Smoked Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip Roast
Juicy California tri-tip roast slow-smoked with oak to medium-rare and seared for a dark peppery crust.
smoker Timer
Set for 90 mins @ 225°F (107°C) + High Sear
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 6 adults.
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Get to the Point Execution
Rub 2.5 lb tri-tip with garlic powder, coarse black pepper, and kosher salt.
Smoke at 225°F for 60-75 minutes until internal temp reaches 125°F.
Crank heat to 500°F (or sear on hot cast iron) for 2 minutes per side to 135°F.
Rest 15 minutes, locate the two opposing grain directions, and slice thinly against the grain.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Trim hard fat from a 2.5 lb beef tri-tip, leaving a 1/8-inch fat layer. Season all sides generously with 1 tbsp coarse black pepper, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp cayenne.
Coarse 16-mesh black pepper allows smoke to stick and form a textbook bark.
Preheat smoker to 225°F with red oak or mesquite wood. Insert a digital probe into the thickest center of the tri-tip. Smoke for 60 to 75 minutes until internal temp hits exactly 125°F.
Low-temp smoking warms the meat gently from edge to center with zero gray overcooked band.
Remove tri-tip. Crank smoker to 500°F or heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the tri-tip for 2 minutes per side until deeply charred and internal temperature reaches 135°F for perfect medium-rare.
High direct heat sears the exterior fat without cooking the already-tender interior.
Let rest on a cutting board tented with foil for 15 minutes. Note that tri-tip has two distinct grain directions meeting in the middle: cut roast in half where grain shifts, then slice thinly against the grain at a 45-degree angle.
Slicing with the grain produces chewy bites; slicing against the grain yields melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
Serve sliced tri-tip on toasted garlic sourdough bread with fresh chimichurri or pico de gallo.
Slice very thin for steak sandwiches and top with melted provolone cheese.
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Warm dinner rolls
- Garden side salad
Reheat thin slices gently in a skillet with 1 tbsp beef broth over low heat for 2 minutes.