Prepare a Tri Tip Steak Tonight…
Love steak but tired of the same old recipes? Tri tip steak is an easy way to switch things up in the kitchen. With its flavorful seasoning and tender texture, it’s quickly becoming a favorite among home cooks. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make the perfect tri tip steak at home.
What is Tri Tip Steak?
Tri tip steak is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin subprimal cut, consisting of the tensor fasciae latae muscle. It is an economic piece of meat that is known for its rich flavor and low fat content. The shape gives it the name and it may also be referred to as a triangle steak or bottom sirloin steak. It is one of two cuts from the sirloin, with the other being the top sirloin.
When purchasing your tri tip steak, look for an even thickness throughout the cut and a deep red color. To prepare the tri tip steak for cooking, trim away any excess fat and season with salt, pepper, and other desired herbs or spices.
Once your steak is ready to go, you have multiple options for cooking. You can grill tri tip steak over a direct heat source; smoke it over indirect heat; or sear it in a skillet or pan. Depending on your method of choice, you’ll need to adjust your cooking time accordingly. As with all steaks, remember to let your tri tip steak rest before serving for best results.
Where Does Tri Tip Steak Come From?
Tri tip steak comes from the Sirloin family of cuts. It is a triangular-shaped cut of beef located in the Bottom Sirloin subprimal cut. This cut of beef is known for its rich flavor and tenderness when cooked properly. It is an economical piece of meat and a great option for grilling or roasting. Tri tip steak is often sold as a roast, but it can also be cut into steaks. When it is cut into steaks, it should be cut against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness and flavor.
How to Cook Tri Tip Steak
Tri Tip Steak is a delicious cut of beef that can be cooked in a variety of ways. Grilling, smoking and searing are all excellent methods for cooking tri tip steak. Each method will impart unique flavors and textures to the steak, so it’s important to consider which method is best for your desired outcome.
For grilling, preheat the grill to high heat. If using a charcoal grill, allow the coals to turn white before adding the steak. A gas grill works just fine as well. Once the grill is hot, season both sides of the steak with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary. Place the steak on the preheated grill and cook for 9-11 minutes for medium rare or 11-13 minutes for medium.
For smoking, preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F and place soaked wood chips in the smoker box or directly on the coals. Season both sides of the steak with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary. Place the steak on the preheated smoker and cook for 1-2 hours until an internal temperature of 150 degrees F has been reached.
For searing, trim silver skin and rub softened butter all over the meat before seasoning both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary. Heat a large cast-iron or carbon-steel pan on high heat until it is very hot and add a small amount of oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Place the steak in the pan and sear each side for 2-3 minutes until browned and caramelized. Finish cooking in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes until an internal temperature of 145°F has been reached for medium rare or 155°F for medium done.
Once cooked through, remove from heat and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving or slicing into thin strips across the grain for optimal tenderness. Enjoy!
Tri Tip Steak Preparation
Tri Tip Steak Preparation is key for succulent and tender results. Before cooking, it is important to prepare the Tri Tip steak properly. To start, preheat the grill or oven to high heat. Trim any silver skin from the steak and season generously with a mixture of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary. For a charcoal grill, direct heat is best while a gas grill works best with indirect heat.
Once the steak is prepared and the grill is hot, place the steak on the grill and cook for 12 to 15 minutes turning once or twice during the cooking process to get an even sear, including holding each side against the hot grate. It should take about 10 minutes for medium-rare (remove when it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F for final temp of 145°F). For searing, use a large cast-iron or carbon-steel pan on the stovetop. Rub softened butter all over the meat and sear each side for 2-3 minutes. Finish in a 350°F oven for approximately 10 minutes until desired doneness is achieved. Finally, be sure to rest your steak before slicing or serving. Enjoy your perfectly cooked Tri Tip Steak!
Grilling Tri Tip Steak
Grilling Tri Tip Steak is an easy and delicious way to add some flavor to your meal. To begin, preheat your grill to 375°F. Then, rub the steak with a Rib Tickler Rub and place it on the warm side of the grate (not directly over the coals). Close the lid and cook it for about 20 to 30 minutes, flipping it halfway through. Once the steak has cooked, brush it with a mixture of white vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Grill for another 3-5 minutes on each side until the outside has a nice char. Be careful as tri-tip can be fatty and watch out for flare-ups! Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Smoking Tri Tip Steak
Smoking tri tip steak is a great way to add flavor and tenderness to your favorite cut of beef. Smoking your steak will give you a delicious smoky flavor and bring out the natural juicy flavors of the steak. The key to smoking tri tip steak is to cook it slowly and low and slow at a temperature of 180°F – 225°F.
Start by preheating your smoker to 275°F. Trim off any excess fat from the steak and insert the probe into the thickest part of the tri-tip. Place the steak on the smoker unwrapped, close the lid, and cook until an internal temperature reaches 125 – 130 degrees F for rare, or 135-145 degrees F for medium rare, or 145-155 F for medium. Once cooked, allow 10 – 15 minutes of rest time before slicing and serving.
To enhance the flavor even more, you can sear each side of the smoked steak in a very hot cast iron skillet over high heat for 5-6 minutes. This will create a nice crust on the outside while still keeping all of those delicious juices inside.
Cooking times may vary depending on how thick your steak is, so it’s important to check for doneness with an instant read thermometer before slicing into your steak. Now that you know how to smoke tri tip steak, you can enjoy this delicious cut of beef with family and friends!
Searing Tri Tip Steak
Searing Tri Tip Steak is a great way to give your steak an extra layer of flavor and texture. To do this, you need to heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a splash of neutral oil until it’s shimmering and almost smoking. Once the skillet is hot, add the steak and reduce the heat to medium-high. Sear for about 3 to 5 minutes per side. The high heat creates a nice brown crust on the outside of the steak while keeping it juicy on the inside. After searing, transfer the steak to a baking sheet and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will help ensure that all of the juices are locked in and your steak is cooked perfectly.
Resting Time for Tri Tip Steak
Once you’ve finished grilling, smoking, or searing your tri tip steak, it’s important to let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Resting allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat, resulting in a juicier and more flavorful steak. The resting time for tri tip steak depends on the size of the cut. For smaller steaks, a few minutes is usually enough for the juices to be reabsorbed. For larger cuts, up to 10 minutes of resting time may be needed.
When it comes time to rest your tri tip steak, simply place it on a plate or cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. This will help keep it warm while it rests. After your tri tip steak has rested long enough, you can then slice it against the grain before serving.
Best Cuts of Beef for Grilling
Grilling is a popular way to cook a variety of beef cuts, including tri tip steak. Tri tip steak is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin and is one of the best steak cuts for grilling. It is an economic piece of meat that is flavorful and tender when cooked correctly.
When grilling tri tip steak, it’s important to remember a few key steps. The first step is to rub the steak with seasonings and let it sit for about 30 minutes before cooking. Then, preheat the grill to high heat and place the steak on the hot surface to sear it for 3-5 minutes per side. After searing, reduce the heat to medium-high and continue cooking for an additional 5-10 minutes per side or until your desired level of doneness is reached. Remember that medium-rare steaks should read about 135°F before you remove them from the grill and let them rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Other cuts of beef that are great for grilling include filet mignon, skirt steak, ribeye, porterhouse, top sirloin, strip steaks, t-bone steaks and flat iron steaks. Each cut has its own unique flavor and texture profile, so experiment with different types to find which one you enjoy most!
Tri Tip Roast vs. Steaks
When it comes to deciding between a tri tip roast and steaks, there are a few things to consider. Both cuts of beef come from the same part of the sirloin, so they have similar flavor profiles. However, the difference lies in how they are prepared and cooked.
A tri tip roast is cut from the bottom sirloin and typically weighs between two and three pounds. It has marbling throughout and is often served as an entree or featured in sandwiches or tacos. When cut into steaks, it makes thin slices that cook quickly.
Sirloin tip roast is taken from the top sirloin and is usually smaller than the tri tip roast. It is leaner than the tri tip roast but can still be flavorful when cooked correctly. It does not have as much marbling, so it is best cooked using low heat for a longer period of time to keep it tender.
For grilling, tri tip steaks are ideal because they cook quickly and still have good flavor and texture when finished. If you choose to use a tri tip roast, make sure to cut it into smaller pieces before grilling so that each piece cooks evenly.
For smoking, sirloin tip roast may be better since it can benefit from low heat cooking over a long period of time. This will help keep it tender while also giving it great flavor from the smoke.
When searing either cut of beef, make sure to heat your pan until it is very hot before adding your steak. This will help create a nice sear on the outside of your steak without overcooking the inside.
Resting time is always important with any type of beef so that the juices can redistribute before you slice into it. Allow your steak to rest for five minutes before cutting into it or serving it up for dinner.
Overall, both tri tip steaks and sirloin tip roasts are great