Tri-tip doesn’t get nearly enough love outside of California, and that’s a shame. This triangular cut from the bottom sirloin is lean, deeply beefy, and takes smoke beautifully. It cooks faster than brisket, costs less than ribeye, and when you hit it with a bold dry rub and a reverse sear finish, it delivers a result that’s hard to beat on any backyard grill setup.
Out here in Wyoming, we like our beef with some character. This dry rub leans into that — smoky, a little sweet, with coffee and chili powder doing the heavy lifting. The reverse sear at the end builds a proper crust while keeping the interior perfectly pink and juicy. This is your new Saturday afternoon project.
What is tri-tip?
Tri-tip is a triangular muscle cut from the bottom of the sirloin. It typically weighs 2–3 pounds and has a distinct grain that runs in two directions, meeting at a point — which means how you slice it matters a lot. The cut has a modest fat cap on one side and very little marbling, so the key to keeping it tender is not overcooking it and letting it rest properly before slicing. Medium-rare is the sweet spot: 130–135°F internal temperature.
If your local grocery doesn’t carry it, ask your butcher — most can get it with a day’s notice. It’s worth tracking down.
The Wyoming dry rub
This rub is built around bold, smoky flavors with a touch of sweetness and heat. The coffee is the secret weapon — it deepens the bark and adds a subtle earthiness that plays perfectly with the smoke. Don’t skip it.
Wood choice matters
For beef, oak is the classic choice — clean, medium-strong smoke that doesn’t overpower the meat. Cherry wood adds a slightly sweeter, milder smoke and gives the bark a beautiful deep color. Either works great here. Avoid mesquite for a long smoke — it’s too aggressive over time and can turn bitter.
The reverse sear
Smoking low and slow brings the tri-tip up to about 115–120°F internal temp, then a screaming-hot cast iron pan finishes it with a proper crust. This method gives you edge-to-edge even doneness with a deeply caramelized exterior — the best of both worlds. Have your cast iron preheated and ready to go the moment the tri-tip comes off the smoker.
Smoked tri-tip with Wyoming dry rub
Prep time: 15 minutes + overnight rest | Cook time: 2–2.5 hours | Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
For the tri-tip
- 1 tri-tip roast, 2–3 pounds, fat cap trimmed to ¼ inch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Oak or cherry wood chunks or chips for smoking
Wyoming dry rub
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon finely ground coffee (espresso grind works great)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Make the rub and season the meat. Combine all dry rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Pat the tri-tip dry with paper towels. Rub the olive oil all over the meat, then coat every surface generously with the dry rub, pressing it in firmly. For best results, place on a wire rack over a sheet pan, uncovered, and refrigerate overnight. Pull from the fridge 45–60 minutes before cooking to come up to room temperature.
- Set up your smoker. Preheat your smoker to 225°F. Add oak or cherry wood. If using a kettle grill, set up a two-zone fire and add wood chunks to the coals.
- Smoke the tri-tip. Place the tri-tip fat-side up on the smoker rack. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 115–120°F for medium-rare, about 60–90 minutes depending on the size of your roast. Check at the 60-minute mark.
- Reverse sear. While the tri-tip is finishing, preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it’s screaming hot — 5 minutes minimum. Pull the tri-tip off the smoker and immediately sear in the dry cast iron (no oil needed — the fat will do the work) for 1.5–2 minutes per side until a deep crust forms. Don’t move it while searing.
- Rest. Transfer to a clean cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 15–20 minutes. Do not skip this step — the juices need time to redistribute.
- Slice and serve. Tri-tip has two grain directions that meet at a point. Identify where the grain changes and slice each section against its own grain, thinly, at a slight angle. This is the key to tender slices.
Serving suggestions
Smoked tri-tip is excellent alongside grilled corn (see our chili-lime butter corn recipe), a simple green salad, or roasted potatoes. Leftovers make outstanding sandwiches — thin slices on a toasted roll with horseradish sauce or a smear of compound butter.
Make-ahead tip
The dry rub can be made in a large batch and stored in an airtight jar for up to 3 months. It works just as well on brisket, pork ribs, and chicken thighs. Once you make it, you’ll find uses for it constantly.