Ingredients and Equipment Notes
Tri Tip Roast – This cut of beef is sometimes known by other names depending on where you live. I’ve heard it called Santa Maria or Newport Roast (mostly in California), Bottom Sirloin or even triangle roast. It’s easy to spot by its triangle shape. Where I live, I purchase tri tip in a 2-pack at my local Costco (see photo below). They typically weight between 2-3 lbs, which is a great size to serve 5-8 people. Steak Seasoning – You don’t need anything complicated for a great tri tip roast. The beef and the smoke give you most of your flavor. Use simple kosher salt and pepper, or salt, pepper and garlic, or your favorite steak seasoning. However if you like, it’s a great canvas for a variety of bbq and seasoning rubs. Smoker – This tutorial is specifically for a wood/pellet smoker. I’ve made this roast with all different varieties of wood pellets and haven’t had any I didn’t love. Just use your favorite, or whatever is in your smoker currently!
How to Smoke a Tri Tip Roast
Step 1: Oil and Season
Although not required, I like to drizzle my roast with a little oil as a binder. It helps keep things moist and helps the seasoning to stick. Simply drizzle a couple teaspoons of oil over your roast and rub in on all sides before seasoning. To season, I like this Kinder’s brand seasoning that I purchase at Costco. It’s simply salt, pepper, and garlic, but I like the pre-mixed convenience and the fact that it’s got a lot of texture from different types of spices. You can mix your own, use a favorite steak seasoning, or simply coat your roast in kosher salt, black pepper, and some granulated garlic. Flip the roast all over so there is seasoning adhered to all sides.
Step 2: Smoke and Sear
Step 3: Slice and Serve
After letting the roast rest, remove from foil and slice against the grain at an angle. Drizzle any extra juices from the foil over the top, along with any butter left over in your (still very hot!) pan. Pay attention while slicing to notice that the grain of the meat will change slightly from one end to the other. Adjust your slicing to make sure you are always cutting against the grain.
