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    Home » Beef

    Oven Roasted Tri Tip

    Published: Jun 13, 2022 by Diana Reis · This post may contain affiliate links

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    With minimal effort oven roasting gives you the most juicy, tender tri tip with a crisp outer crust.

    sliced roasted trip tip on wood cutting board with parsley garnish

    With minimal effort oven roasting gives you the most juicy, tender tri tip with a crisp outer crust.

    Tri tip was one of my early catering specialties, and I have roasted, literally, thousands of pounds of this delicious cut of beef over the years. The key to a great tri tip is getting a beautiful, crisp crust on the outside and the perfect medium center. Oven roasting delivers every time.

    I’ve included my special tri tip seasoning mix. It has a great smoky, southwest flavor with just a hint of spice. Feel free to use your own blend of seasonings or favorite store bought seasoning.

    Contents hide
    Why this Recipe is the Best
    Ingredients
    How to Cook it
    Temperature to Cook Tri Tip
    How to Cut Tri Tip the Right Way
    FAQs
    How to Serve
    Relate Recipes
    📖 Recipe
    Tri Tip in the Oven
    Tri Tip Seasoning

    Why this Recipe is the Best

    There is very little prep time for this oven roasted tri tip, which leaves your hands free to put side dishes together and have dinner on the table quickly.

    High oven heat sears the outside of the roast and locks in the flavorful juices.

    Resting out of the oven brings the tri tip to the final temperature taking away the danger of overcooking. 

    My cutting guide shows you the exact right way to cut your tri tip roast for super tender slices.

    Ingredients

    oven roasted tri tip ingredients

    Tri Tip Roast- The tri tip cut is a triangular piece of beef cut from the bottom sirloin. The roasts are lean and range in size from 1.5-3 pounds. They are sometimes called Triangle Roasts, Bottom Sirloin Tip, or California Cut and are great for grilling or oven roasting.

    Trimmed vs Untrimmed Tri Tip

    The difference between trimmed and untrimmed tri tip is primarily whether the butcher leaves the fat cap on the roast. The fat cap consists of some good fat as well as some silver skin that is tough and will need to be removed before cooking. 

    Untrimmed tri tip is less expensive by the pound. You can roast the tri tip in the oven with the fat cap on. Be sure to remove any tough silver skin. The fat cap makes a lovely crust and will help self baste the roast as it cooks.

    Trimmed tri tip is more expensive by the pound. The increased price accounts for the waste that has been trimmed away and the butcher’s time. There should still be a little bit of good fat left on the roast for flavor, but trimmed tri tip is oven ready.

    How to Cook it

    Step 1

    • Preheat the oven to 400° and set the baking rack in the middle.
    • Pat the tri tip dry using a paper towel. 
    • Coat the roast with olive oil and your favorite seasoning mix and place on the baking sheet fat cap up.
    step 1- seasoned tri tip on sheet pan

    Step 2

    • Next, cook the roast to 5 degrees below desired final temperature. For best results, use a meat thermometer and begin checking the temperature a few minutes before it should be done.
    • Then, remove it from the oven, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
    • The roast will continue cooking and the temperature will rise by approximately 5 degrees as it sits. (see time and temperature chart below)
    step two- rested trip tip on sheet pan
    I cooked this two pound roast for exactly 32 minutes. I removed it from the oven when the thickest part was 130° and rested it for 10 minutes. The thick end was closer to medium-rare when cut, and the thin end was medium.

    Temperature to Cook Tri Tip

    Tri Tip Temperature Chart for Oven Roasted at 400°
    Doneness Temperature Out of OvenRested/Final Temp.Timer per Pound
    Rare120°125°13 Minutes
    Medium-Rare130°135°15 Minutes
    Medium140°145°17 Minutes
    Medium-Well145°155°18 Minutes
    Well155°165°19 Minutes
    Notice that as the center of the meat gets warmer, the internal temperature climbs faster and will continue to cook for longer outside of the oven.

    How to Cut Tri Tip the Right Way

    The most important thing to remember when slicing tri tip is to cut against the grain. This can be a little bit tricky because the triangular shaped roast will have grain running in two directions. 

    The first step is to identify the grain direction. You can do this by turning the roast over and looking at the bottom side where the grain is more defined. 

    how to slice tri tip guide with markings

    Then, place your knife perpendicular to the grain and slice to the desired thickness. When I serve tri tip as the main dish, I cut ¼ inch slices. You can go thicker to have more steak-like pieces or thinner for tri tip sandwiches.

    sliced tri tip on cutting board

    FAQs

    Why cut tri tip against the grain?

    In the picture below, I’ve cut a piece with the grain to compare it to a piece cut against the grain.
    You’ll notice that the piece cut with the grain still has the long fibers still intact. The long fibers are stronger and harder to chew. 

    The piece cut against or perpendicular to the grain has short, easy to chew fibers. The knife easily cuts through meat doing the hard work for you.
    side by side of sliced tri tip against grain versus with grain

    How many people will a tri tip serve?

    This will depend on how big the tri tip is and how big your appetite is. I recommend around ⅓ of a pound raw weight per person. A two pound roast will serve up to six people.

    How to Serve

    I like to serve thin pieces of oven roasted tri tip with a side of Easy Rice Pilaf or Homemade Chili Beans.

    Add a Picnic Salad for that Cookout Feel without the heat.

    • Broccoli Crunch Salad
    • Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
    • Italian Chopped Salad
    hero picture gold fork picking up tri tip from sliced roast on cutting board

    Relate Recipes

    • Easy Chimichurri Flank Steak
    • Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Red Wine
    • Dutch Oven Carnitas
    • Lamb Lollipops

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    📖 Recipe

    featured image oven roasted tri tip

    Tri Tip in the Oven

    The key to a great tri tip is getting a beautiful, crisp crust on the outside and the perfect medium center. Oven roasting delivers every time.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish
    Cuisine: American, American Classic
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Rest Plus Slicing: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 4 People
    Calories: 425kcal
    Author: Diana Reis

    Ingredients

    • 2 Pounds Tri Tip Roast
    • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

    Tri Tip Seasoning

    • 1 Teaspoon Coarse Salt
    • ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
    • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
    • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Onion
    • ½ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ½ Teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder
    • ½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
    • ½ Teaspoon Dried Parsley

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400° and set the baking rack in the middle.
    • Pat the tri tip dry using a paper towel.
    • Coat the roast with olive oil and tri tip seasoning or your favorite seasoning mix and place on the baking sheet fat cap up.
    • Next, cook the roast to 5 degrees below desired final temperature. For best results, use a meat thermometer and begin checking a few minutes before it should be done.
    • Then, remove it from the oven, cover with foil, and let rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
    • The roast will continue cooking and the temperature will rise by approximately 5 degrees as it sits. (see time and temperature chart below)
    • Slice to the desired thickness, and serve with your favorite side dishes.

    Notes

    Tri Tip Temperature Chart
    Doneness
    Temp Removed From Oven
    Rested/Final Temp
    Cooking Time Per Pound
    Rare
    120°
    125°
    13 Minutes
    Medium Rare
    130
    135°
    15 Minutes
    Medium
    140°
    145°
    16 Minutes
    Medium-Well
    145°
    155°
    17 Minutes
    Well
    155°
    165°
    18 Minutes
     
    How to Cut Tri Tip the Right Way
    • The most important thing to remember when slicing tri tip is to cut against the grain. This can be a little bit tricky because the triangular shaped roast will have grain running in two directions. 
    • The first step is to identify the grain direction. You can do this by turning the roast over and looking at the bottom side where it is more defined. 
    • Then, place your knife perpendicular to the grain and slice to the desired thickness. When I serve tri tip as the main dish, I cut ¼ inch slices. You can go thicker to have more steak-like pieces or thinner for tri tip sandwiches.
    Why cut tri tip against the grain?
    In the picture below, I’ve cut a piece with the grain to compare it to a piece cut against the grain.
    You’ll notice that the piece cut with the grain still has the long fibers still intact. The long fibers are stronger and harder to chew. 
    The piece cut against or perpendicular to the grain has short, easy to chew fibers. The knife easily cuts through meat doing the hard work for you.
    How many people will a tri tip serve?
    This will depend on how big the tri tip is and how big your appetite is. I recommend around ⅓ of a pound raw weight per person. A two pound roast will serve up to six people.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 711mg | Potassium: 761mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @DianDeliciousB or tag #DeliciousByDesign!

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    Comments

      5 from 9 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Dana says

      June 13, 2022 at 9:31 pm

      5 stars
      This was so so tender and delicious! Made for a perfect Sunday family dinner. And so easy!

      Reply
    2. Anjali says

      June 13, 2022 at 11:14 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so hearty and delicious!! I love all of the spices you added to the seasoning mixture too!

      Reply
    3. Carrie Robinson says

      June 13, 2022 at 11:58 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yum! This looks perfectly cooked. I will have to try this recipe soon. 🙂

      Reply
    4. Sara Welch says

      June 14, 2022 at 12:32 am

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Turned out perfectly tender and moist; easily, a new favorite way to enjoy tri tip!

      Reply
    5. veenaazmanov says

      June 14, 2022 at 1:59 am

      5 stars
      Soft, juicy and tender. Bursting with flavors. Love the crispy crust on the outside. Thanks for so much of detailing to this recipe.

      Reply
    6. BCH says

      January 12, 2024 at 10:44 pm

      5 stars
      I've grilled tri tips for years, and have that process down pat. However, oven-roasting is relatively new to me. The Doneness Matrix included in this recipe is absolute gold - print it out. There are a million fabulous ways to season a tri tip (the suggestions here are very good), but cooking it properly is the real key. Also, the explanation about slicing against the grain is dead-on. The instructions with this recipe are perfect, for novices and seasoned veterans alike.

      Reply
      • Diana Reis says

        January 12, 2024 at 11:27 pm

        Thank you so much for taking the time to write your review. I'm thrilled that this was helpful and that you were able to successfully roast a tri tip. I used to exclusively grill also, but I switched to roasting for my catering work because it is so much easier to be consistent and work in bad weather. I hope you find lots to enjoy here.

        Reply
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    I’m passionate about the family dinner table. Connecting with each other at the end of the day over a good meal creates strong family bonds and healthy long-lasting relationships. I want to help families and friends build those relationships.

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