Tri-tip might be the most underrated cut on this whole site. It’s tender, beefy, and takes on smoke beautifully, and the reverse sear method (low and slow first, then a hard sear at the end) gets you an edge-to-edge pink center with a deep, crusty exterior. No fancy technique required.

Tips for Reverse Seared Tri-Tip

Reverse searing flips the usual steak logic. Instead of searing first and finishing in the oven, you cook low and slow first to bring the whole roast up to temperature gently, then finish with a fast, hot sear just at the very end for color and crust. It’s genuinely hard to mess up.

Tri-tip has a weird grain, it actually runs in two different directions because of the shape of the muscle. Cut the roast roughly in half where the grain changes, then slice each half against its own grain. Skip this and you’ll end up with chewy slices no matter how well you cooked it.

Pull it from the smoker a little earlier than you think you should, somewhere around 115-120 degrees F internal for medium-rare. The hard sear at the end adds several more degrees fast, and it’s a lot easier to sear a little longer than to un-cook an overdone roast.

This is a great one for a smaller gathering since a tri-tip usually runs 2-3 pounds, plenty for 6 people without leftovers for days. Serve it sliced with chimichurri, horseradish sauce, or just as is, it doesn’t need much dressing up.

Leftover tri-tip, if you have any, is the whole reason the next recipe on this site exists, sliced thin and warmed in a quick jus for a French dip.

Easy Smoked Reverse-Seared Tri-Tip

Smoked low and slow, then finished with a hard, hot sear for a deep crust and an edge-to-edge pink center. One of the easiest cuts to get right on the smoker.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2-3 lb tri-tip roast trimmed
• 2 tbsp kosher salt for the dry brine
• 3 tbsp Kinder’s Prime Rib Rub

Equipment

• Smoker
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Wireless Meat Thermometer

Method

 

Smoke

Rest & Slice

1. Season the tri-tip all over with the kosher salt and set it uncovered on a rack in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or overnight. That’s your dry brine, and it makes for a noticeably better crust.
2. When you’re ready to cook, pat the tri-tip dry again and coat it generously on all sides with Kinder’s Prime Rib Rub.
3. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F. Smoke the tri-tip until the internal temperature reaches about 115-120 degrees F for a medium-rare finish (it’ll climb more during the sear), roughly 60-75 minutes depending on thickness.
4. Remove the tri-tip from the smoker and get a cast iron skillet or grill grates ripping hot.
5. Sear the tri-tip for 1-2 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms, watching closely since it goes from perfect to overdone fast at this stage.
6. Rest the tri-tip for 10 minutes before slicing. Tri-tip has grain that changes direction in the middle, so slice each half separately against its own grain for the most tender bite.

Notes

This is one of the most forgiving cuts to reverse sear because it’s naturally tender to begin with, the smoke just adds flavor on top. A meat thermometer removes all the guesswork, pull it from the smoker a little early since the sear will add a few more degrees.

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