Tri-tip (reverse sear)

tri-tip · verified system recipe · Santa Maria tradition — hand-curated

Pit temp
225°F
Pull at
130°F
Total time
~1.6 hr

Phase timeline

75m
10m
Smoke (bare, low + slow)RestSear (hot + fast)Slice across graintotal: 1h 34m

Step-by-step

  1. 1. Smoke (bare, low + slow)

    → 125°F · ~75 min

    225°F pit, oak. Pull at 125°F internal for medium-rare.

  2. 2. Rest

    ~10 min

    Tent loosely while you crank the grill or pan.

  3. 3. Sear (hot + fast)

    → 130°F · ~4 min

    Sear 1-2 min per side over 600°F+ direct heat. Final internal 130°F.

  4. 4. Slice across grain

    ~5 min

    Grain runs in two directions on a tri-tip — split the roast at the grain change, then slice each half against its own grain.

Rub
Santa Maria style: kosher salt + black pepper + garlic powder
Minimum rest
10 min

📐 Scale for guests

Target weight
2.0 lb
0.5 lb/guest
Cuts needed
1
~5 lb per cut
Cook time / cut
1h 24m
+ 10m rest

Each cut cooks at its own rate — even if you double up, plan the same hours. For very large crowds, run multiple cuts in parallel and stagger by 30 min.

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