Traeger Tri-Tip - Smoked Tri-Tip Recipe on the pellet grill (2024)

FAQs

How long to smoke a 3.5 lb tri tip at 225? ›

The amount of time it takes to cook a tri tip depends on the size and also the level of doneness you're going for. At 225 degrees Fahrenheit, a 2-pound tri tip takes an hour for rare, to an hour and a half for medium-rare. A 3-pound tri tip requires about 90 minutes for rare, and 2 hours for medium-rare.

Allow the grill to heat for 10-15 minutes to ensure it's hot enough to sear. Once the grill is up to searing temp, sear the tri-tip on each side for approximately 2 minutes, flip, and repeat on the other side.

Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature is within 5-10 degrees of your target final temperature (115 degrees F for a rare roast, 125 for a medium rare roast, 135 for a medium roast, 145 for a medium well roast, or 150 for a well done roast).

Place the tri-tip, fat side up, on the lower smoker rack. Insert the attached probe thermometer in the fatter end of the roast. Close the top. Smoke for approximately 2 hours for medium rare.

Place tri-tip on smoker unwrapped for 60-90 minutes. Cook until internal temperature reaches 125 – 130 degrees F for rare and remove. Wrap tri-tip in foil and let rest for 15 minutes. When slicing any cut of beef, it's important to slice against or perpendicular to the grains.

Tri tip is a steak-like cut with very little connective tissue, and that means it should be cooked to the same doneness as a steak would be: 130°–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare or 135°–145°F (57–63°C) for medium. The temperature to cook the tri tip at is kind of up to you.

Our Advice. It will be best to keep the food smoker closed for the whole duration and pick either fat side up or down. If you choose the fat side up, you may end up with a more tender product. If you go for the fat side down, you can retain the flavor you rubbed on the surface.

Rub dry rub generously over roast. Place tri-tip on a baking rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Allow to sit at room temperature as the smoker heats up.

Tri tip is traditionally grilled over a hot, red oak fire. However in this recipe we are going to reverse sear it where we smoke the tri tip and then sear it at the end. The reverse sear is a great method for an uneven cut of meat such as a tri tip.

Continue checking the internal temp every 15-20 minutes, until it reaches 135°F for medium-rare. Increase the temperature to 140°F for medium. I do not recommend smoking the meat above 140°F. The ideal smoking temperature for tri tip is 225°F.

Is it better to smoke or grill tri-tip? ›

There's nothing quite as good as smoked tri-tip if you have a hankering for tender, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, beef! If you don't agree with that statement then maybe beef is not your thing or you haven't had good smoked tri-tip yet.

If you don't have one, however, or if it's not within reach when you need it, the touch test also works: Touch the cut of meat with your finger and then feel the fleshy part of your hand underneath your thumb. The meat is raw if it feels like the fleshy part.

Smoke: Place your roast on a 225° smoker and close the lid. I like it best when cooked to 130-135°, which will give you a nice cooked interior that's still a little pink. If you cook tri tip past this point and into medium and medium-well, you'll sacrifice tenderness.

Allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes before carving. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). While resting, the juices in the roast will redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring the best succulence, texture, and flavor.

Place the steaks directly on the grill grate. Flip them every 6 minutes.

Our Advice. It will be best to keep the food smoker closed for the whole duration and pick either fat side up or down. If you choose the fat side up, you may end up with a more tender product. If you go for the fat side down, you can retain the flavor you rubbed on the surface.

A basic rule of thumb, but in no way is it an exact guide, is 90 minutes of smoking time per pound at 225° to 250°. Another way is to use a thermometer the entire time for indications of when your pork may be done. Remove it from the smoker once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

For smoked tri tip, our preference is to leave the fat cap on. A trimmed tri tip has had most of the fat removed, making it leaner but potentially drier when cooked. The one advantage of removing the fat cap is that there is more surface area for seasonings or a dry rub.

The best types of wood for smoking a 3 lb brisket are hickory, oak, or mesquite. These woods impart a rich and robust flavor to the brisket. How long should I smoke a 3 lb brisket? A 3 lb brisket should be smoked for approximately 5-6 hours at a temperature of 225-250°F.