The Guide

The Sauce

Good tri tip doesn’t need sauce. But the right sauce — served alongside, not drowning the meat — can elevate the whole plate. These five sauces each bring something different to the table.

Sauce Philosophy

Tri tip is not pulled pork. It doesn’t need sauce to be complete. If your rub is right and your cook is dialed in, the meat stands on its own. The sauces here are meant to be served on the side or drizzled lightly after slicing — never slathered on before cooking (that’s a glaze, and most of these would burn).

Think of sauce as a condiment, not a crutch. A bright chimichurri cuts through the richness of the beef. A smoky BBQ sauce adds sweetness. A horseradish cream adds heat and acidity. Pick the one that fits the meal you’re building.

Chimichurri

The single best sauce for grilled tri tip. Bright, herbaceous, acidic — chimichurri was built for red meat. The parsley and oregano provide freshness, the red wine vinegar cuts through the fat, and the garlic ties it all together.

The Recipe
1 cup flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped), ¼ cup fresh oregano (finely chopped), 4 cloves garlic (minced), ½ cup red wine vinegar, ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper.
Method
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir. Don’t blend it — chimichurri should be chunky, not a puree. Make it at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors meld. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week but is best on day one or two.

Tip

Spoon chimichurri over the sliced tri tip right before serving. The acid in the vinegar will start to discolor the meat surface if it sits too long, so don’t dress it in advance.

Santa Maria Salsa Roja

This is the traditional table salsa served at Santa Maria BBQs. It’s chunkier and simpler than a Mexican restaurant salsa — more like a fresh relish. The celery is the signature ingredient that sets it apart.

The Recipe
6 Roma tomatoes (diced), 2 stalks celery (finely diced), 1 small white onion (diced), 2 jalapeños (seeded and minced), 2 cloves garlic (minced), ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped), 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon oregano.
Method
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors come together. The salsa gets better overnight. Serve at room temperature alongside the tri tip, pinquito beans, and grilled bread.

Smoky BBQ Sauce

A good BBQ sauce for tri tip should be thinner and less sweet than what you’d use on ribs or pulled pork. The smoke flavor should complement what you’ve already built on the grill, not mask it. This version is tangy with just enough sweetness to balance the vinegar.

The Recipe
1 cup ketchup, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, pinch of cayenne.
Method
Combine everything in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust — more vinegar for tang, more brown sugar for sweetness. Cool before serving. Keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.

Horseradish Cream

Sharp, creamy, and a classic steakhouse pairing for beef. Horseradish cream is especially good with reverse sear or sous vide tri tip where the presentation leans more refined than backyard.

The Recipe
½ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (drained), 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, pinch of white pepper.
Method
Stir all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The flavor mellows slightly as it sits, so if you like it sharp, add more horseradish just before serving.

Board Sauce

Board sauce isn’t something you make in a bowl — you build it directly on the cutting board before you slice the tri tip on top of it. As you slice, the juices from the meat mix with the herb-butter base and create a sauce in real time. It’s simple, dramatic, and delicious.

The Recipe
3 tablespoons butter (softened), 2 cloves garlic (microplaned), 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped), 1 tablespoon fresh chives (finely chopped), flaky sea salt, coarse black pepper.
Method
Spread the softened butter over your cutting board in a thin layer. Scatter the garlic, parsley, and chives over the butter. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky salt and cracked pepper. Place the rested tri tip on top and slice directly through the herb butter. Drag each slice through the juices before plating.

Tip

Use a wooden cutting board, not plastic. Wood absorbs and holds the juices better, and the butter doesn’t slide around as much. A board with a juice groove is ideal.

This is part of The Definitive Guide to BBQ Tri Tip.