher salt, and a hot grill. The mustard cooks off into a deep, savory bark.
Oven-Roasted Tri Tip Recipe
Tri tip roasted in the oven at 425°F with a stovetop sear. No grill needed. Crispy crust, medium-rare center in under an hour.
Reverse Sear Tri Tip Recipe
The most precise way to cook tri tip. Low oven to temperature, then a scorching sear for edge-to-edge pink with a hard crust. No gray band.
Santa Maria Style Tri Tip Recipe
The traditional California method for grilling tri tip over red oak coals with Santa Maria seasoning. Direct and indirect heat, 30-45 minutes total.
Slow Cooker Tri Tip Recipe
Tri tip braised low and slow in a crockpot until fork-tender. A hands-off method that turns a lean cut into something rich and shreddable.
Smoked Tri Tip Recipe
Low and slow smoked tri tip at 225 degrees F with oak or cherry wood. Deeper smoke ring, more bark, richer flavor than grilling. 2-3 hours total.
Sous Vide Tri Tip Recipe
Set your exact target temperature and the meat cannot overcook. 132 degrees F for 3-4 hours, then a hard sear for the crust the water bath cannot deliver.
Teriyaki Tri Tip
Tri tip marinated in soy, mirin, ginger, and brown sugar, then grilled until the teriyaki glaze caramelizes into a sticky, savory-sweet crust.
Rubs & Marinades
Chile-Lime Rub for Tri Tip
Ancho chile, cumin, and fresh lime zest push tri tip toward a Baja profile. Bright, acidic, with slow-building heat. Excellent for tacos.
Coffee Rub for Tri Tip
Dark roast coffee, smoked paprika, and black pepper build a dark, almost black crust. Best for smoked tri tip or reverse sear.
Herb Crust for Tri Tip
Fresh rosemary, thyme, and olive oil create an aromatic crust. Closer to steakhouse than backyard. Best for reverse sear.
Santa Maria SPG Rub
The classic Santa Maria seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic. Three ingredients, the right ratio, and the only rub most tri tip will ever need.
Red Wine Tri Tip Marinade
Cab, Zin, or Syrah with garlic, soy, and rosemary. The acid loosens surface fibers and the wine concentrates on the heat. 4-8 hours max.
Sauces
Board Sauce for Tri Tip
Built directly on the cutting board before you slice. Butter, garlic, herbs. The meat juices mix in as you cut. Simple, dramatic, delicious.
Chimichurri for Tri Tip
The single best sauce for grilled tri tip. Bright, herbaceous, acidic. Parsley, oregano, red wine vinegar, garlic, and olive oil.
Horseradish Cream Sauce
Sharp, creamy, and a classic steakhouse pairing for beef. Especially good with reverse sear or sous vide tri tip.
Santa Maria Salsa Roja
The traditional table salsa served at Santa Maria BBQs. Chunkier and simpler than restaurant salsa. The celery is the signature ingredient.
Smoky BBQ Sauce for Tri Tip
Thinner and less sweet than rib sauce. Vinegar-forward with smoked paprika and ancho chile. Tangy enough to match lean beef.
Sides
Cowboy Caviar
A cold bean and corn salad with lime and cilantro. The acid and crunch cut through rich tri tip. Make it the morning of your cook.
Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Grilled corn with mayo, cotija, chile powder, and lime. The acid and creaminess cut right through smoky tri tip.
Grilled Broccolini
Broccolini charred over direct heat with olive oil, red pepper flakes, and lemon. A bitter, green contrast to a rich plate.
Grilled Caesar Salad
Halved romaine grilled until charred, dressed with Caesar, shaved parmesan, and croutons. The char echoes the tri tip.
Grilled Garlic Bread
Not oven garlic bread, this one’s grilled. Char marks, slight crunch, garlic butter. The bread that mops up bean juice and meat drippings.
Loaded Tri Tip Fries
Thick-cut fries topped with sliced tri tip, chimichurri or cheese sauce, and pickled jalapeños. A crowd favorite.
Pinquito Beans
The signature side of Santa Maria BBQ. Small, pinkish-brown beans simmered with bacon, tomato sauce, and spices. Creamy but holds its shape.
Santa Maria Green Salad
The traditional Santa Maria BBQ side. Iceberg, tomato, and ranch. Simple, cold, and crisp against hot beef off the grill.
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Sharp cheddar and smoked gouda mac finished on the smoker. The last 30 minutes on the grate picks up real smoke flavor.
Tri Tip Dishes
Tri Tip Burrito
A loaded tri tip burrito with rice, pinquito beans, salsa, and cheese in a warm flour tortilla. The Central Coast answer to the California burrito.
Tri Tip Salad
Sliced tri tip over greens with cherry tomatoes, avocado, cotija, and a lime vinaigrette. The light, fresh way to stretch the leftovers.
Tri Tip Sandwich
Sliced tri tip on a French roll with salsa roja, grilled onions, and optional horseradish cream. The Central Coast sandwich that started at the tailgate.
Tri Tip Tacos
Sliced or chopped tri tip in warm tortillas with onion, cilantro, salsa, and lime. The fastest, best thing to do with leftover Santa Maria tri tip.
Tri Tip Torta
Tri tip piled on a toasted telera roll with beans, avocado, salsa, and pickled jalapenos. The Mexican sandwich that out-sandwiches the sandwich.
Drinks
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Cooler)
Deep red hibiscus agua fresca, tart and barely sweet. The Mexican-Californian cooler that cuts through smoky, grilled tri tip.
Agua de Sandía (Watermelon Cooler)
Blended watermelon agua fresca, the lightest pour on the table. Cold, faintly sweet, and made for a hot day around the fire.
Bloody Maria
A Central Coast Bloody Maria: tequila not vodka, local tomato, horseradish, and a skewered bite of tri tip. The cookout-brunch pour.
Central Coast Sangria
A dry red sangria built on a Central Coast wine, with citrus and not too much sugar. The pitcher that cuts the fat and smoke of red-oak tri tip.
Coastal Cooler
Our wine-country spritz: Central Coast rosé, soda, local fruit, and herb. Light, fizzy, and low-proof for people who skip the heavy cocktail.
Gold Coast Punch
Central Coast strawberries and citrus, poured big and topped with a little fizz. The no-proof cookout punch built to cool a hot afternoon and carry a crowd.
Lavender Lemonade
Meyer lemon lemonade with a whisper of Santa Barbara County lavender. Floral, tart, and cold, the prettiest pour at a Central Coast cookout.
Paloma
Tequila, fresh grapefruit, lime, and soda. Bright and bitter, it scrubs the richness between bites of tri tip.
Ranch Water
Tequila, lime, and sparkling water, with agave optional. The light, clean, low-sugar highball for a long afternoon at the fire.
Red Oak Michelada
Beer, lime, chile, and salt over ice. The savory, spicy cooler made for charred, smoky beef off the red oak.
West Coast Sweet Tea
A California sun tea: brewed in the sun, sweetened light with honey, and brightened with Meyer lemon, orange, and mint. Southern sweet tea, gone West Coast.