Here is how to cook a Tri-Tip Roast! This cut is full of beefy flavor. It cooks up quickly and is super tender. It can serve as a showstopper main course for guests or a simple weeknight dinner. We love to grill our Tri-Tip, but it is a versatile cut that can also be cooked in the oven.

What is a Tri Tip Roast and Why We Like Them!

Is the Tri Tip a roast or a steak? Technically, it is a roast that comes from the sirloin. However, we treat it like a steak, by cooking it on the grill. This is a cut that is more common on the West Coast. However, it is starting to make waves in the Midwest. We love this cut because of its shape, which allows for multiple levels of doneness for our family. Our boys like their beef more well done than Arturo and I do. And with the pointed tail end of this roast, it cooks quicker and becomes more done for the boys, with the thicker end being closer to medium rare to rare when we pull it off the grill. This cut is also on the list of 29 lean beef cuts. So not only is it tasty, but it is also an excellent source of lean protein. For more information, visit Beef It’s What’s for Dinner.

Grilling a Tri Tip Roast?

We prefer to grill the Tri Tip using a two-zone fire.

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Here is how Arturo builds a two-zone fire:A two-zone Fire has one extremely hot side and one cooler side. You shouldn’t be able to hold your hand over the hot side for a second before it burns you. On the cool side, I don’t have any coals; I rely on heat from the hot side. The cool side gives me a spot to cook the Tri-Tip using the reverse sear method. This method is similar to how we cook the tri-tip in the oven, but uses charcoal instead.

Cooking a Tri Tip Roast in the Oven?

When cooking a Tri Tip in the oven, we begin by searing it in a cast-iron skillet and then placing it in a 425°F oven to bring the internal temperature to 135°F for medium rare, 150°F for medium.

What tools make it easier to cook a Tri Tip Roast?

Our Meater is the tool we use when cooking a Tri-Tip in the oven or on the grill. This handy internal meat thermometer makes cooking larger cuts, such as a Tri-Tip, foolproof. The Meater connects to your phone through an app that allows you to track the roast’s internal temperature as it cooks. If you don’t have one, I highly suggest putting it on your wish list! It empowers you to cook the perfect tri-tip every time!

What to Serve with Tri Tip?

Our go-to sides are roasted potatoes and broccolini. However, other great options are our Small Batch Cream Spinach and Small Batch Mac and Cheese. A nice mixed green salad would also be a great option.

Ingredients for Cooking a Tri Tip

Grill Seasoning
Tri Tip Roast

Instructions and Tips for Cooking a Tri Tip on the Grill

Begin by seasoning the Tri Tip Roast with Grill Seasoning or your preferred seasoning. Insert the Meater to the thicker end of the roast.

Build a two-zone fire and preheat the grill.

Place the roast on the cool side of the fire with the fat cap up. Cook for about 8 minutes. After about 8 minutes, flip the roast fat cap down (the “lean” side should start developing a sear). Cook with the fat cap down for about 4 minutes. With the fat cap down, watch for flare-ups; you shouldn’t have any using a two-zone fire. Keep an eye on it so the fat side doesn’t scorch if flare-ups occur.

After about 4 minutes flip the Tri Tip to one of its sides, at this point the roast will have plumped up and won’t be as flat as it once was so use your long handled grill tongs to help keep the Tri Tip propped up on its side so it doesn’t roll over to the fat or lean side which are the Tri Tip’s flat sides and the sides it naturally wants to lay on. Cook on each of the sides for about another 4 minutes each. You want all the exterior sides to be nicely seared and caramelized. If you’re about to reach your target cooking temperature, you can finish searing any unseared sides over the “hot side” of the grill before you reach your target temperature. Be sure to watch it while it’s on the hot side of the fire so you can manage any flare-ups.

If you’re using a “Meater,” it will alert you when the cook is close to done and when it’s done. In our experience, we like pulling our Tri Tip off the grill about 10-15 degrees before reaching the target temperature. It will carry over cook the remaining 10 degrees during the resting period. Remove from the grill and let rest under tented foil for 10 minutes. If it fails to hit your target temperature, you can simply throw it back on the heat, but you’ll unlikely have to do that.

Slice against the grain and enjoy!