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slices of smoked tri tip arranged in a row on a white serving platter
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Smoked Trip Tip Recipe

This smoked tri tip recipe gives you an incredible tender, flavor packed cut beef roast. The carefully chosen blend of seasonings and slow smoking elevates this beef into something special!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Rest Time15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 401kcal
Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

  • 1 3 lb tri tip roast fat cap & silver skin removed
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp each salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp butter
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the smoker to 225° using a hardwood like oak or hickory.
  • Mix the dry seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl until evenly combined, pat the meat dry using paper towels, then spread the seasoning evenly out over all sides of the meat, pressing in as necessary.
    1 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp each salt & freshly ground black pepper, 1 3 lb tri tip roast
  • Transfer the seasoned meat directly to the grates of the smoker and add a meat probe to the center of the thickest part of the tri tip.
  • Smoke until the temperature reads 5-10 degrees from the target temperature. For rare, it will smoke roughly 90 minutes and be 115°. For medium, it will smoke for roughly 2 hours and be 125-130°. For well done it will smoke for roughly 2 1/2 hours and be 145-150°.
  • Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet set over medium high heat until hot. Using tongs, sear the hot meat 2-3 minutes per side. This is an optional, but recommended step.
    2 tbsp butter
  • Transfer the meat to a waiting cutting board. Let the meat rest for 15 minutes.
  • Thinly slice against the grain, serve warm, and enjoy!

Notes

  • While searing the beef in the cast iron pan is optional, it does give the tri tip a nice caramelized crust and lock in the moisture. I highly recommend this step.
  • Make sure you let the beef rest before cutting it. Letting it rest allows the juices to redistribute back into the meat and the proteins to relax.
  • Adjust the seasoning according to your preferences.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 780mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 578IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4mg