Perfect Pan-Roasted Tri-Tip

Learn how to cook tri-tip steak perfectly. Get wonderfully seasoned tender beef with this steak recipe and tips on how to slice the meat.

Video: How To Pan-Roast Tri-Tip

This cut is also sometimes called a Santa Maria Steak or California Cut because it became popular as a grilled steak in California. I’ve got instructions for you for grilling tri-tip over here, but the instructions below are for cooking it indoors, using the stove and the oven. This is how I love to cook it so that I can make it anytime of year, so that’s the instructions I’ve included in the recipe card.

Seasonings

I enjoy this steak seasoned simply with salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. But honestly, I love the flavor of this beefy cut so much that just a good amount of salt is pretty amazing.

If you have time, season the tri-tip with the salt, garlic powder and pepper, then put it on a rack over a plate or pan and set it into the fridge for 8-12 hours. This is called dry-brining the steak. Do not rinse it or wipe it off afterwards. Just go ahead and cook it as directed without adding any other seasoning after the dry brine. The dry-brine adds flavor throughout the meat and makes it more tender.

If you don’t have time, don’t worry. Simply take your tri-tip out of the fridge, season it, and cook it. It will still be delicious!

You can also quick mix up this homemade horseradish sauce before cooking and it’ll be ready to enjoy when the tri-tip is done. It’s so good with steak!

How To Cook Tri-Tip Steak Perfectly

There is some fat on the outside of a tri-tip, but not much, and there isn’t a ton of marbling on this steak either. So it’s best cooked to medium at most so that you get wonderfully tender steak.

I don’t let it come to room temperature before cooking it, I actually cook it straight from the fridge. Why? I tested it both ways and for this one, it didn’t make much of a difference to cooking time or to how much of a sear was achieved. So it’s easier to skip that step.

First, preheat your oven to 450°F. Then heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. A cast-iron skillet works well here. Add some cooking oil to the pan and swirl to coat.

Next, add the whole tri-tip steak to the skillet. Cook undisturbed until well-browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until well-browned on the other side, another 4-5 minutes.

Now it’s time to transfer the skillet with steak to the heated oven. Don’t flip it first. Cook until desired internal temperature is achieved in the thickest part of the steak. You want it about 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit lower than your desired temperature, recognizing that the thinner parts and edges will be a bit more well-done than that. Temperature and cooking time estimates are given below.

Steak Doneness Temperatures

• Rare: 125°F
• Medium-rare: 135°F or 57°C (Remove from the oven at 130°F or 54°C)
• Medium: 145°F or 63°C (Remove from the oven at 140°F or 60°C)
• Medium-well: 150°F or 66°C (Remove from the oven at 145°F or 63°C)
• Well done: 160°F or 71°C (Remove from the oven at 155°F or 68°C)

You’ll remove the skillet from the oven when it reaches your temperature, and then immediately take the steak out of pan so that it slows down the cooking. Set the cooked meat on a cutting board or platter to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. It will come up to the finished temperature in that time.

How Long Does Tri-Tip Cook For?

Because the tri-tip is of an uneven thickness, I like to test the temperature in more than one place before I decide it’s ready. I use a thermometer probe that goes into the steak and then has the mechanism outside of the oven so I can track the temperature. But then I also have a peek with an instant read thermometer in a few places before I decide for sure to take it out.

Oven and Grill Timing Guide

Test the temperature using an instant-read or electric probe thermometer. I suggest you start testing 5 minutes before the lowest times given below because some tri-tips are thinner than others. The below times are for the amount of time needed in the oven, after the initial sear time.

How To Slice Tri-Tip

The tri-tip has a unique grain which needs to be kept in mind when slicing the steak. Take a look at the steak. You’ll see it’s kind of a triangle steak, so it’s not surprising that the grain isn’t running in a consistent way from one side to the other. After all, there are three sides! 

So, before you cook your tri tip, look at it and notice how the grain is. I find the best strategy is that after it’s cooked, you cut it into two pieces, right about where the grain changes direction. Then you just have to cut each piece across the grain going in one direction.