How To Make Perfect Smoked Tri-tip (Step-By-Step Guide)

Tri-tip is a lean and boneless cut of beef with a rich, meaty flavor. In this guide, you’ll learn how to cook a tender and juicy smoked tri-tip with minimal prep and mouthwatering flavors. Smoking tri-tip turns a good steak into a great steak.

Follow our recipe for perfectly balanced rub, easy cooking steps, and the secret to a succulent and juicy steak: letting the meat rest sufficiently before diving in. I rest mine for 30 minutes–no kidding–and am well rewarded for my patience. 

Smoked Tri-Tip Recipe Overview

• Portions depend on the size of the tri-tip. Generally, each roast is 3 pounds or less, but some can be bigger.
• 6 ounces is our dinner portion.
• 90 minutes to smoke a 2.25-pound tri-tip to medium rare. 30 minutes to rest. More cooking and resting time will be necessary for larger cuts

Ingredients in Cilantro Cured Tri-tip

• 1 Tri-tip – I smoked a 2.25lb tri-tip

For the dry rub, also called cure. (Grams or standard volume measures)

• 1 Bunch of cilantro
• 150 g, 9 tablespoons salt, see notes
• 45 grams, 3 tablespoons sugar
• Zest of 1 lime
• 13 grams, 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 4 grams, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 grams, 1 teaspoon, onion powder
• 10 grams, 1 Tablespoon, ground cumin
• 5 grams, 1 teaspoon, ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon Sel Rose or Prague Powder, see notes

Notes:

• Kosher salt is often used for curing. In this case, it isn’t necessary since the processing will reduce the large flakes to powder.
• Most cilantro is sandy. Wash and dry the cilantro a day before you use it. Excess water is to be avoided in this rub.
• Pull leaves off of the cilantro. Stem portions between the top and bottom set of leaves are fine to include. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until the cilantro is completely incorporated. The cure will be bright green.
• Prague Powder (sodium nitrite) isn’t essential for this recipe since the meat is cooked sufficiently to eliminate pathogen risk. The Sel Rose is here for pink color on the finished product. Sel rose can easily be omitted.

Step By Step Instructions for making Smoked Cilantro Cured Tri-tip

Tri-tip’s tight muscle tissue lends itself to both high-heat grilling and low and slow smoking. I put that muscle to the test by really packing the rub on. Nothing delicate about this process. You can, of course, pull back as your taste preferences may not be the same.

1. Make the rub: Chop the fresh herbs and mix with the cure ingredients.
2. Cure the meat: Cover the tri-tip on all surfaces with the cure. I used a very thick coating and cured it for 24 hours. Cure it in the fridge for desired time.
3. Discard the cure: Scrape off the cure before smoking. I left some cure on the meat for pockets of flavor. If you prefer, you can rinse the cure off. Pat the tri-tip dry with paper towels.
4. Smoke the meat: I smoked this for 90 minutes at 225°F for medium rare. A larger tri-tip will require a longer smoke time. To reach 125°F, remove the tri-tip at 115°F. During the next steps, it will continue to cook and carry up to 125°F.
5. Ignite the grill: About 15 minutes before the tri-tip is done, ignite the gas grill. If you are using charcoal or wood, heat the grill 30 minutes before the tri-tip is done.
6. Sear the steak: Remove the tri-tip and place it on the hot grill to sear the outside for color and char. 
7. Let it rest: After the tri-tip is marked on the grill, wrap it in aluminum foil. Then place it in a ziptop baggie, squeezing out the air. Place that baggie inside another and squeeze out the air before you seal it. Wrap that package in several kitchen towels to keep the heat while it rests for at least 30 minutes. 

Variations and substitutions

• Cures are very adaptable. Almost anything can be added or omitted as preferred. The most important ratio to keep is the salt and sugar.
• Omit cilantro: Cilantro tastes like soap to some people. Parsley can be used instead for green. Of course, the flavor will change which is the goal.

Tips and Tricks for Making Smoked Cilantro Cured Tri-Tip

• I cured my tri-tip in a restaurant-style 4-inch half-hotel pan with a lid. Curing can be done in zip-top baggies. I’ve found that sometimes the seal can leak even when it seems closed. The stainless steel pan is non-reactive and doesn’t leak.
• After the tri-tip is marked on the grill, wrap it in aluminum foil. Then place it in a ziptop baggie, squeezing out the air. Place that baggie inside another and squeeze out the air before you seal it. Wrap that package in several kitchen towels to keep the heat while it rests for at least 30 minutes. 
• Remember which side is the fat side and make sure that side is up in the package.
• I unwrap the package over a stainless steel bowl so I can gather the juices that have come out. There are always some. If you’re the sporting kind, those meat juices can be taken then and there as a shot, or mixed with gin or vodka for an adult beverage. Because the cure contains garlic and onion, I do not give the juice to the dogs.
• The grain of a tri-tip changes. As you start making thin slices from the longer, skinnier end you will notice that at about halfway into the meat, the grain shifts. Adjust your cutting to keep slicing against the grain. The change isn’t significant, but it’s there. Keeping the knife against the grain ensures a better, easier chew.
• The thin tip of my tri-tip was over-cured. The resulting meat was very firm and salty. It was not suitable for a main course portion and it was not garbage. Use that inch-and-a-half portion as you would pancetta or bacon and dice it into small pieces to add to caramelized cabbage or scrambled eggs.
• The cure doesn’t need to be left on for the full 24 hours. A couple of hours will impart some flavor on the surface. This was inspired by gravlax which is heavily cured. How thin or how thick the cure is applied will impact the finished product. Lightly sprinkling the cure will have less effect than more. Time also plays a factor. The more exposure to the cure the more the meat is transformed.
• If you know you will use less than the full amount of the cure, make less. Fresh herbs, even in salt, will not last long. The cure is intended for immediate use or maybe the next day. Even a few days later it will turn darker green and lose its vibrant fresh aroma.