How Long to Cook a Tri Tip on a Traeger
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.
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.
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.
Ingredients
Here's what you need to smoke a tri tip.
- 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…
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 steak. 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.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and enjoy.
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.
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 wings
- Smoked turkey breast
- Whole smoked turkey
- Smoked whole chicken
- Traeger tri tip
- Smoked Traeger pizza
- Smoked corn on the cob
- Traeger beef ribs
- Grilled chicken wings
- Grilled skirt steak
- Flank steak marinade
- Grilled potato wedges
- Smoked pulled pork
See my favorite smoker tools and seasonings in my Amazon Storefront.
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. Check back soon as I'll have a tasty smoker sausage recipe and smoked brisket 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.
- 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
-
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).
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Sprinkle smoked tri tip beef with cilantro and enjoy.
Calories: 644 kcal | Carbohydrates: 1 g | Protein: 41 g | Fat: 52 g | Saturated Fat: 21 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22 g | Cholesterol: 159 mg | Sodium: 112 mg | Potassium: 700 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 1 g | Vitamin A: 41 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 31 mg | Iron: 6 mg
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How Long to Cook a Tri Tip on a Traeger
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