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    Home » Recipes » Grill Recipes » Smoker Recipes » Best Smoked Tri Tip Traeger Recipe

    Best Smoked Tri Tip Traeger Recipe

    Published: Sep 24, 2021 · Modified: Sep 21, 2022 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Smoked Tri Tip Traeger Recipe images with text overlay

    This tender, juicy smoked tri tip Traeger recipe will have you smoking meat like a pro in no time. It’s fast, packed with flavor from a simple BBQ dry rub, and a staple for get-togethers and game day food. Let’s light up the pellet grill and smoke some meat.

    Smoked Tri Tip

    Table of Contents

    • Why this smoked tri tip recipe is so good…
    • How long to smoke tri tip
    • Ingredients
    • How to smoke a tri tip
    • FAQs
    • More Tasty Grill + Smoker Recipes
    • Meat thermometer recommendations
    • Are you a foodie, too?
    • Smoked Tri Tip Traeger Recipe Demo | Sip Bite Go

    Why this smoked tri tip recipe is so good…

    • So tasty – perfect for entertaining or making smoked tri tip sandwiches.
    • You just need a few ingredients.
    • This is a faster way to smoke tri tip than most recipes.
    • NO NEED to wrap it in butcher paper.
    • Hey beginners to smoking meats… you can see the full step by step video at the bottom of this post.
    Medium Rare Smoked Tri Tip
    Smoking a tri tip is super easy, and makes great tacos and sandwiches!

    How long to smoke tri tip

    If you’re wondering exactly ​​how long does it take to smoke a tri tip, the deal is that it varies by temp setting of your pellet grill and the size of the tri tip.

    This particular Traeger tri tip demo took about 2 hours to smoke, then it was seared on high heat in a cast iron grill pan, which isn’t required but adds a beautiful brown bark crust.

    You can find recipes for smoking tri tip low and slow at 180 or 200 degrees F, but I recommend cooking it at a higher tri tip smoking temperature of 225 degrees F.

    It is a bit faster to make it this way, yet still remarkably juicy and tender.

    See how to get more smoke flavor from your favorite recipes…

    Sliced Brisket Style Smoked Tri Tip Traeger Recipe

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to smoke a tri tip.

    Infographic with smoked tri tip ingredients including bbq rub seasoning
    • Tri tip beef steak (about 1.5 – 2 lb)
    • BBQ rub (I used Meat Church Holy Cow BBQ Rub)
    • Oil (olive oil / avocado oil for finishing tri tip after smoking it, to get a brown crust – optional)
    • Cilantro (optional)
    • Pellets to use for tri tip: Traeger pellet blend, pecan, or hickory are good choices

    How to smoke a tri tip

    Now I’ll walk you through the smoked tri tip traeger grill recipe demo, step by step…

    Infographic demonstrating how to smoke a tri tip steak
    1. Preheat smoker grill temperature to 225°F.
    2. Season tri tip all over with BBQ rub.
    3. Add seasoned tri tip to Traeger grill grates and cook about 30 minutes a pound. Or until smoked tri tip reaches your desired internal temperature when measured in the thickest part of the meat. Remove the meat from the smoker when done and transfer it to a cutting board.
    4. Want to finish it? Decide whether you want to grill finish or cast iron finish smoked try tip. You can also just slice it up now (after letting it rest) if you don’t want to sear or grill the outside. 
    5. Cast Iron Finish – Preheat a cast iron skillet or grill pan on the stove to medium-high. Brush oil on a grill pan or drizzle it into a flat cast iron pan. Once the pan is hot, sear smoked tri tip on each side for about 1 minute. Remember to sear the large edges, too, until all sides are browned. There will be a lot of flavor in that try tip bark!
    6. Grill Finish – Brush tri tip with oil. Preheat the grill to 500 degrees F and once hot, add tri tip steak. Sear for about 1 minute on each side, including edges, until browned.
    7. Rest tri tip on a cutting board, covered with tin foil, for about 15 minutes to let the juices settle.
    8. Slice thin.
    9. Sprinkle with cilantro and enjoy.
    Cooked Smoked Tri Tip Platter
    Can’t you almost taste that rich smoke flavor through the screen?

    Another recipe to smoke on the Traeger at 225 degrees F is this side dish for smoked asparagus. It cooks in about an hour.

    FAQs

    Do you need to marinade tri tip before smoking it?

    No, but you can. Between the BBQ dry rub and pellet smoker chips, this smoked tri tip roast has a ton of flavor. But if you’re interested in a marinade for your smoked tri tip, to add even more depth to the flavor, see my skirt steak and flank steak recipes for inspiration.

    How do you slice tri tip?

    I have a whole post on that! ​​Slicing against the grain is important for any cut of meat, but did you know that tri tip has two grains? Seriously. It’s super easy to carve a tri tip once you “get” it – so see the details on how to cut tri tip here on Sip Bite Go.Infographic how to cut tri tip against the grain

    What sauces go with tri tip?

    Between oven roasted tri tip, sous vide tri tip, and smoking tri tip on the Traeger, I’ve done my fair share of sauce testing. Some of my favorites include this sour cream based jalapeno ranch dressing, an herby chimichurri sauce, or this fiery, roasted red pepper romesco sauce.

    How do you use leftover smoked tri tip?

    In my experience, the beef stays tender and doesn’t get chewy when smoked and then refrigerated for 1-2 days. If you have any leftover smoked tri tip steak, enjoy it the next day on Philly cheesesteak pizza with caramelized onions. Or make smoked tri tip sandwiches on your favorite brioche buns with bbq sauce and smashed avocado.

    More Tasty Grill + Smoker Recipes

    • Smoked mac and cheese
    • Smoked cream cheese
    • Smoked brisket flat
    • 321 ribs
    • Beer can chicken on the smoker
    • Smoked wings
    • Smoked tomahawk steak
    • Traeger tri tip
    • Smoked turkey breast
    • Smoked turkey legs
    • Whole smoked turkey
    • Smoked Traeger pizza
    • Smoked onion rings
    • Traeger smoked ham
    • Smoked whole chicken
    • Smoked jalapeno poppers
    • Smoked corn on the cob
    • Traeger beef ribs
    • Smoked leg of lamb
    • Smoked shrimp
    • Grilled chicken wings
    • Grilled skirt steak
    • Flank steak marinade
    • Grilled potato wedges
    • Smoked pulled pork
    • Want more? See my lineup of easy smoker recipes

    See my favorite smoker tools and seasonings in my Amazon Storefront.

    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    Cooked Smoker Tri Tip

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about pellet smoker tri tip. I know we will be making this and versions of it, all football season long, to cook up with grilled wings and other game day favorites.

    See this recipe for smoked baked potatoes…

    Check back soon as I’ll have a tasty smoker sausage recipe and smoked brisket flat recipes coming in the near future.

    If you don’t follow me on instagram you totally should @sipbitego. And for more deliciousness, subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel and see the Sip Bite Go recipe collection.

    Smoked Tri Tip

    Smoked Tri Tip Traeger Recipe Demo | Sip Bite Go

    This tender, juicy smoked tri tip Traeger recipe will have you smoking meat like a pro in no time. It's fast, packed with flavor from a simple BBQ dry rub, and a staple for get-togethers and game day food. Let's light up the pellet grill and smoke some meat.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Finish Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 644kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb Tri Tip Beef 1.5 lb – 2 lb
    • 1.5 tbsp BBQ rub with salt, or add 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp olive oil or avocado oil, for finishing – optional
    • 1 tsp cilantro fresh chopped

    Instructions

    • Preheat smoker grill temperature to 225°F.
    • Season tri tip all over with BBQ rub.
    • Add seasoned tri tip to Traeger grill grates and cook about 30 minutes a pound. Or until smoked tri tip reaches your desired internal temperature when measured in the thickest part of the meat. Remove the meat from the smoker when done and transfer it to a cutting board. (The tri tip in my smoker demonstration took about 2 hours to smoke to a medium-rare internal temperature of about 130-135 degrees F.)
    • Want to finish it? Decide whether you want to grill finish or cast iron finish smoked tri tip. You can also just slice it up now (after letting it rest) if you don’t want to sear or grill the outside.
    • Cast Iron Finish – Preheat a cast iron skillet or grill pan on the stove to medium-high. Brush oil on a grill pan or drizzle it into a flat cast iron pan. Once the pan is hot, sear smoked tri tip on each side for about 1 minute. Remember to sear the large edges, too, until all sides are browned. There will be a lot of flavor in that try tip bark!
    • Grill Finish – Brush tri tip with oil. Preheat the grill to 500 degrees F and once hot, add tri tip. Sear for about 1 minute on each side, including edges, until browned.
    • Rest tri tip on a cutting board, covered with tin foil, for about 15 minutes to let the juices settle.
    • Slice thin (look for Sip Bite Go’s tri tip cutting guide for help cutting this special cut of meat).
    • Sprinkle smoked tri tip beef with cilantro and enjoy.

    Video

    Notes

    See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/smoked-tri-tip-traeger
     
    See the recipe video for smoking tri tip on the Traeger on Sip Bite Go’s YouTube.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 644kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 700mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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