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    Home » Main Course » Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip

    Published: Mar 2, 2016 · Modified: Jun 19, 2020 by Lisa Johnson

    Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip

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    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please visit my disclosure page.

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    slices of tri-tip laying on a wood cutting board with a red and white check napkin in the background

    Apparently summer has arrived in Arizona, and I am celebrating with my favorite Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip!! If you do not live near California you may not have any idea what I am talking about, and worse, you might not be able to find this cut of beef in your local grocery store...I know this from first hand experience.....

    slices of tri-tip laying on a wood cutting board with a red and white check napkin in the background

    I was devastated when I moved to Iowa and could not longer get my favorite Tri-Tip. It then became the first meal we would search for as soon as we crossed into the state of California on vacation, lol.

    What is Tri-Tip?

    "Tri-tip is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin subprimal cut. It is a small triangular muscle, usually 1.5 to 2.5 pounds per side of beef." The most famous version is the Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip, that was created on the Central Coast of Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara, California.

    Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip raw cookingwithcurls.com

    I first tried Tri-Tip when I moved to the central valley to go to college. All of my friends had grown up with this delicacy and I was more than happy to join in the fun! You can purchase pre-seasoned Tri-Tip roasts in just about every grocery store in Central California, or some of my friends would cheat and marinate their Tri-Tip in Italian dressing...which is just as delicious!

    How to cook Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip:

    Traditional Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip is grilled over coals of Red Oak, but I have a gas grill {and they don't sell red oak here} so that is the first of many changes that I made. 😉

    Mix seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.....

    Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip Seasoning | cookingwithcurls.com

    The original recipe calls for pepper, salt, and garlic salt, but there are a million different variations. Some call for sage or oregano, but I chose to use tarragon and I love the results!

    Place tri-tip roast on a foil lined baking sheet. Rub seasoning on all sides of tri-tip.....

    Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip season cookingwithcurls.com

    Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for one hour.

    Heat grill and lightly coat grate with olive oil. Place tri-tip on hot grill and sear both side, about 10 minutes each side.....

    Summer is coming, time for Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip | cookingwithcurls.com

    Continue cooking, keeping the temperature between 250 and 300 degrees, until cooked to desired doneness.....

    Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip temp cookingwithcurls.com

    Sometimes I get bored while waiting and take silly pictures. 🙂

    Remove from grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.....

    Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip cut open on a wood cutting board

    The smoke coming off the grill smelled absolutely amazing! The tarragon adds a sweet, almost licorice aroma to the smoke that will have you drooling. 😉

    Notes:

    • Meat will continue cooking after you remove it from the grill...something that I keep forgetting.
    • Rare - 120 degrees
    • Medium-Rare - 130 degrees {that's the one you want}
    • Medium 140 degrees

    This Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip was AMAZING!! Have I said that enough times yet? It took me back to those awesome summers from long ago that were filled with barbecues, boating on the lake, and the most delicious Tri-Tip Sandwiches.....

    sandwich roll filled with sliced tri-tip and provolone cheese covered with barbecue sauce and sitting on a wooden cutting board with extra rolls in the background

    How to make Tri-Tip Sandwiches:

    Sandwich rolls sliced in half.

    Spread Garlic Aioli on the bottom of the roll.

    Top with thinly sliced Tri-tip, slices of provolone cheese and your favorite barbecue sauce. Bourbon and Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce is my favorite!

    Perfect side dish recipes to serve with Tri-Tip:

    • Bacon Potato Salad
    • Baked Parmesan-Garlic Bacon Potato Wedges
    • Instant Pot Loaded Mashed Potatoes
    • Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
    • Creamy Coleslaw
    • Sauteed Zucchini and Carrots

    Have you ever tried Tri-Tip? Have you ever heard of it?

    Enjoy!!

    slices of tri-tip laying on a wood cutting board with a red and white check napkin in the background

    Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip

    Juicy and delicious Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip perfect for summer grilling!
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: beef, style, rub, santa maria, california, grill, recipe, barbecue, sauce
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 8 Servings
    Calories: 232kcal
    Author: Lisa Johnson

    Ingredients

    Santa Maria Style Seasoning

    • 1 Tablespoon sea salt
    • 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
    • ½ Tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 teaspoon rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon tarragon
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • 2 ½ pound tri-tip roast
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    Instructions

    • Mix seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
    • Place tri-tip roast on a foil lined baking sheet. Rub seasoning on all side of tri-tip.
    • Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for one hour.
    • Heat grill {I use gas} and lightly coat grate with olive oil.
    • Place tri-tip on hot grill Fat Side Up and sear both side, about 10 minutes each side.
    • Continue cooking, keeping the temperature between 250 and 300 degrees, until cooked to desired doneness.
    • Remove from grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
    • Thinly slice Tri-Tip and serve with your favorite sides or in sandwiches.

    Notes

    • Meat will continue cooking after you remove it from the grill…something that I keep forgetting.
    • Rare – 120 degrees
    • Medium-Rare – 130 degrees {that’s the one you want}
    • Medium 140 degrees

    Nutrition

    Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 952mg | Potassium: 490mg | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2.4mg
    « Baked Parmesan-Bacon Garlic Potato Wedges
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Terry says

      March 06, 2016 at 9:47 pm

      My husband grew up in that area of California. Icoming from the east coast I didn't know what tri-tip was until his mother cooked it for dinner the first time I visited. I am not able to get that cut at the local grocery stores. However, I found a stand-alone meat market in the next town over owned by a butcher, originally from California, who cuts it for me. Thanks for your recipe and the reminder that we need to get back to the meat market!

      Reply
      • Lisa Johnson says

        March 07, 2016 at 6:31 pm

        I am so glad that you can find tri-tip, Terry! Thank so much for stopping by. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Suzie Clary says

      July 14, 2016 at 5:09 pm

      Our Santa Maria home has always enjoyed tri-tip best when sliced as thin as possible. It just melts in your mouth. And that comes in handy if you have a griller who has a tendency to overcook the meat.

      Reply
    3. Don Olson says

      October 22, 2016 at 6:30 pm

      Lisa, thanks for the recipe but aren't those temps you listed in Centigrade? The photo of the thermometer says 130 degrees C, which is around 265 F.

      Reply

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