Traeger Tri-Tip Recipe (Reverse-Seared & Juicy)
My Traeger Tri-Tip recipe is an easy way to make a perfectly cooked, tender, and juicy piece of beef with a super flavorful crust. Using a reverse-sear method, the tri-tip is slow-cooked on the Traeger before being finished at a higher temperature for a beautiful exterior.
Reverse Seared Roasted Garlic Tri-Tip
Lately, I've been into barbecue. Like, really into it.
I'm using my Traeger for everything, from ribs and pork roast to beef brisket and short ribs. My favorite bacon is Traeger bacon. Chicken wings? You'll always skip the frier now. We've even made easy Chicken Fajitas on the Traeger.
I think I've found the cut of meat that scratches the BBQ itch and is also easy to do in a short amount of time. The prep time is just five minutes, and the total cook time only one and a half hours, the Traeger Smoked Tri-Tip is one of our go-to meals.
Tri-tip is a triangular cut from the bottom of the sirloin. It is lean, beefy, and much quicker-cooking than a brisket or chuck roast. It's the backbone of Santa Maria-style California BBQ, and it's become a favorite with pellet-grill owners because it delivers steakhouse flavor in under two hours.
Letting the tri-tip rest before slicing is important! It allows the juices to redistribute and keeps every bite moist and flavorful. Be sure to slice against the grain to maintain tenderness, as cutting with the grain can result in a chewier texture.
Cooking for different doneness preferences?
You don't have to ruin the whole roast to make everyone happy. Cook it to your ideal temp, slice it, then toss the pickier eaters' slices in a hot pan for a quick sear on each side. Everyone's happy, and you only cook the meat once.
Why You'll Love This Dish
- Smoky Flavor - Cooking on a Traeger adds deep, wood-fired taste.
- Tender & Juicy - The reverse-sear method ensures even cooking.
- Simple Seasoning - A balanced spice blend enhances the beef's natural richness.
- Perfect for Gatherings - Impressive enough for company but easy to make any night.
- Customizable Doneness - Pull at your preferred temperature for medium-rare or medium.
Use this in our Tri Tip Bites recipe!
Recipe Shopping List
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here's the list of items you'll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Tri-Tip - This hearty roast is becoming more and more popular in the BBQ world, and for good reason! It cooks quickly, stays super tender, and feeds a crowd. Can't find tri-tip? A sirloin tip roast or flat iron steak are the closest substitutes, though cook times will vary slightly.
- Seasonings - Salt and pepper, paprika, cayenne, and some garlic and onion powder are the seasonings that coat this roast. It is simple, and brings out the flavor of the meat. If you'd like a pre-made rub, try a mix of our OWYD SPG with the Spicy Pork Rub.
- Pellets - Pellet flavor matters less here than you'd think. The tri-tip isn't over the fire long enough for it to make a big difference. Cherry, apple, maple, or a gourmet blend all work great. Use whatever's already in your hopper.
Make our Tri Tip Beef Birria with your next roast!
How To Make This Recipe
This is just the overview so you can see what you're actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you'll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
- Preheat the Traeger - Preheat the Traeger - Set the grill to 250°F to start the low-and-slow process. New to pellet grills? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Traeger Pellet Grills for everything you need to know before you start.
- Season the Meat - Rub the tri-tip generously with the seasoning blend, ensuring even coverage.
- Slow Cook - Place the tri-tip on the grill and cook for 30 minutes, then flip and cook another 30 minutes.
- Increase the Heat - Raise the temperature to 350°F and cook for another 20-30 minutes, pulling at 125°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium.
- Rest & Slice - Let the tri-tip rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain to maximize tenderness.
A Quick Note on Thermometers
Do yourself a favor and use a meat thermometer for this one. Either an instant-read or a leave-in probe. Tri-tip goes from perfect to overcooked fast, and guessing by time alone is how you end up with shoe leather instead of steak. Pull it at 125°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium, then let it rest.
Why Reverse-Sear Instead of Low & Slow?
You'll see plenty of tri-tip recipes that smoke low and slow the whole way through, similar to a brisket. I even have a Smoked Trisket recipe that does just that. We do it differently, usually. Cooking low first and finishing with a hot blast at the end gives you an even, rosy interior with a real crust on the outside, something straight low-and-slow cooking struggles to do on a cut like this. It's also faster, which matters when tri-tip is usually a weeknight, not an all-day project.
Use your griddle next time with our Blackstone Tri-Tip recipe!
Recipe FAQ
Not overcooking this cut is crucial to turn out tender and juicy, as opposed to tough and dry if you let it go too long on the Traeger.
The tri-tip is fickle, and if you're averse to medium-rare meat, this might not be the cut for you. If you can handle some pink, you'll be in heaven when you try this recipe.
Wrap leftovers in foil or place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a 250°F oven until warmed through, or use a skillet over medium heat for a quick sear. Avoid microwaving, as it can dry out the meat.
Yes! You can season the tri-tip a few hours ahead or even overnight for deeper flavor. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
Hickory, oak, or mesquite pellets add a bold, smoky taste, while cherry or applewood offer a milder, slightly sweet flavor.
Yes, but do the math carefully because tri-tip disappears fast. Plan on roughly ¾-1 pound of raw tri-tip per person if it's the main event, more if teenagers are involved. Feeding 15-20 people usually means 4-5 roasts plus plenty of sides. If it's your first time, cook one ahead so you know your timing before the big day.
Brisket-style Tri Tip Slaps! See our TRISKET!
Serve This With
I highly recommend our Traeger Corn on the Cob and Traeger Baked Potatoes to serve alongside this awesome and easy steak!
Our crisp Greek Salad would also be wonderful. As would something like our Smoked Parmesan Potato Stacks or Mushroom Risotto too. There are more great options below!
Featured Reader Reviews
"Amazing flavor! Easy and delicious!!"
Nicole Machart-Reuwsaat via Pinterest - posted with permission
"OMG I love smoking tri-tip on the Traeger smoker, it comes out perfect every time!"
- Bell
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Traeger Tri-Tip
Traeger Tri-Tip is an easy barbecue recipe that you can make for dinner, any night of the week. This delicious cut of beef is tender and juicy and cooked medium-rare.
Ingredients
- 3 pound tri-tip
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
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Instructions
- Preheat your Traeger to 250°.
- Rub the meat all over with the seasonings. ( Heyyy Robin S 😉 ) Place onto the grill.
- Cook for 30 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Turn the grill up to 350 and cook an additional 20-30 minutes. Pull at 125° for medium-rare, or 135 for medium, rest for 10 minutes, slice against the grain and serve.
Based off your pictures, you cut it wrong.
Tri-tip has 3 different grains so you cut it into 3 different parts. Then cut those against the grain.
Also, it should take roughly a hour at 300 degrees for medium cooked meat.
You can also smoke it for 6 hours around 200 degrees.
Good choice of lean meat at 5.99-7.99 per pound in my neck of the world though.
Made this tonight. It turned amazing! And yes Mark, you have to use your brain when cutting the meat. Duh. Who knew right? It was delicious. I’m a newbie. My fam wouldn’t let me smoke lobster last week. Ingrates!lol Thank you for your recipe and blog. Your wife was right you know:)
That's so nice, Jo! We are so glad you liked it. Funny you mention lobster, I just posted our Grilled Lobster Tail recipe today! Check it out if you get a chance, and don't give the fam an opinion next time. I didn't on the turkey this year and it was #winning. https://www.orwhateveryoudo.com/2019/02/traeger-grilled-lobster-tail.html
@Mark,
I plan on smoking my tri tip along side a turkey breast. Is It necessary to sere the try tip first?
In the article you mention the importance of cooking it to medium rare, but the recipe calls for pulling it at 140. Isn’t that closer to medium or medium well once it rests?
Good catch! You are totally right. I'm editing that right now that's for the head's up!
Giving your quick tri tip a go tomorrow. I generally pull tri tips at 130f. While standing, they'll cook another 10 degrees. Perfect for medium rare!
1.It does a good job
2. I like the customer service
3.it does not like cold weather
4.it is easy to clean
5.it was extremely expensive
6. I would not buy it again
Oh yeah? I do think that they are expensive for grills, but also for me - it was worth it. Your mileage may vary! Do you like pellet grills in general still? Just not ones in this price range?
@Tucker Otterson, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ours. Bought it for my husband and then kind of stole it. Would gladly buy another one. As for the cold, they'd make blankets for them in order to smoke when it's under 30 degrees outside.
horrible instructions, must be a guy writing it. What do you do with the spices? I assume rub on tri tip.
Throw those over your left shoulder for good luck. 😉
@Robin Szalay, If you have to be told to put the spice on the meat. try a new hobby
@Robin Szalay,
Yes. Rub all the spices into your eyes. Then cook meat as instructed
@Robin Szalay, tell me you are miserable without telling me you are miserable.
The Must B. Male name cracked me up. NGL. lol
Just bought a Traeger & this was my first time cooking on it! The tri tip turned out great (I brushed it with some bbq sauce & then added some seasonings.) The cooking times suggested were awesome & the meat turned out perfect (at least for me! I prefer medium, husband & teenager prefer it a little more rare... maybe next time! The meat was much more tender than regular grilling!
So glad you liked it! Tri-tip is a great one to break in your Traeger with. Happy smoking!
Okay recipe was fixed because of comments, but you left out one important ingredient in the recipe what flavor pellets?
IMO, the pellets are the least important part of cooking with a pellet grill. You really are not going to notice a huge flavor difference regardless of what you use. Especially in this case where the meat isn't actually over the fire for that long.
My suggestion is always to just use whatever is in your hopper. 😉 We typically run Cherry, Apple, Maple, or the Traeger "Gourmet" blend.
@Nicole Johnson, if I may interject here. Pellets actually play a very critical role in using your pellet grill, cheap, cruddy pellets can cause temp fluctuations and at times your grill may not even achieve desired temp. The cheaper pellets a lot of times are only an oak or alder wood with additives to make it taste like other wood flavors. If it doesn't say 100% what the bag says or like a 60/40 blend then maybe that's why you're not noticing much difference in flavor. Try using something like Lumberjack brand, or if you can find them Shuping brand pellets are absolutely amazing, best pellets I have found. PS.... I sell grills for a living, and currently cook on 6 different pellet grills. Hope this helps head off issues from happening for someone down the road.
Fair! The quality does matter. My point is mainly on the different "flavors".
About what size, how many pounds, do you estimate your trip tip to be for this receipe?
The tri-tips we typically get are between 2-3 pounds.
Hello! I get to cook tri-tip for 20 high school football players. I was thinking about getting 4 tri tip roasts about 3 lbs each. Do you know how long I should cook them for? How long it will take? Any recommendations? Thank you.
12 pounds of meat for 20 high school football players might be a little optimistic. I have 3 teenage boys and if they are hungry they could easily power down most of a tri-tip between them. Will there be other meats available too and lots of sides? If so, that's probably enough. As far as time goes, it depends on the roast, the grill, the weather, how often you open the grill, etc. Also what final temp you want them to reach. If you've never done tri-tip before, I'd cook one ahead of time so you can ballpark timing, and then make sure you plan on trying to have them ready like 30-45 minutes before you want to eat. Just tent them with foil once they are pulled, and slice right before serving.
Times are little long for a 3 lbs tritip, especially when only cooking to 125?
Times are always an estimate, especially when it comes to steak and roasts. Always cook to temp. Time is very ballparky.
I use a remote thermometer, set the proper internal temperature and never open the Traeger until done. Works perfect every time. I’ve done about 10 Tri tips so far.
This is the method I use and it always turns out fantastic!
Made this last week. Used a bit of Coffee dry rub from Aldi that was smoky and a bit spicy. Contained 2 kinds of pepper, a touch of sugar, cinnamon, black pepper, garlic, cloves, onion, and dried coffee. Smoked at 250 until 120 internal, then fired up the other pellet grill to 700 and seared each side to give it some grill marks. Rested for about 20 minutes and served with salad, and garlic butter baby portobello mushrooms that had been smoked along with the Tri-Tip.
I find pellet grills allow you to take your cooking to the next level and beyond.
I love tri-tip and I live in Amarillo (only a year). We (my wife and I) love this more than any meat cut. We are having friends over that have never had it. They are in for a treat!
I have never done a Tri-tip. My wife is very picky with beef and won't touch it if there is any pink in it. I prefer mine to be medium rare, however, I can tolerate mine to be a little more done. I worry that if I cook it to her liking, it will be tough, and end up being money and meat wasted. I usually cook her steaks to about 140 internal, and after resting for a while, it will come up to where she likes it. I cook mine to about 123 internal. Any suggestions? BTW, I use a recteq smoker, and love it.
It will definitely be tough if you cook it to your wife's liking. What I'd do, is treat it more like a prime rib. Cook it how you like it. Slice it, and then for her pieces, toss them in a pan on the stove a sear both sides a bit. Best of both worlds!