Tri-Tip
Lean • Beefy • Roast-like • Sliced
Scorecard
What does tri-tip taste like?
Tri-tip eats more like a small roast than a single steak: lean, firm and clearly beefy, usually grilled whole and sliced across the grain.
What does tri-tip look like?
A triangular, boomerang-shaped piece of lean beef with a thin fat layer on one side.
Choose Tri-Tip if you like
- • lean meat
- • sharing sliced beef
- • barbecue
Skip it if
- • you want a thick individual steak
- • you want lots of marbling
Where it comes from: Bottom sirloin, at the front of the hip — the sirloin section. See the beef cut chart.
Also called: Santa Maria Steak, Bottom Sirloin Cap, Maminha.
Often seen in: California barbecue, Brazil, United States.
How to cook tri-tip
Tri-Tip
Medium rare- Best methods
- Reverse sear · Indirect grill (Santa Maria style)
- Typical thickness
- Whole roast, 2 in / 5 cm
- Time per side
- 25–35 min indirect, then 2–3 min per side direct
- Rest
- 10 min
- Pull from heat at
- 130°F
- Final after resting
- 135°F
The grain changes direction mid-roast: cut it in two at the bend, then slice each piece across its own grain.
Common mistake: Slicing the whole roast in one direction.
What to eat and drink with tri-tip
A Californian barbecue roast: smoky, lean-ish and sliced thin. Partners come from that same tradition.
Sides
Santa Maria pinquito beansClassic
The literal traditional plate for tri-tip in Santa Maria, California.
Grilled garlic breadClassic
Served alongside in the same tradition, and it mops up the juices.
Sauces
Santa Maria-style salsaClassic
Tomato, celery and vinegar — how it is served at the source.
Garlic and herb rub jusClassic
The cut is seasoned, not sauced, in its home tradition.
Wine
Central Coast Syrah or ZinfandelSommelier consensus
The local wine for the local cut, and smoke-friendly.
Cabernet SauvignonSommelier consensus
Works when the tri-tip is heavily charred.