Smoked Tri-Tip with Spiced Bark
A tender, smoky beef tri-tip with a peppery spice crust, finished with a tangy finishing sauce. This low-and-slow smoked beef delivers restaurant-quality results with simple pantry staples.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 62g
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds beef tri-tip roast, untrimmed
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1.5 tablespoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups wood chips (oak or hickory), soaked in water
Instructions
- 1
Pat the tri-tip roast completely dry on all sides using paper towels, absorbing any surface moisture so the spice rub will stick properly.
- 2
Mix 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1.5 tablespoons black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a small bowl until evenly combined.
- 3
Rub the spice mixture all over the tri-tip, pressing it firmly into the meat on every side and covering the entire surface.
- 4
Set up your smoker to 225°F and wait until the temperature stabilizes and you see consistent thin blue smoke rising from the vents, about 15 minutes.
- 5
Place the soaked wood chips into the firebox or smoker box, which should produce visible smoke within 60 seconds.
- 6
Lay the seasoned tri-tip on the smoker grate with the fat cap facing up, away from direct heat, so it smokes evenly without flaring.
- 7
Smoke the tri-tip for approximately 4 to 4.5 hours, adding a small handful of soaked wood chips every 45 minutes to maintain steady smoke.
- 8
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast without touching bone; remove when the internal temperature reaches 195°F, about 4 to 4.5 hours total.
- 9
Transfer the smoked tri-tip to a cutting board and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
- 10
While the beef rests, whisk together 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar with 3 tablespoons of the meat drippings from the smoker in a small bowl to make a finishing sauce.
- 11
Slice the tri-tip against the grain (perpendicular to the muscle lines running lengthwise) into 0.25-inch-thick slices to ensure tenderness.
- 12
Arrange the sliced tri-tip on a serving platter and drizzle the vinegar finishing sauce over the top just before serving.
Tools you’ll need
- smoker or offset firebox smoker (225°F capable)
- meat thermometer (probe or instant-read)
- cutting board
- sharp knife for slicing
- paper towels
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- smoker grate or rack
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
