Follow my easy tips for marinating tri tip and turn this lean cut of beef into the star of the BBQ + Try one of my 3 Tri Tip Marinade Recipes
If you’ve ever been to a barbecue anywhere across Texas or California, you’ve probably stumbled upon the lean, tasty gloriousness of beef that is the tri tip. With the grilling season in full bloom, there’s no better time than to throw some on the grill yourself.
In This Post You'll Find:
But, first things first - in order to make your tri trip steak wonderfully tender and tasty, before searing it on the grill, we need to marinate it.
While you can use different types of rubs to add some extra flavor to your meat such as dry rubs, wet rubs and spice pastes, I almost always go for marinades. Why’s that? Well, I do like to keep it simple and easy when it comes to cooking and nothing takes much effort than just leaving your meat in the fridge to soak up all those beautiful juices.
Next time you’re hosting a barbecue, try one of my 3 favorite tri tip marinade recipes and follow my easy tips for marinating tri tip to turn this lean cut of beef into the star of the show!
Tips for How To Marinate Tri Tip
- If you don’t see tri tip at the store, you can always ask the butcher to cut it for you - they don’t even charge you extra and they usually know what ti tip is.
- Marinate your food in the refrigerator, not at room temperature. You can use either a sealable bag or a sealed container to make sure all the liquid is safely inside.
- For best results, you’ll want to let the marinated ti tip set in the fridge for at least 6 hours but no more than 24 hours – any longer and the muscle fibers break down too much and the texture becomes mushy.
- If you can’t get to cooking your marinated tri tip within 24 hours, you can also freeze the meat in the marinade to be used later. That’s a benefit of using the freezer ziplock bags - you can just toss them right into the freezer for later. Then, when it’s time to cook, thaw the meat and cook.
- Make sure to discard the unused marinade once it’s time to cook the meat and don’t use it as a sauce unless you cook it first because it will have raw meat juices in it and to keep other foods away from the raw meat and marinade to avoid contamination.
IS TRI TRIP TENDER?
Tri tip in a fairly-tender, lean cut of beef that's sometimes also known as triangle steak because of its triangular shape. You can smoke it, grill it or roast it in the oven. Just like flank steak, tri tip is very flavorful. To make sure the meat comes out tender and juicy, you can marinate it for a few hours. My favorite way to tenderize the meat is marinating it. Not only is it super easy and mess-free but the meat turns out perfectly juicy and tasty!
HOW LONG DO YOU MARINATE A TRI TIP?
My favorite thing about marinades is that not only do they add a flavorsome punch, but they also tenderize the meat. Marinating is magic, I tell you! Marinating time varies depending on the meat and the ingredients in your marinade.
For tri tip, I usually try to marinate the meat for 8 hours at least but not for more than 24 hours. Leave the tri tip marinating for too long and the muscle fibers start to break down too much, leaving your steak mushy. And that’s the last thing you want your steak to be! If you don't get to cooking your tri tip after 24 hours. just toss it in the freezer for later.
HOW LONG DO YOU COOK A TRI TIP?
After the meat has soaked up all the wonderful flavors from your marinade, it’s time to cook it! Total cooking time depends on how big your steak is. Tri tip takes roughly 15 minutes per pound to cook. So, for a cut that's about 3 pounds, expect it to cook for a good 40 minutes at least. You're looking for the internal temperature to reach 145 degrees F. When cooked, allow the meat to rest as well for about 5-8 minutes. This part is crucial in making your steak tender because it gives time to the juices to freely flow through the meat. After the meat had rested, you’re ready to serve your steak! Just cut across/against the grain and serve!
3 Tri Tip Marinade Recipes
I've put together my 3 favorite tri tip marinades for you to try -- they are all super easy and very flavorful. I hope you love them!
SANTA MARIA TRI TIP MARINADE
Make this California classic for your next barbecue. This easy Santa Maria Tri Tip Marinade will make your tri tip steak lip-smackin’ good!
BALSAMIC TRI TIP MARINADE
All you need are a few basic ingredients to make this Balsamic Trip Tip Marinade that will make your tri tip steak the hit of the party!
SESAME GINGER TRI TIP MARINADE
This Sesame Ginger Tri Tip Marinade sure packs a punch that will spice up your tri tip the right way and it is so easy to make!
So now you know how to marinate ti tip and you have three great tri tip marinade recipes to get you started this summer. Look out because your tri tip is gonna taste amazing and be so flavorful and tender!
Check out my chicken marinades and steak marinades video for tons of great marinade recipes, too!
You can also enjoy any of these tasty marinated tri tips with a little homemade Sweet BBQ Sauce!
How to Marinate Tri Tip + 3 Tri Tip Marinade Recipes
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
For the Santa Maria Tri Tip Marinade:
- 3 lbs tri-tip roast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
For the Sesame Ginger Tri Tip Marinade:
- 3 lbs tri-tip roast
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup low sodium beef broth
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
For the Balsamic Tri Tip Marinade:
- 3 lbs tri-tip roast
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
For the Santa Maria Tri Tip Marinade:
- In a sealable 1 gallon freezer bag or airtight container, add trip tip, followed by the remaining marinade ingredients.
- Using your hands, press the marinade all around the ti tip, then press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, making sure to press the marinade around the ti tip to coat.
- Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably 8-24 hours.
For the Sesame Ginger Tri Tip Marinade:
- In a sealable 1 gallon freezer bag or airtight container, add trip tip, followed by the remaining marinade ingredients.
- Using your hands, press the marinade all around the ti tip, then press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, making sure to press the marinade around the ti tip to coat.
- Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably 8-24 hours.
For the Balsamic Tri Tip Marinade:
- In a sealable 1 gallon freezer bag or airtight container, add trip tip, followed by the remaining marinade ingredients.
- Using your hands, press the marinade all around the ti tip, then press the air out of the bag and seal tightly, making sure to press the marinade around the ti tip to coat.
- Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably 8-24 hours.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for kitchen products I use often and recommend.
Kristina Wolter
Was looking for a quick marinade for my tri tip on pinterest search and decided to go with this recipe (balsamic). I Honestly did not catch the name when I pulled up the recipe at first. I should have known this recipe was yours Lacey. Your recipes have never failed me and they always turn out delicious without alot of fuss. Thanks- this will be re-pinned for sure.
Allison
I have only made the Santa Maria marinade and it was great! Can't wait to try the others. I cook my tri-tip using this method: sear the fatty side for 4 minutes, then flip and bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes per pound, depending on the thickness of the cut. That gets it to 135 internal temp. Then let it rest 5 minutes in the pan, tented with foil, before serving.
Maria S.
Hello Lacey,
I would like to try the Santa Maria marinade but I’d like to use a pressure cooker. Can this be done or do I have to use a bbq grill?
Thank you,
Maria S.
Lacey Baier
I have not made it with a pressure cooker before, but I can't imagine it wouldn't work!
Joey Kerr
I'm a long time California girl now living on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It's taken me a few years to condition my butcher to stock Tri-tips (most Canadians have no idea what it is or what to do with it) but now thanks to me posting pictures of my favourite of your three (the balsamic marinade) I'm in a fight to get one. I've made the balsamic twice on my kitchen oven by searing it stove top then throwing in at 10 minutes per pound at 350 and then i rest it for 20 minutes. We like rare meat usually but the Tri-tip is a Med rare meat for us. I use my temp thermo once it's in the oven and remove at 125, It's usually perfect. In the oven now and the delicious aromas are killing my grumbling tummy already. Thank you.
Richard Rowe
Firstly, thank you. I have a Santa Maria rub recipe from a BBQ specialist and it is close enough to yours, that I might use it as a comparison the next time. This weekend, however, I plan to put a well-marinated tri-tip in my smoker @ 220 F., until it hits 140, and then rest is for a bit. I will be using your recipe and will contact you, after I have used my friend's rub in the marinade for the second trip to give you the reults.
Again, thank you.
-Richard
Erin
Made the Santa Maria on the gas grill, following instructions exactly. It was fabulous! My husband loved it! So juicy and tender! I didn't have parsley or cilantro on hand so I made an arugula and mint chimmichuri. Complemented the meat perfectly. Sliced the leftovers thin and made a fantastic tri tip breakfast sandwich the next day. Thanks for an easy to follow recipe! Looking forward to trying the other flavors.
Terry
Made the Santa Maria for last nights Tri-tip. I only had about 4 hours to marinade, but it was still delicious! I used fresh Rosemary since it’s in my garden, and I didn’t have onion powder so I chopped half an onion instead. Had nothing but complements!! Can’t wait to try it when I can marinade it for the appropriate amount of time.
Kris
What temp?
CowboyEcho
Traditional: 1. Prepare charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to high. Place roast on grill and sear one side well, 6 to 8 minutes, checking for flare-ups. Turn the roast and sear other side for about the same time. Then lower gas to medium-high or move the meat to a cooler part of the charcoal grill.
2. Turn meat again and cook another 8 to 10 minutes. Flip and cook again. A 2-pound roast will require about 20 to 25 minutes total cooking time. The roast is ready when an instant-read thermometer reaches 130 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
3. Rest roast on a cutting board 10 to 20 minutes. Slice against the grain. The roast is shaped like a boomerang, so either cut it in half at the center of the angle, or slice against the grain on one side, turn the roast and slice against the grain on the other side.
OR
To oven-roast a tri-tip, prepare meat with rub and refrigerate as instructed. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or other cooking oil to a large, heavy ovenproof pan. On stovetop, heat on high until pan is very hot, then add tri-tip, fat side down. Turn heat to medium-high and sear roast for about 4 minutes. Turn the roast and put it in the oven. Cook it for about 10 minutes a pound, checking with an instant-read thermometer until it reaches 130 degrees for medium-rare.
Liz Hart
How would you oven roast this in a cast iron skillet?
Alison Hales
Follow CowboyEcho's instructions above for oven-roast. Simply use a cast iron skillet for the searing on the stovetop. Once you've seared it, as per his instructions, just keep the roast in the cast iron skillet then place it in your preheated oven and continue to follow his instructions.
Carol
Forgot to rate this! Told you I don’t write reviews! I am sorry to say, the person who gave this post one star is just wrong. She, or he, may not have marinated their meat, but it was probably sitting on the side, not marinating as it soaked up whatever seasoning, while preparing the grill. Just saying! Just remember anyone can prepare this beautiful piece of meat anyway each individual wants. It is the love that goes into it that counts!!!❤️🦋😀
Carol
I should have rated this a long time ago, but I don’t write reviews! Breaking a rule. Back in California we did a lot of tri-tip for bbqs and company picnics. With the help of a lot of people Santa Maria became one of my favorite grilled meats. It is definitely better the longer you can marinate it, but can be done with just an hour or two. I use white or apple cider vinegar, definitely not Dijon mustard, good old yellow mustard, NO balsamic vinegar, and plenty of pepper and garlic (fresh or powder! May take experimenting, but when it is right you’ll know it!! Enjoy experimenting because it will always be great. Any questions about my comments on this posting, just ask me! Love to all, be safe!!!😘🌴🦋
Terry Lover of Truth
Sorry, but I grew up in Santa Maria and true Santa Maria style tri tip I NEVER marinated! Garlic salt and pepper and grilled over red oak. And that method along with the name is registered as true Santa Maria Style. I'm sure your recipe is good but not the original.
Megan
Yes!! This is what I came to say. While the Santa Maria Marinade sounds good, it is not Santa Maria Style Tri-tip.
Suzy Q seasoning is the correct seasoning for it. (Which contains the ingredients you stated.)
I am Santa Maria, California, born and raised.
Barbara Grunwald
We tried the Santa Maria marinade and then reverse-seared the tri-tip on our Traeger. We live in Fresno so have had dozens of tri-tips over the years (it used to be advertised as "Santa Maria style"!), and this one was AMAZING! I may never use another recipe, this one was so good!
Geoffrey Greene
Greetings Lacey,
Found your site looking for tri-tip marinade recipes. Enjoyed the presentation... however one suggestion is that upon printing the recipe, the gray scale font is very difficult to read on the final print copy. Perhaps using a bold black font would be easier for those of us with "older" eyes?
Thanks,
Geoffrey
Kage
I used the Santa Maria marinade for a tri tip last night and it came out excellent! I subbed fish sauce for the salt and chipotle powder for the cayenne to mimic grill smoke and let it soak 20 hours. I'll def make it again!
Dustin
these marinades where great we should get some ready and use on salads again 🙂
J
why is there no temperature for the oven in this recipe
Deana Kerns
Hi Lacy,
What temperature should the meat be cooked at?
Thanks
Deana