Best Tri Tip Rub Recipes and Marinades

Rub Principles

Tri tip is a flavorful cut on its own. Unlike brisket, which needs aggressive seasoning to cut through the fat and connective tissue, tri tip is lean and beefy. A rub should amplify what’s already there, not compete with it.

Salt early. The best results come from salting the tri tip the night before and leaving it uncovered in the fridge. The salt penetrates deep into the meat, seasoning it throughout instead of just on the surface. Apply the rest of your rub 30–60 minutes before cooking.

Go coarse. Use coarsely ground pepper and granulated garlic rather than fine powder. Coarse grinds create a better texture on the crust and don’t burn as easily over high heat.

Don’t add sugar for grilling. Sugar burns quickly at high temperatures, turning bitter instead of caramelizing. If you’re smoking at lower temperatures (225–275°F), a touch of brown sugar in the rub is fine. Your choice of wood also affects how the rub performs - see Wood & Fire for wood selection and heat management.

How to Apply a Rub

Apply the rub generously to all sides of the tri tip. Don’t forget the edges and the thin tapered end. Press the rub into the meat with your hands - a light dusting won’t give you enough flavor or crust. You should see a thick, even layer covering every surface.

If you’re using a rub with salt in it (most of them), don’t add additional salt unless you taste-tested the rub and found it underseasoned. Double-salting is the most common mistake with homemade rubs.

For the deepest flavor, apply the rub 2–12 hours before cooking and refrigerate the tri tip uncovered on a wire rack. This gives the salt time to penetrate and the surface time to dry out, which translates to a better crust.