Go Back
–+ servings
sliced smoked tri tip on a white plate with herbs, garlic and juices
Print

Smoking a Tri Tip

Incredibly juicy, tender smoked steak is only an hour and a half away with my Recipe for Smoking a Tri Tip! Trust me, you'll be making it again!
Course Main, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword How to Smoke a Tri Tip, Smoked tri tip, smoking a tri tip, smoking tri tip
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 1171kcal
Author Isabel Laessig

Equipment

  • 12 inch cast iron pan
  • Smoker

Ingredients

  • 5 lb Tri tip steak
  • 1 stick Unsalted butter
  • 8 cloves Garlic
  • ¼ cup Fresh thyme
  • 2 Tablespoons Coarse salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Garlic powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the smoker to 300°F. While it's heating, prepare the tri tip by trimming excess fat and silver membranes, then season with plenty of salt, pepper and garlic powder.
    5 lb Tri tip steak, 2 Tablespoons Coarse salt, 2 Tablespoons Black pepper, 2 Tablespoons Garlic powder
    a raw tri tip steak with salt being poured on it
  • Place the meat in the smoker.
    a raw tri tip steak covered in seasonings on the bars of a smoker
  • In a cast iron skillet small enough to fit in the smoker but large enough to fit the steak, add in the garlic cloves, fresh thyme and butter stick. Place it in the smoker next to (but not touching) the tri tip.
    1 stick Unsalted butter, 8 cloves Garlic, ¼ cup Fresh thyme
    a cast iron pan in a smoker with a stick of butter, thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves
  • Smoke for 1 hour, or until the steak reaches 135°F. Remove the pan from the smoker, and let it heat up on the stove on medium high heat. As soon as the pan is hot, add the tri tip, and sear for 2 minutes per side.
    a cooked tri tip steak being seared in a cast iron pan with butter, garlic and herbs
  • Remove the pan from the heat and let the steak rest in the juices for 10 minutes, then slice and serve!
    a smoked tri tip on a plate with thyme and garlic being sliced by a knife

Notes

  • Make sure to let the steak rest after cooking. This is important for all meat, but especially pan-cooked steak! This rest time lets it finish cooking and soak up moisture so it's super juicy when sliced.
  • Don't worry if your steak isn't bright red in the center like your average rare-cooked steak. Tri tip looks and cooks differently, but I promise, it's just as juicy and tender.
  • Make absolute sure to use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the meat so it doesn't overcook! Pull the steak from the smoker when it's 5 degrees below the desired temperature (I like my steak cooked to 135°F, so I pull it at 130°F).
  • When you're searing the steak, less is more- cooking it too long will overcook the meat and potentially burn the extra ingredients in the pan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1171kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 119g | Fat: 72g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 30g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 435mg | Sodium: 3790mg | Potassium: 1934mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 857IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 10mg