Before You Start
Pull the meat from the fridge 45 minutes to an hour before it hits the heat. Cold meat cooks unevenly. The outside overcooks before the center catches up. Pat the surface dry with paper towels. Dry surfaces sear. Wet surfaces steam. And keep an instant-read thermometer within arm’s reach. Tri tip is lean enough that the window between medium-rare and overcooked is about 5 degrees. Cook to temperature, not to time.
Target Temperatures
Rare 120 to 125°F · Medium-rare 130 to 135°F · Medium 140 to 145°F
We recommend pulling at 125 to 130°F for medium-rare. Carryover heat will add 5 to 10°F during the rest. For a complete breakdown by doneness level and technique, see our tri tip internal temp guide.
Then Rest and Slice It Right
Every method above ends the same way: rest the roast 10 to 15 minutes uncovered, find the seam where the two grain directions meet, cut it in half there, and slice each half across its own grain at ¼ inch. That is the whole difference between tender and chewy, and it has nothing to do with how you cooked it. The full two-grain method, knife choice, and the common mistakes are in our guide to how to cut tri tip.
Troubleshooting
Tri tip came out tough
Almost always a slicing issue, not a cooking issue. Make sure you’re cutting against the grain on both halves. If the grain direction checks out, you may have overcooked it. Tri tip past 145°F starts to tighten up fast because it’s a lean cut without a lot of collagen to break down, unlike a brisket. We break down that difference in tri tip vs brisket.
No crust or bark
The surface wasn’t dry enough, or the heat wasn’t high enough. Pat the meat dry before it hits the grill. Make sure your coals are fully lit and the grate is preheated. If you’re smoking, apply the rub the night before so the surface has time to dry in the fridge.
Unevenly cooked (one end raw, the other overdone)
This is normal to a degree. The thick end will always be rarer than the thin end. If the difference is extreme, you need to manage your heat zones better. Keep the thick end closer to the heat source and the thin tapered point farther away. On a grill, this means positioning the roast with the heel over direct heat and the point over indirect.
Flare-ups during grilling
Fat dripping onto coals causes flare-ups. Keep the fat cap facing up during direct heat cooking. If flare-ups happen, move the tri tip to indirect heat until they subside. Don’t spray with water. It kicks up ash and cools your coals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to cook tri tip?
Cook time depends on the technique. A charcoal two-zone grill takes 40 to 60 minutes total. Santa Maria style over red oak runs 35 to 45 minutes. Smoked at 225°F takes 2 to 3 hours. Reverse sear takes 60 to 90 minutes in the low-heat phase plus a short sear. Sous vide is 4 to 6 hours including the bath. Cook to internal temperature, not time. Pull at 130°F for medium-rare.
What temperature should I cook tri tip to?
Pull tri tip at 125 to 130°F for medium-rare. Carryover heat adds 5 to 10 degrees during the rest, bringing the final temperature to 130 to 135°F. For medium, pull at 135 to 138°F. For rare, pull at 120 to 122°F. Tri tip past 145°F starts to tighten up fast because it is a lean cut without much collagen.
What part of the cow does tri tip come from?
Tri tip is a triangular muscle (the tensor fasciae latae) cut from the bottom sirloin, at the hip where the loin meets the round. Two grain directions meet near its middle, which is why you split it before slicing. A trimmed tri tip typically weighs 1.5 to 2.5 pounds; untrimmed, 2.5 to 4.
Should I marinate or dry rub tri tip?
Dry rub. The classic Santa Maria SPG (salt, pepper, and garlic) is all this cut needs. A dry surface forms a better crust than a wet-marinated one. Apply the rub at least 45 minutes before cooking, or the night before, and leave it uncovered in the fridge. The overnight dry brine gives you better bark on a smoked cook.
Every recipe in the BBQ tri tip recipe collection uses one of the 10 techniques. For BBQ beyond tri tip (brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, and chicken), see the broader BBQ techniques on BBQ Junkie.