Making Tri-tip in the oven is SO easy and delicious and a total crowd-pleaser.
Sometimes when I’m developing recipes, I have to do quite a bit of testing so I end up eating A LOT of that recipe (remember all those test batches of Freezer Meatballs? I’m still happily eating my way through them).
This was another recipe I tested a bunch before making it for the site, and despite the fact that I’ve eaten more tri-tip in the last two months than I have in the last two years, it’s so good that I’m already thinking about making it again this weekend.
Tri-tip is one of those cuts of meat that is usually prepared on the BBQ, but as I’ve said before, I’m not much of a grill master. Most of my life I’ve made tri-tip in the slow cooker, and it’s pretty killer that way, especially for BBQ sandwiches, but recently, I’ve been enjoying making tri-tip in the oven, because It. Is. Amazing.
Starting tri-tip on the stove and finishing it in the oven, you get super moist and flavorful meat and that gorgeous, crispy charred exterior, all without having to step foot outside or get near a BBQ.
Seriously, as soon as you cut into the roast, you will want to start grabbing pieces to eat. I don’t usually eat while I’m shooting photos, but I’m not going to lie, I totally stopped for a snack halfway through this shoot. 😉
I grew up eating tri-tip, but when I was writing my last tri-tip recipe post, I learned that it’s actually not such a popular cut of meat around the world. So if you’re reading this going what the heck is tri-tip?, read on.
What is Tri-tip?
Tri-tip is a 1.5 to 2.5-pound, triangular-shaped cut of meat that comes from the bottom of the sirloin. It’s most popular in California and on the West Coast, but it is growing in popularity around the country.
You might find it under alternate names like “The California Cut” or “Bottom Sirloin Tip” or “Triangle Roast” (why so many names for tri-tip??).
One tri-tip will serve 4 to 6 people depending on its size and the appetite of your guests, and because of its shape, is great if you are feeding people who like different levels of doneness in their meat because the thinner end will cook quicker than the center.
Untrimmed vs Trimmed Tri-tip
Tri-tip is sold as either untrimmed or trimmed. Untrimmed tri-tip has a nice layer of fat on one side (sometimes both sides). Trimmed tri-tip will have this removed.
I like trimmed tri-tip roasts when I am cooking them in the slow cooker, but for roasting, I prefer untrimmed as the fat helps keep the meat nice and moist.
On rare occasions, I will get a tri-tip that is untrimmed on both sides. If that happens to you, you’ll want to trim one side. One side of the tri-tip will have a thick, pretty even fat cap. That’s the side you want to keep. The other side will be irregular with some muscle showing through. That’s the side you’ll want to trim.
Just use a very sharp knife to slice off the fat and any silver skin (the thin bluish, silvery membrane that sticks tightly to the meat). It doesn’t have to be pretty! You can see the hack job I did on my tri-tip below.) 🙂
Okay, with that little tri-tip lesson out of the way, are you ready to see how easy it is to cook in the oven? (Scroll all the way down for the full recipe.)
How to cook tri-tip in the oven:
- Rub tri-tip with your favorite seasoning salt.
- Heat oil in an oven-safe pan and sear the tri-tip, fat-side down.
- Flip tri-tip and pop it in the oven.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes per pound.
- Allow roast to rest for 10 minutes, and done!
How easy is that? This has seriously become one of my go-to dinners for nights I know I’m going to be tired and not want to cook, because even though there are 20 to 40 minutes of oven time, the effort is minimal and the results are sooooooo good.
The meat is fabulous if you want to build a tri-tip sandwich, but usually, I eat it exactly as is, maybe with a little macaroni salad, broccoli, or green beans as a side.
Tri-tip Recipe Notes
- If cooking more than one tri-tip roast at a time, just make sure they’re not touching in the oven pan so there’s plenty of room for air to circulate. Cook for the recommended time based off the smallest roast. You may have to pull one roast out sooner than the other, and cooking time will probably be slightly longer, particularly if roasts are crowded together or you have to open the oven multiple times to check temperatures.
- Looking for more meaty main dishes? Try (my favorite) Crispy Carnitas and Country-style Ribs.
Tri-tip in the Oven
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet
- Instant-read thermometer
Tri-tip
- 1 untrimmed tri-tip*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Seasoning salt*
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Trim any silver skin from the bottom of the tri-tip and sprinkle the entire thing with seasoning salt, gently rubbing it into the surface.
- On the stove, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Once oil is hot place tri-tip, fat-side down, in the pan. Cook for 4 minutes, or until well-seared. Flip meat and place pan in the oven.
- Roast for 10 to 15 minutes per pound (start checking the internal temp at about 20 minutes for a medium-sized roast). Cook until internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat reads 135°F for medium-rare to 145° for medium (the roast in the photos was pulled at 145°F). Tent with foil to keep warm and allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Slice roast against the grain by cutting it in half at the center point and then across the grain on each end and enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Recipe Adapted from The New York Times
Leslie Wiesman says
Loved this! My vegetarian Husband is gone for the weekend, so I picked up some tri-tip. This recipe was exactly what I was looking for. Delicious. Thanks Tracy!
Tracy says
Thanks, Leslie! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Tim Eastwood says
I’ve had great success smoking tri tip roasts, but I’m in Montana and it’s windy snowing and about 10 degrees. So, on this cold day I wanted to try your oven method. I had two large roasts, almost 3 lbs each. I followed your directions for searing the roasts. They were both trimmed. Decided to throw some diced potatoes and carrots in my broiler pan for about 15 mins before putting the seared roasts on top of the veggies. My wife likes a more medium meat, so I kept them in the oven for right at 40 mins. With my remote thermometer the roasts came out at about 150 degrees. I covered them with tin foil for about 10 mins. The temp came up by about another 5 degrees. The meat came out wonderful and juicy and the veggies were great too. Thanks for the recipe, I will definitely use it again.
Tracy says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, and thanks for the detailed comment. This is really helpful for readers who want to add veggies to their roasts!
Chris says
I’ve now used your recipe twice and it’s getting better every time! I’m being thanked for dinner a day later even. This recipe is simple and delicious, and to anyone reading this, you’ve got to get a cast iron skillet! Theyre magical pans for cooking so many meats and more. While the tri tip was resting i made a red wine steak sauce using the same skillet and I couldnt have been happier with the taste. Thank you Tracy for this tasty failsafe recipe!
Tracy says
Thanks, Chris! I’m totally with you on the cast iron skillet, and a red wine sauce sounds AMAZING!
Santana Braxton says
Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! My … okay YOUR tri-tip was amazing! I never realized a tri-tip could taste this good from a home conventional oven. My husband and I would always purchase an already made tri-tip from a restaurant or even purchase slices from a grocery store deli department. Thanks to you, I can make one myself and no outdoor grill is necessary for a great taste. Out of all of the entrees made for Christmas, the tri-tip was the first to go so it is not just me making this claim! This tri-tip is really good.
Tracy says
Thank you so much, Santana! This makes me SO happy to hear, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Jeff Caywood says
I made 2017 Christmas dinner!! Followed this to the letter. Did (3) 2.5lb Tri Tips total time in oven 28min. One word…WOW!! I’ve bbq’d tons of tri tip over the years… This is a keeper! Thanks
Tracy says
This comment made my day. Thanks, Jeff!
Debbie says
This was wonderful, I can’t wait to make it again!
Tracy says
Thank you, Debbie! I’m so happy to hear this!
AIMEE says
I’m cooking tri tip for a group of 20 people and will cook multiple pieces of meat. Do i plan the timing of the meat to be finished based on one piece of meat or based off of the combined amount of meet?
Tracy says
Hi, Aimee. Cook based off of the size of individual pieces of meat, but anticipate that cooking time will probably end up slightly longer. Make sure to roast them with space between for air to circulate and use an instant-read thermometer to check them for doneness. Hope everyone enjoys them!
Cindy says
Planning to cook two tri-tips for 12 people. Can we use a shallow roasting pan vs skillet? The roasting pan fits over two stove burners to sear. Then pop into the oven. Do you think the roasting pan will work as well as a heavy over-proof skillet?
Tracy says
Hi, Cindy, I’ve never used a roasting pan on the stove before, so I did a little research, and it looks like general consensus is that the thinner metal won’t give you as nice of a sear. You could still definitely try it, but you’ll probably get a better result searing them in a heavy skillet and then just transferring them to the roasting dish. Also, depending on how many sides/other dishes you are serving, you might want to consider doing three tri-tips if the are on the smaller side. Hope that helps!
Bev says
I can’t find the oven temp to cook tri tip
Tracy says
Hi, Bev, it’s 425°F. If you scroll down just a little bit, you can find the full recipe in the printable recipe card. Hope you enjoy it!
J. Taylor says
I made this last night with a 2.5 lb untrimmed tri-tip and it was excellent in both flavor and texture.
The seasoning I made with garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Initially I pat dried the meat with a paper
towel then massaged the seasoning in for like 5 min. I seared each side for about 5 min in a cast
iron skillet. It smelled like a steak house in the kitchen. After the sear, I left the tri-tip in the same
skillet and into the oven for the time Tracy recommended.
After the oven, I took the tri-tip out of the cast iron and let it rest for about 20 min on a cookie sheet. I didn’t have
any foil so it just rested as is. It came out perfect and I look forward to making this again.
Tracy says
Thanks for the detailed comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Dalinda says
What was in your seasoning salt rub that you used? Thanks.
Tracy says
I’ve used both Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and Pappy’s Choice Seasoning. Both work great!
Susan says
If it cook it longer will it dry out the meat? We do not care for rare meat, but I don’t like dry meat. Can i count on cooking in the slow cooker and getting good results?
Melissa says
Do you season the tri-tip for a few hours first? Or just before cooking?
Tracy says
Hi Melissa, you can season it a few hours ahead of time. A lot of BBQ recipes recommend that, but I usually do it right before cooking, and it still tastes great.
Marlisa says
Do you cover the meat with foil when it’s done cooking, out if the oven and resting for the 10 minutes?
Tracy says
Yes, thanks for asking! I updated the recipe to add that. You don’t *have* to, but it helps keep things hot.
Stephen says
Did you cover or wrap in foil or just put it on a cookie sheet?
Tracy says
Hi Stephen. No foil or cookie sheet. The whole thing is made in an oven-safe skillet (I updated the recipe to make that a little clearer). If you don’t have a skillet that can go in the oven, start with a regular skillet and sear the meat as described in the recipe and then you can transfer it to an oven-safe dish to finish cooking.
Judy says
This was a very good recipe, I pulled it at 135° and let it rest 10 minutes it was perfect. Thank you for sharing.
Tracy says
Thanks for reporting back, Judy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Gail says
Hi Tracy,
I used your recipe and instead of a skillet or baking dish I used a red copper roasting pan.
I prepared the meat as your recipe says. I used this baking casserole to sear the meat and put it right in the oven. I’m always nervous when cooking meat using a new recipe but this came out fantastic! My husband loves it!!
Thank you so much!
Tracy says
So happy to hear you both enjoyed this, Gail!
Sam says
Will using a cast iron skillet work well?
Tracy says
Cast iron works great!
Tyler says
Nothing better than a car iron in my opinion. Thats pretty much all I use for everything.
Donna says
Please excuse my ignorance, but what cut of beef is the tri-tip?
Tracy says
Hi, Donna. It’s the triangle-shaped muscle at the bottom of the sirloin. You can see it in this diagram here (it’s the purple cut above the flank): https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450852612687514368/
Jen says
Do i sear both sides?
Tracy says
Hi, Jen. You can just flip the meat and put the pan right into the oven. The pan will be hot enough to sear the bottom even off the direct heat. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan and are transferring it to a new dish for baking, then sear it for a minute or two before transferring.
Meri says
Would placing the pan that I’m transferring the tri tip
To, should I put that pan in the oven for a few minutes?
Tracy says
Nope, you can just put it straight into the pan and then into the oven.
Debra L Atnip says
Sounds really good I will try it. Thank you for the tips.
Bianca says
Hi, do i put it in the oven with the fat side up?
Tracy says
Hi, Bianca, if you have an untrimmed tri-tip (which will have a layer of fat on one side), that just means it sits in the pan with the fatty side facing up. If you have a trimmed tri tip, there won’t be a fat layer, so you don’t have to worry about which side ends up facing upwards. Hope that makes sense!
CC says
Yes, fat side up. This allows the fat to drip down the meat and baste it as it cooks. This makes it moist and more flavorful.
Dennis says
Super easy. Never had tri-tip before, used this recipe and now we have it once a week. 6 stars out of 5!
Tracy says
Thanks, Dennis! So thrilled to hear it!
Dean says
Often confused with brisket or picanha, tri tip is most popular in southern California, so you can be forgiven if you’ve never come across it before. It is also called a California cut, a bottom sirloin butt
Sam says
A.K A. Bottom sirloin.
Susan Dew says
I can’t figure out how to initiate a new comment….I made this today, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! The instructions are clear, results are perfect. Next time, I will remove the meat from the oven once the time is up; while we do not eat our meat red, and there are varying levels of doneness, I would like to be able to heat up without drying out the cut.
Tracy says
Hi, Susan, sorry I didn’t answer your first question before you tried it. But I’m SO happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for reporting back and letting me know!
Bryan D Hopper says
Where is New Zealand? Green grass tri-tip 2.97 lb cut very clean I just don’t have a grill. So I need a recipe. And it’s working out fine.
Bob says
New Zealand is down south by Australia it’s an island and it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. I’m trying this recipe tonight with German Potato Salad. Looks very simple and sounds delicious. Never cooked a tri tip roast before.
Kathi says
I live this recipe, with the exception that I pan seared both sides, sometimes 3 sides if it’s a bigger tri tip. Then wrap it loosely in foil and finish it in the oven. I use a therm pro digital food thermometer, and it proves the meat, you can set it to ring at exact temp. We perfer 140, then let it sit for 10 before slicing. YUMMMMMM
Didi says
The Tri Tip is a Tri Tip Cut… it should say Tri Tip when you buy it.