Traeger Santa Maria Tri Tip
Traeger Santa Maria Tri Tip is darkly charred on both sides, while the inside remains tender and juicy. The meat is infused with smoky flavor as it slow cooks on the Traeger, making it extra delicious. This is an easier and cheaper alternative to serving prime rib around the holidays!
What Does “Santa Maria Style” Mean?
“Santa Maria style” refers to a special type of barbecue that originated in central California’s Santa Maria Valley.
Since the mid-19th century, local ranchers have gathered their friends, family, and cowboys to barbecue meats over hot coals made out of red oak (which is local to the valley).
Santa Maria barbecue remains incredibly popular, and the tri tip is the most popular cut of meat cooked in the “Santa Maria style.”
What Is Tri Tip?
If you’re unfamiliar with tri tip, that’s likely because it’s not commonly sold at major grocery store chains! (More on where to buy it later in this post.)
The tri tip is a triangular cut of meat taken from the bottom of the sirloin. Because it’s used in Santa Maria barbecue, tri tip is sometimes labeled as a “California steak” or “Santa Maria steak.”
The tri tip has some marbling, but is fairly lean overall. It’s typically sold pre-trimmed and weighs just 2 to 3 pounds, which makes it a fantastic alternative to larger, more expensive cuts of meat like prime rib.
If you’re planning a special meal for upcoming holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, consider smoking a tri tip on the Traeger rather than splashing out on prime rib or filet mignon!
Why You’ll Love This Traeger Recipe
Santa Maria style tri tip is coated in a simple dry rub and then barbecued over red oak coals.
The meat is traditionally seared over high heat to develop a lovely char on both sides, then slow cooked over indirect heat to keep it moist and juicy.
In this Traeger version, I reversed the cooking process. The tri tip is first slow cooked to infuse it with smoky flavor from the Traeger, then it’s seared to create those grill marks.
(Because the Traeger doesn’t achieve the dark crusted exterior the same way as an extremely hot grill, you have to use a hybrid method of cooking using both grills.)
The beauty of a smoked tri tip is the dark, almost black charred grill marks on the outside and the bright red, medium-rare meat on the inside. Talk about delicious!
Tools You’ll Need
Since the tri tip is cooked on a smoker, you’ll need a few very specific kitchen tools to prepare this recipe:
- Rimmed Baking Dish — The tri tip must be refrigerated for several hours after being rubbed with the seasoning blend.
- Traeger (or other pellet grill) — You can NOT use a regular grill for this recipe.
- Wood Pellets — Red oak is the traditional choice, but I prefer smoking tri tip with hickory, bbq select, or Meat Church blend pellets.
- Probe Thermometer — I strongly suggest investing in a probe thermometer; it’s the only way to know when the tri tip is smoked to perfection.
- Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife — Let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Ingredients
We love serving the smoked tri tip with a Santa Maria-style salsa since this is how it’s served in California. The salsa is slightly spicy and very tangy, which pairs nicely with the juicy tri tip.
For the tri tip:
- Prime Rib Rub
- Tri Tip (2.5 to 3 pounds)
For the Santa Maria-style salsa:
- Fresh Tomatoes
- Green Onions
- Celery
- Poblano Pepper
- Garlic
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Santa Maria Tri Tip on a Traeger
Detailed instructions for smoking Santa Maria style tri tip on a Traeger can be found in the recipe card below. Let’s quickly review the basic steps to this unique style of barbecue.
- Season the meat: Pat the tri tip dry with paper towels before seasoning with the prime rib rub. Place in a rimmed baking dish, cover, and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Smoke the tri tip: Preheat your Traeger on the “smoke” setting. Place the tri tip directly on the grill grates, insert a grill-safe probe thermometer, close the lid, and smoke until the tri tip registers 110 – 115 degrees F (about 90 minutes).
- Sear the tri tip: Transfer the tri-tip to a very hot gas or charcoal grill (around 550 degrees F). When the thickest part of the meat registers 130 degrees F and both sides are charred, remove from the grill.
- Let the tri tip rest: Let the meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into ½-inch thick slices.
- Optionally serve with Santa Maria-style salsa: Full instructions for making the salsa can be found in the recipe card.
Alternate serving suggestion: If you’re serving smoked Santa Maria tri tip for Thanksgiving or Christmas as an alternative to prime rib, try serving it with horseradish sauce instead of salsa.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Don’t disturb the tri tip as it sears. Give it a few minutes to develop a thick, dark char on both sides. That’s what makes Santa Maria style tri tip so good!
- The internal temperature will rise as the tri tip rests. You’re looking for a final temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F, which is why you want to pull the tri tip off the grill when it reaches 130 degrees F. As it rests, the temperature will climb those final 5 degrees F.
- Judge doneness by your thermometer, not the clock! Using a probe thermometer is crucial to judging the doneness of the tri tip. Depending on the weather, the size of your tri tip, etc. your specific cut of meat might need more or less time on the Traeger than the recipe suggests.
Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Where can you purchase tri tip?
It can still be tricky to get your hands on tri tip, but Costco almost always has it in stock.
However, if you don’t have access to a Costco and don’t see them regularly at your grocery store, ask the grocery store butcher to get one for you or reach out to a local butcher.
How long does it take to smoke tri tip?
To bring the tri tip up to the initial temperature of 110 – 115 degrees F, it will take roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes on the “smoke” setting.
After that, the tri tip must be seared on a very hot grill for a few minutes on both sides to bring it up to 130 degrees F.
What should the internal temperature of tri tip be?
When cooking any cut of beef, you’ll want to keep these temperature guidelines in mind:
- Rare: 120ºF – 125ºF
- Medium-rare: 130ºF – 135ºF (this is what I suggest)
- Medium: 135ºF – 140ºF
- Well-done: 145ºF or higher (please do NOT cook it to this stage!)
What type of wine goes best with Santa Maria smoked tri tip?
Pair your tri tip with a medium to full bodied red wine. Look for a Bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, or merlot.
Storage Instructions
If you wind up with leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To reheat, do NOT use the microwave! Microwaving tri tip will dry it out and ruin the meat. Instead, wrap your slice(s) in foil and warm in a 300 degree F oven until done to your liking.
Sides to Serve with Traeger Santa Maria Tri Tip
Complete your dinner menu by serving the smoked Santa Maria tri tip with the following appetizers and sides.
If serving in the spring or summer:
- Marinated olives
- Grilled artichokes or grilled asparagus
- Tomato cucumber salad
- Rustic rosemary bread
If serving in the fall or winter:
- Antipasto skewers
- Scalloped potatoes or mascarpone mashed potatoes
- Bacon balsamic brussels sprouts, cranberry green beans, or mixed greens citrus salad
- Potato dinner rolls
Try Making Santa Maria Tri Tip at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a Santa Maria tri tip recipe that’s made on a Traeger, give this one a try!
Did you love how flavorful and juicy the meat was? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your tri tip!
More Special Occasion Beef Recipes:
Smoking prime rib on a Traeger results in perfectly juicy, tender meat every time. Its presentation and wonderful flavor make it perfect for any special occasion meal!
Cooking steak using the sous vide method results in perfectly tender, juicy steak every single time! Finish off your sous vide steak by searing them in a hot skillet and top them with compound butter for a truly decadent, restaurant-worthy dining experience.
Skirt steak is first marinated in an herby chimichurri sauce then grilled quickly over high heat. The resulting Grilled Chimichurri Steak is juicy, tender, and packed with flavor!
Using a pressure cooker to cook a chuck roast dramatically reduces the cook time, and the meat comes out perfectly fork-tender every time! This Instant Pot Chuck Roast recipe uses the drippings to make a creamy mushroom gravy so nothing goes to waste.
Seared filets topped with gremolata are so easy to prepare, yet so flavorful! Gremolata is a delicious Italian herb sauce that can be used in a variety of ways to add a boost of flavor to recipes.
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
Get More Recipes via Email
Did you love this recipe? Sign up to receive Good Life Eats Email Updates and never miss another recipe!
Traeger Santa Maria Tri Tip
Traeger Santa Maria Tri Tip is darkly charred on both sides, while the inside remains tender and juicy. This is an easier and cheaper alternative to serving prime rib around the holidays!
Ingredients
Tri Tip
- Prime Rib Rub
- 2.5 to 3 lb. tri tip (we buy ours at Costco)
Santa Maria Style Salsa
- ½ lb ripe tomatoes, cored and diced into ¼ inch cubes
- 3 green onions, finely sliced
- 2 ribs celery stalk, finely minced into ⅛ inch cubes
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 poblano pepper, finely minced into ⅛ inch cubes
- 1 clove garlic, smashed and finely minced
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Seasoning the Meat
- Pat the tri-tip dry with clean paper towels.
- Season the beef generously on both sides using the prime rib rub. Then, place the meat in a rimmed baking dish and cover with plastic wrap or a lid.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Smoking the Tri Tip
- Set the Traeger temperature to “smoke.” Make sure to follow Traeger manufacturer preheating instructions before adding meat to the grill. Preheat for 15 minutes.
- Once the Traeger has preheated, remove the tri-tip from the fridge and place the meat directly on the grill. Insert the probe of a grill safe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
- Close the lid and cook on the smoke setting until the probe reads 110 - 115 degrees F, about 1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 30 minutes.
Preparing the Salsa
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir until combined and let sit covered at room temperature.
Transferring to the Grill
- When the internal temperature of the meat reads 110 - 115 degrees F, transfer the tri-tip to a very hot gas or charcoal grill, around 550 degrees F.
- Make sure to keep the thermometer probe inserted to the thickest portion of the meat.
- Sear the tri-tip on the grill for a few minutes per side to allow the meat to develop a thick, dark char on both sides. The beauty of the tri-tip is the dark, almost black exterior with charred grill marks on the outside and the bright red, juicy medium-rare meat on the inside.
- Remove the meat from the grill when the thermometer reads 130 degrees (medium rare) at the thickest portion.
Resting and Slicing the Meat
- Place the tri-tip on a cutting board and allow the meat to rest for 5 - 10 minutes before cutting. Slice, cutting the meat against the grain into ½ inch thick slices
- Arrange meat on a platter and spoon salsa over top of the meat. Serve immediately.
Notes
Alternate serving suggestion: If you’re serving smoked Santa Maria tri tip for Thanksgiving or Christmas as an alternative to prime rib, try serving it with horseradish sauce instead of salsa.
Wood pellets: Red oak is the traditional choice, but I prefer smoking tri tip with hickory, bbq select, or Meat Church blend pellets.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1261Total Fat: 67gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 482mgSodium: 379mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 152g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Leave a Comment