Ideal as a barbecue main dish, Smoked Tri-Tip is hearty, juicy, and surprisingly simple. With just 3 ingredients, learn how to smoke tri-tip to tender perfection.
Preheat smoker to between 200 and 225 degrees, according to manufacturer directions. With a pastry brush, coat the tri-tip with yellow mustard, covering all sides.
Rub dry rub generously over roast. Place tri-tip on a baking rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Allow to sit at room temperature as the smoker heats up.
Once the smoker has reached temperature, between 200 to 225 degrees, add the tri-tip directly on the grate, and place the lid on the smoker
After 1 hour, check the internal temperature using a digital thermometer. Once the tri-tip reaches between 130 and 135 degrees F at the thickest part, transfer the meat to a dish and cover loosely with foil.
Let the meat rest for 15 minutes. Slicing thinly across the grain and serve.
Notes
Tri-tip: Tri-tip, also know as triangle tip, triangle steak, triangle roast, bottom sirloin steak, Santa Maria steak, or Newport steak, is a small, boneless, triangular cut from the sirloin of beef. It usually weighs about 2 to 4 pounds, and resembles a thick, slightly lopsided boomerang that is marbled with just enough fat to lend flavor, tenderness and juiciness. No matter what you call it, it’s a fabulous, economical cut of beef that’s worth searching out and is ideal for smoking low and slow.
Dry rub: Store-bought or DIY. To recreate my favorite Homemade Dry Rub for Smoked Tri-Tip, in a medium bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon ground New Mexico chili (or ancho chili), 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chilies (optional), 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon thyme (crushed). Store in an airtight container.
Yield: This Smoked Tri-Tip recipe makes enough to generously feed 6 adults with five to seven slices of smoked beef.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.