Cooking Tri-Tip in the Oven is low maintenance and in just 2 easy steps you'll have a perfectly cooked roasted oven tri-tip that's beautifully seared on the outside yet moist, juicy, and tender on the inside.
Tri-tip, whether baked in the oven or grilled, is great for any occasion, especially when serving a crowd. Whether you need 1, 2, or even 3 depending on its size, it can feed between 4 to 6 people maybe 8 and is often times very affordable.
Side Dishes
This recipe was inspired by our Oven Baked Chuck Roast Recipe and Oven Baked Beef Short Ribs and pairs well with any one of these flavorful side dishes.
- Sauteed Green Beans
- Fresh Spring Mix Salad
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
- Easy Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread
- Saffron Yellow Rice In Rice Cooker
- Crispy Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Stuffed Mini Peppers
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Ingredients
This easy oven tri-tip recipe uses common ingredients that you may already have in your pantry.
- Tri-tip
- Kosher salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Chicken broth
Ingredient Notes
Dry Rub: Feel free to experiment and use a combination of your favorite seasonings that pair well together to create your own dry rub or see the recipe card below for one of my favorite ways of creating a dry rub.
Fat cap: I recommend leaving the fat-cap intact as this will naturally baste the meat making your oven tri-tip more juicy and tender.
Refer to the recipe card below for quantities.
How to cook tri-tip in the oven
The most popular cooking method for preparing this cut of meat is by cooking it in the oven or by grilling. This recipe will focus on cooking it in the oven which is highlighted below:
- Gather your seasoning and a ziploc bag.
- Wash and pat dry your tri-tip with clean paper towels.
- Season making sure all sides are coated and place in the ziploc to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour up to 24 hours.
After marinating, remove from fridge and allow your tri-tip to come to room temperature by placing it on the countertop.
- Place an oven-safe skillet on the stove-top over high heat, drizzle all sides of the tri-tip with cooking oil and sear on both sides (SEARING SIDE WITH FAT-CAP FIRST) then flip and sear the other side.
- Add chicken broth to skillet and place in oven to continue cooking.
- Baste with pan juices every so often.
- Place in a 375 degree preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches your desired done-ness (refer to FAQs section below) then remove from oven.
- Allow your roasted oven tri-tip to rest for at least 20 minutes for juices to redistribute.
Finally, place your oven tri-tip on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut thin slices against the grain.
FAQs
Tri-tip is a small triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin weighing between 1.5 to 5 pounds. Although it's fairly lean, it's marbling contributes to its moist and tender texture. It's best that this cut of meat isn't overcooked.
For this recipe, 375 degrees F is used.
In my opinion, tri-tip shouldn't be baked at a high temperature unless you're using the last couple of minutes to broil to create a nice brown crust.
More importantly, use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of your oven tri-tip is cooked the way you like it:
145 degrees (Medium-well to well done)
140 degrees F (Medium-rare)
135 degree F (Rare)
When cutting tri-tip, it's important to slice thinly against the grain. As you're cutting, pay attention to the direction of the grain as it can change ever so slightly in this cut of beef. I recommend cutting with a very sharp knife to make cutting easier and slices are neat and uniform.
How to Store and Reheat
Store
For leftovers, store in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid or in a ziploc bag and place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat
To reheat, set your oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, place your leftover oven tri-tip on a baking sheet lined with foil and place in a preheated oven until warm. Do not heat it too long as this can cause it to become dry.
Flavor Variations
Looking for different flavor variations before roasting your tri-tip in the oven? Try any one of these:
Garlic Herb:
Using a paring knife, cut several small slits into your tri-tip then take a few fresh garlic cloves and cut into slivers. Take each sliver of garlic and stuff into each slit of your tri-tip. Season generously with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried parsley, dried rosemary then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and gently press seasoning into meat.
Smoky Chipotle:
Create a smoky chipotle dry rub by combining chiptole chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, kosher salt, black pepper and brown sugar. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and gently press the seasoning into the meat.
After roasting, spoon a generous amount of chimichurri over your oven tri-tip for a fresh herby garlic flavor profile .
Teriyaki Glaze
Also, inspired by our Grilled Teriyaki Pork Ribs Recipe, this teriyaki glaze can be brushed onto your roasted oven tri-tip when it's done then placed under the broiler for a couple of minutes for further caramelization. When using your broiler, always watch closely to prevent your food from becoming burnt.
Top Tips
- Before searing, pat your tri-tip with clean paper towels to ensure that it is dried thoroughly.
- If you do not have a meat thermometer, I recommend investing in one to take the guess work out of wondering if your meat is done or not.
- Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of your oven tri-tip to check its internal temperature this will prevent overcooking which is why a meat thermometer is really important.
- Cook to medium well and if someone prefers it cooked more, they could always place some slices in the oven to cook a few minutes longer or to a frying pan on the stove-top.
- Use the delicious pan juices to spoon over the top for extra juiciness.
- Allow your oven tri-tip to rest before slicing to retain the juices and tenderness of the meat.
Other Pairing Options
Here are other ways to serve up your roasted oven tri-tip to add an extra special touch.
Did you make this recipe?
If so, let me know how it went. Leave a 'Star Rating' within the recipe card down below and/or TAG @cookingwithbliss on Instagram. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
📖 Recipe
How to Cook Tri Tip in the Oven
Ingredients
- 3 lb tri tip
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (salt generously unless you follow a low-sodium diet)
- 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
Instructions
- Wash tri-tip and pat dry with clean paper towels. Season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika and marinate by placing in ziploc bag then into the fridge for 1 hour or over night.
- After marinating, remove from the fridge and place on the counter-top, so it comes to room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place oven-safe skillet on stove-top over high heat. Using grape-seed oil or other cooking oil, drizzle side with fat cap first and place that side down to sear for 8 minutes or so flip over and drizzle other side and sear.
- Add chicken broth to the skillet and place in oven to continue cooking. Baste tri-tip with pan juices every so often.
- Check internal temperature of the tri-tip by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the tri-tip. When it has reached your desired internal temperature, remove from oven. As a reference, the internal temperature in the photos is 145 degrees F.
- Allow the tri-tip to rest for at least 20 minutes for juices to redistribute. Then, thinly slice trip-tip against the grain and serve.
Notes
- Rare 135 degree F
- Medium-rare 140 degrees F
- Before searing, pat the tri-tip with clean paper towels to ensure that it is dried thoroughly in order to get a really good sear.
- If you do not have a meat thermometer, I recommend investing in one to take the guess work out of wondering if your meat is done or not.
- Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the tri-tip to check its internal temperature.
- Do not overcook which is why a meat thermometer is really important.
- Cook to medium well and if someone prefers it cooked more, they could always place some slices in the oven to cook a few minutes longer or to a frying pan on the stove-top.
- Use the delicious pan juices to spoon over the top for extra juiciness.
Kathy
Hello Cree,
Tomorrow I'm going to try your recipe for the Tri-Tip roast. (it's frozen right now)
It's a 5 1/2 pound roast, and I was wondering how long should I bake it after I sear it first, and at what temp? (my family does not like bloody meat) I don't have a meat thermometer and never really had a need for one as I bake on lower temps for longer period of time for tenderness.
Thank you Cree!!!
Kathy
Sheryl mccry
I'm about to get intonit, wish me luck okkrrr lol
CookingwithBliss
Hey Sheryl - How did it go? I bet you crushed it.
Debi
perfect. this is a keeper.
CookingwithBliss
Hey Debi - Thanks so much. Let me know how it turns out. I think you're going to love it.