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    You Are Here Home » Traeger Smoked Recipes

    Published: Apr 19, 2022 Updated: Apr 19, 2022 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 4 Comments

    Traeger Smoked Tri-Tip

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    traeger smoked Tri Tip being sliced

    This tender and juicy Traeger Smoked Tri-Tip recipe is beyond delicious! That's because the tri-tip is perfectly seasoned with my made from scratch Santa Maria Seasoning, then smoked for 2½ to 3 hours, depending on the size.

    traeger smoked try-tip being sliced

    About This Recipe

    A while back, while I was out of town, my husband and son, decided to have the ultimate bachelor dinner, smoked tri-tip without the sides. That's right, no veggies, no rolls, just meat! 🥩

    Before they devoured the tri-tip, Scotty texted me the picture below and Scott called me afterwards to tell me all about their amazing dinner. Yes, they ate the WHOLE THING!

    smoked Tri-Tip on a plate

    Although they used my Santa Maria seasoning, they altered it slightly by doubling the amount of cayenne pepper. I'll let you decide if you want to do the same or stick with my original recipe. Or perhaps you don't like it spicy, in which case, don't add cayenne pepper when making the rub.

    This Easter, I decided it was time to give their Traeger Tri-Tip recipe a try. I have to admit, they knocked it out of the park. Good job, boys!

    Why This Recipe Works

    What I love about this Traeger Tri-Tip recipe is that it's not time-consuming like other smoker recipes. I don't have to stay awake all night, spraying the meat with apple juice every hour on the hour, as I do with my Traeger Smoked Brisket recipe.

    Sixteen hours of smoking are not required when it comes to smoked tri-tip. In fact, all you need is a good rub, a Traeger (or another pellet grill), and around 3 hours.

    This Smoked Tri-Tip recipe has plenty of smoke flavor and a pleasingly spicy kick. Also, the shorter cooking time ensures that the meat retains all of its yummy juices.

    Don't even get me started on the leftovers! Leftover smoked tri-tip can be used to make delicious Tri-Tip Sandwiches (or sliders), or use the smoked beef as a filling in Chile Relleno. Additionally, shredded tri-tip and bbq sauce can be used as a filling for Empanadas, but don't forget the cheese!

    What You Need For This Recipe

    traeger smoked tri-tip ingredients, labeled

    Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Tri-Tip: You'll need a 3 to 5 lb beef tri-tip to make this recipe. I used a 3 lb tri-tip which took a little over 2 hours to smoke.
    • Seasoning: I used my Santa Maria Dry Rub to season the tri-tip. It has a perfect blend of spices including salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and rosemary. If you have another favorite dry rub, you can use it instead.
    • Optional: You can brush the roast with olive oil before seasoning it or before searing it. Another option is to sear the roast in melted unsalted butter in a hot cast iron skillet either on the grill or stovetop.

    How to Make This Traeger Tri-Tip Recipe

    STEP 1: Generously season the tri-tip with my Santa Maria Tri-Tip Rub or your favorite rub. If you wish, double the cayenne pepper. Place the roast in a ziplock bag (or wrap in plastic) and refrigerate overnight, or for a few hours.

    pouring dry rub over a raw tri-tip
    rubbing dry rub into a raw trig-tip roast
    seasoned raw tri-tip in a plastic bag

    PRO TIP: I decided not to trim the excess fat off the tri-tip. However, you can trim it if you'd like or trim it off once the tri-tip is smoked.

    STEP 2: Bring the tri-tip to room temperature. Preheat your Traeger grill to 225° F. Use super smoke if you have that option. Place seasoned tri-tip roast directly on the grill and insert a probe into the thickest part. Set the probe temp to 135° F. When the internal temperature reaches 135° F, remove the tri-tip from the grill and wrap it in foil.

    PRO TIP: It should take somewhere between 2 to 2.5 hours to smoke the tri-tip.

    STEP 3: Turn the Traegers temperature up to 450° F. When the grill is ready, place the tri-tip back on the grill and sear for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on how well you want it cooked.

    traeger smoked tri-tip

    PRO TIP: Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature, making sure not to smoke it past 145° F so that the roast stays moist and tender.

    STEP 4: Allow the smoked tri-tip to rest, tented, for 10 to 15 minutes so that the juices redistribute throughout the meat. To serve, slice the meat thinly against the grain.

    smoked tri-tip being sliced
    Traeger Smoked Tri-Tip

    Side Dishes to Serve with Smoked Tri-Tip

    Serve smoked tri-tip with Chipotle Smoked Mac and Cheese, Traeger Smoked Potatoes, Creamy Greek Pasta Salad, or a Healthy Broccoli Salad.

    Recipe FAQs

    Are brisket and tri-tip the same cuts of beef?

    Tri-tip and brisket come from two different parts of a cow's body. The brisket is located under a cow's chest, while the tri-tip comes from the bottom sirloin, located towards the back. Brisket is very lean which is why it takes a much longer time to smoke. Tri-tip has a moderate amount of marbling which allows for shorter smoking time. The average weight of brisket is 12-15 lbs. The average tri-tip weighs 3-5 lbs.

    Should you season tri-tip overnight?

    If possible, season the tri-tip overnight, otherwise give the seasoning at least a few hours to penetrate the roast before cooking it.

    Should I inject a tri-tip?

    Injecting tri-tip is a matter of preference and is not required to get juicy tri-tip.

    Should I wrap the tri-tip in butcher paper?

    There is no need to wrap the tri-tip in butcher paper or aluminum foil while smoking it. Since the tri-tip will only be smoked for a few hours you want to expose it to as much smoke as possible during that time.

    Should I spritz my tri-tip?

    It's not necessary to spritz tri-tip while smoking it since it only gets smoked for a couple of hours. Spritzing is more appropriate for a longer smoking time, for example, a 16-hour smoked brisket.

    How long does it take to smoke tri-tip at 225°?

    The length of time required to smoke tri-tip depends on whether you want the meat rare or well done. A good rule of thumb is to smoke the tri-tip for 30 minutes per pound.

    A 3-5 lb tri-tip takes somewhere between 2 to 2.5 hours to get to 135° F or medium-rare. After searing the roast, aim for a final internal temperature of 140° F, which gives you succulent and flavorful tri-tip.

    Rare: 125-130 degrees F
    Medium Rare: 135-140 degrees F
    Medium: 145 degrees F
    Medium well: 150 degrees F

    How do you sear tri-tip after smoking it?

    You can reverse sear the tri-tip for 3 to 5 minutes on each side directly on the grill using high heat of 450°-500°F. Another option is to sear the tri-tip in a cast-iron skillet, using oil or butter. Finally, you can use the broiler to get a nice crust on both sides of the tri-tip after it has been smoked.

    What wood or pellets are best for smoking tri-tip?

    According to the Traeger recipe book which came with the grill, almost any pellet wood flavor can be used with beef. This includes alder, cherry, hickory, maple, mesquite, oak, and pecan. Although we prefer hickory, I recommend trying different flavors and seeing what you prefer.

    Recipe Pro Tips

    • Instead of adding the dry rub directly on the tri-tip, you may want to brush the tri-tip with a light coating of olive oil first to help the seasoning stick to the roast better. If you do this, you will not need to brush the tri-tip with oil before searing it.
    • When seasoning the brisket, spoon it over the meat without touching the meat to avoid cross-contamination. You'll want to save the remaining rub for another use.
    • Tri-tip leftovers can be used in sandwiches, added to Breakfast Burritos, shredded on nachos, or add to quesadillas.
    smoked tri-tip sliced on a white plate
    Tri-Tip smoked to 135° F

    Other Traeger Recipes

    • Smoked Traeger Carne Asada
    • Perfectly Smoked Traeger Prime Rib
    • Smoke A Traeger Brisket Like A Boss
    • Habanero Pineapple Brisket Burnt Ends
    • Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs

    Related Recipes

    • Traeger Smoked Beef Ribs
    • Spicy Smoked Pork Jerky
    • Perfectly Smoked Traeger Prime Rib
    • Traeger Smoked Turkey Breast

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, 4294 TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    smoked Tri Tip being sliced

    Traeger Smoked Tri-Tip

    Perfectly smoked tender tri-tip in under 3 hours
    4.67 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Main Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
    Marinating Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 400kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Equipment

    • Smoker

    Ingredients

    • 3-5 lb tri-tip
    • Santa Maria Dry Rub Seasoning (recipe)

    Instructions

    • Generously season the tri-tip with my Santa Maria Tri-Tip Rub or your favorite rub. If you wish, double the cayenne pepper. Place the roast in a ziplock bag (or wrap in plastic) and refrigerate overnight, or for a few hours.
    • Bring the tri-tip to room temperature. Preheat your Traeger grill to 225° F. Use super smoke if you have that option. Place seasoned tri-tip roast directly on the grill and insert a probe into the thickest part. Set the probe temp to 135° F. When the internal temperature reaches 135° F, remove the tri-tip from the grill and wrap it in foil.
    • Turn the Traegers temperature up to 450° F. When the grill is ready, place the tri-tip back on the grill and sear for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on how well you want it cooked.
    • Allow the smoked tri-tip to rest, tented, for 10 to 15 minutes so that the juices redistribute throughout the meat. To serve, slice the meat thinly against the grain.

    Notes

    • I decided not to trim the excess fat off the tri-tip. However, you can trim it if you'd like or trim it off once the tri-tip is smoked.
    • Instead of adding the dry rub directly on the tri-tip, you may want to brush the tri-tip with a light coating of olive oil first to help the seasoning stick to the roast better. If you do this, you will not need to brush the tri-tip with oil before searing it.
    • When seasoning the brisket, spoon it over the meat without touching the meat to avoid cross-contamination. You'll want to save the remaining rub for another use.
    • It should take somewhere between 2 to 2.5 hours to smoke the tri-tip.
    • Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature, making sure not to smoke it past 145° F so that the roast stays moist and tender.
    • Tri-tip leftovers can be used in sandwiches, added to Breakfast Burritos, shredded on nachos, or add to quesadillas.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servings | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 160mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

    More Traeger Smoked Recipes

    • Smoked Cream Cheese (2 Ways)
    • Traeger Smoked Turkey Without Brine
    • Smoked Corn On The Cob
    • Smoked Traeger Carne Asada

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    1. Crazyforhucks says

      November 04, 2022 at 8:24 am

      5 stars
      The best tri-tip I've ever had, thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        November 04, 2022 at 8:38 am

        Thank you, enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Kelly Methey says

      April 19, 2022 at 2:40 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my, I was drooling reading the recipe and looking at the pictures! This is definitely a must make recipe!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        April 20, 2022 at 6:14 am

        Thanks, Kelly! Yes, easy and delicious!

        Reply

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