Smoked Tri-Tip (Reverse Sear, Salt Only)
By Tomás Reyes · Texas Rancher · Updated 2026-05-08
Tri-tip smoked at 225°F to 110°F internal, then seared at 500°F for 90 seconds per side. Reverse-sear gives smoke flavor + crust. 2-hour cook.
Carnivore smoked tri-tip is a 1.5 to 2.5 pound triangular bottom-sirloin roast smoked at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 110°F (about 75 to 90 minutes), then seared over a 500°F+ flame for 90 seconds per side to build a deep crust. Final pull temperature is 130°F for medium-rare. Salt is the only seasoning. The reverse-sear method is the only way to get both heavy smoke flavor AND a Maillard-browned exterior on a roast this size — direct grilling skips smoke; pure smoking skips crust. A 6-ounce cooked serving delivers 44g protein, 14g fat, and 290 calories. Tri-tip costs $9 to $13 per pound and feeds 4 to 6 people from a 2-pound roast at roughly $4 to $5 per serving. Slice against the grain — and tri-tip's grain changes direction across the cut, so rotate the roast as you slice. Same cut as Brazilian picanha, different butchering tradition.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 oz tri-tip cooked, sliced (per serving) | 44g | 14g | 290 |
| Coarse salt | 0g | 0g | 0 |
| Per serving | 44g | 14g | 290 |
Macros per serving (after cooking and any fat draining). Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Instructions
- 1
Salt the tri-tip generously on all sides 40 minutes to 24 hours before cooking. Refrigerate uncovered to dry-brine.
- 2
Heat the smoker to 225°F. Add 3 oak chunks (oak is the Santa Maria classic for tri-tip).
- 3
Place the roast fat-cap up on the grate. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part.
- 4
Smoke until internal temperature reaches 110°F — about 75 to 90 minutes for a 2-pound roast.
- 5
Pull from the smoker. Heat a cast iron skillet, grill, or 500°F+ direct flame area.
- 6
Sear all sides hard and fast: 90 seconds on each long face, 60 seconds on each short end. Total sear time: 5 minutes.
- 7
Pull when internal temperature reaches 125°F (rises to 130°F for medium-rare during rest).
- 8
Rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain — note the grain changes direction across the cut, so rotate the roast as you slice each section.
Nutrition per Serving
Frequently Asked Questions
Smoked vs oven tri-tip — what's the difference?
Smoke flavor and texture. Smoked tri-tip carries a clear oak or hickory note throughout the meat, plus a 1/4-inch pink smoke ring just under the crust. Oven tri-tip is faster (30 minutes total vs 2 hours) and the crust forms during the initial sear instead of as a finishing step. Both end at the same internal target of 130°F medium-rare; the smoked version has more depth, the oven version has more convenience.
Reverse sear vs forward sear on a smoker?
Reverse sear (this recipe) means smoke first, sear last. Forward sear means sear first, smoke after. Reverse-sear produces a more even pink-from-edge-to-edge interior because the meat heats slowly and uniformly during the smoke phase. Forward sear leaves a gradient — well-done band under the crust, pink center. For a roast this size, reverse-sear is the standard approach.
Why does grain matter so much on tri-tip?
Tri-tip has two distinct grain directions meeting at an angle in the middle of the roast. Slicing with the grain in either section produces tough, chewy bites that defeat the purpose of cooking it tender. Rotate the roast as you slice — start at one tip, follow the visible muscle-fiber lines, then turn the roast 90 degrees when you hit the directional change, and continue against the grain in the second section.
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