Oven Roasted Tri-Tip

This perfectly seasoned Oven Roasted Tri-Tip recipe is ready in around 30 to 45 minutes. My Santa Maria Dry Rub seasoning goes perfectly with this delicious cut of beef and will ensure perfectly seasoned tri-tip, every single time! If you have tri-tip leftovers, use them to make Tri-Tip Sandwiches!

Tri-Tip is one of my favorite cuts of meat. After years of preparing tri-tip on the grill, last Father's Day, I learned that oven roasted tri-tip may be even better! I would have never thought to bake a tri-tip, but I think it was meant to be...

There I was, trying to prepare a delicious Father's Day dinner, only to realize we were out of propane! When you live out in the middle of nowhere, you always have to have a plan B. In this case, it meant cooking the tri-tip in the oven. We were all surprised to see how delicious it was!

Why This Recipe Works

Using a triangle roast, my Santa Maria Rub, and a simple baste consisting of avocado oil, red wine vinegar, and freshly crushed garlic, yields the tastiest, most tender oven roasted tri-tip you'll ever have!

When you cook Tri-Tip in the oven for a short time, using high heat, it insures that the tri-tip is not dried out, but always juicy and delicious.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Tri-Tip — You will need a 4 to 5-pound tri tip steak (also called a bottom sirloin, California Cut, and Santa Maria steak). Although you may leave the fat on, I find it's not necessary. Using a sharp knife, trim approximately half of the fat off, leaving the rest for added flavor and to keep the tri-tip from drying out.
• Santa Maria Dry Rub — Santa Maria Steak is usually seasoned with a tasty rub, which includes salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. In this recipe, we use my Santa Maria Dry Rub which has the perfect blend of spices including rosemary, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
• Marinade — A simple baste, prepared with oil, vinegar, and garlic is used to generously baste the tri-tip, before applying the rub and right before it goes into the oven.

How to Make Oven Roasted Tri-Tip

STEP 1: Prepare Santa Maria rub and set aside.

STEP 2: Wash the tri-tip roast and pat it dry. Trim some of the excess fat, leaving some fat behind for enhanced flavor.

STEP 3: Mix the baste ingredients and use to generously baste the tri-tip roast. Set aside the remaining baste.

STEP 4: Rub the tri-tip with all of the prepared Santa Maria Dry Rub, making sure to coat all the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for four or more hours.

Cooking Instructions

Pro Tip: Bring the tri-tip to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator at least one hour prior to cooking it.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

STEP 1: Baste the tri-tip roast with the remaining oil and vinegar. Heat a large, seasoned cast-iron skillet, then sear the meat on all sides.

STEP 2: Transfer the pan to the heated oven and insert the probe. If you prefer, you can use a roasting pan with a wire rack. Set the probe to the desired internal temperature (see frequently asked questions below for suggested temperatures).

Pro Tip: If you don't have a probe, roast the tri-tip, fat-side up, for 10 to 15 minutes per pound.

STEP 3: Remove the oven tri-tip from the oven and tent it with foil. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

If you have a smoker, you NEED to try my Traeger Smoked Tri-Tip recipe too!

Recipe FAQs

Pro Tips

• My Santa Maria spice rub recipe is portioned for an average-sized 4 to 5 lb. roast. If your roast is smaller, you can save some of the rub for another purpose. Although it may seem like we're overly seasoning the roast, a lot of the seasoning will remain in the pan once it's cooked.
• If you cook the roast while still cold, it will require additional cooking time.
• Remember that the temperature of the roast will continue to rise after it's removed from the oven. Keep this in mind when deciding how long to cook and rest the tri-tip.
• When eating tri-tip, it's a good idea to slice it across the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes the steak easier to chew. However, if you did this with a large tri-tip, you'd end up with very long slices. I recommend slicing it with the grain to portion it out and slicing it against the grain as you eat it.
• Store leftover tri-tip in a ziplock bag or an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
• Leftover tri-tip makes great sandwiches, especially when topped with caramelized onions (see my Tri-Tip Sandwiches recipe).

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