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This grilled tri-tip steak recipe makes an easy, elegant and fast dinner. The naturally lean and tender meat is marinated before it’s cooked over high heat, yielding mouthwatering results every time.
A well-seasoned steak is one of my favorite meals to serve to family and friends, and thanks to this recipe for tri-tip steak, I don’t have to break the bank doing it!
After soaking in an easy steak marinade, I like to grill the rich and beefy tri-tip (Santa Maria Steak) to bring out its amazing flavors. Sliced thin and served with tangy chimichurri on top, every bite is just plain impressive. The steak itself is naturally lean and tender, thanks to the fat marbling. If you’d prefer to oven-bake this steak, try my oven-baked tri-tip roast.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Mega-beefy flavors. I can’t get enough of its naturally beefy and buttery taste.
- Perfect for high-heat cooking. Fire up the grill because the tri-tip was made for high-heat cooking!
- Budget-friendly. Like picanha steak, despite its steakhouse-quality flavor and presentation, tri-tip is an affordable cut of meat.
If you love perfectly cooked steaks, try my grilled bavette steak, flat iron steak, New York steak, and air fryer steak next.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Truly the best tri tip steak recipe I’ve ever made. Juicy, tender, and SO GOOD!” – Ariana
Ingredients needed
- Tri-tip steak. Look for a triangular cut with even fat marbling. I like to pick up high-quality steaks from my local butcher, but you should also be able to find them at well-stocked grocery stores.
- Marinade. I use a simple mix of vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, simple herbs, and mustard.
How to grill tri-tip steak
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Stir the tri-tip marinade ingredients in a bowl.
Step 2- Place the meat in the bowl. Transfer it to the fridge and leave the steak to marinate.
Step 3- Grill the marinated tri-tip, occasionally brushing it with the reserved marinade.
Step 4- Set the steak aside for 10 minutes to rest.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Let it rest! I can’t recommend taking the time to rest the steak enough. During these 10 to 15 minutes after grilling, the meaty juices settle back into the meat’s fibers, giving you moist and juicy meat.
- Marinate for at least 4 hours. During testing, I found that this is the sweet spot for infusing the steak with balanced, mouthwatering flavors. Of course, 10 minutes is plenty.
- Room-temperature meat. Remember to remove the marinated steak from the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. This is enough time for it to come back down to room temperature.
- Take the time to preheat the grill. You want that meat to sizzle when it hits the grill!
- Cook to medium-rare. I love medium-rare steak because that’s when it’s the most tender and flavorful. For medium-rare, the steak’s internal temperature will be between 130ºF to 135ºF (use a meat thermometer to check!).
- Slice against the grain. Learning how to slice tri-tip isn’t hard! All you need to do is slice the steak against the grain with a sharp knife. This way, you shorten the meat fibers and have more tender slices.
Storage instructions
To store: You can store leftover tri-tip in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: Transfer the cooked and cooled steak and/or slices to an airtight container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 6 months.
More easy beef dinners
- Picanha Steak
- Round Steak
- Sirloin tip roast
- Beef tips and gravy
- Meatballs and gravy
- Or any of these beef recipes
If you tried this Tri Tip Steak Recipe or any other recipe on The Big Man’s World, please rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It really helps others thinking of making the recipe.
Tri Tip Steak
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds tri tip steak
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon mustard
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients, except the steak, in a bowl to make a marinade.
- Place the meat inside the bowl with the marinade and allow it to marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to twelve hours.
- If marinating the meat for over two hours, bring the meat to room temperature.
- Preheat the grill on high heat. Place the meat on the grill and cook, occasionally basting it with the marinade liquid. Flip the meat every 4-5 minutes until it browns on all sides, around 20 minutes or until it cooks to your desired doneness (120-125F for rare, 140-145F for medium, and 165F for well done).
- Let the meat rest for 10 minutes covered before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
The exact cooking time depends on the thickness of your steak. Generally, a 1.5 kg steak will take around 30 minutes to cook to medium-rare.
Originally published November 2023, updated and republished May 2025
So good. Thanks.
So juicy and so good!
Truly the best tri tip steak recipe I’ve ever made. Juicy, tender, and SO GOOD!
Fantastically simple. Followed the recipe without any substitutions or additions. Pan seared and oven was the cooking method. Next time the grill will be used.
I sous Vide a Tri Tip and it comes out delicious and evenly pink inside.