Smoked Tri Tip on the Ninja FlexFlame

Discover how to reverse sear tri-tip on the Ninja FlexFire. Smoke to tender perfection. Then, sear on the hot grill for a flavorful crust.

What Is Tri-Tip

The tri-tip roast is a beef cut of meat from the bottom sirloin butt that is shaped like an odd triangle. It gained its notoriety in Santa Maria, California.

This cut doesn’t have a lot of marbling like a ribeye, but it is still quite tender and is great smoked or grilled.

You can grill or smoke the triangle roast whole and slice it into pieces, or you can slice the roast into steaks before grilling it.

Next time you’re at the meat counter, consider choosing the tri-tip cut to create a new delicious meal.

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Ingredients

• Tri Tip: It used to be that tri tip was only popular on the west coast, but now it’s a cut that is much easier to find at a local grocery store in the U.S. If you can’t find one, ask your butcher if he or she can special order it, or order a tri tip online.
• Salt & Pepper: You’ll sprinkle the tri-tip with a heavy pinch of kosher salt and black pepper to help season the meat.
• Tri Tip Rub: For more flavor, add a layer of additional spices that go good with tri tip. My Brisket Rub and Steak Rub are great choices.

See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.

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How to cook tri-tip on a Ninja grill

This tri tip will be cooked using the reverse sear method, which means you’ll start by smoking it over low and slow heat. Then, just before it has reached the desired level of doneness, you’ll crank it to high heat to sear it.

1. STEP ONE: On your Ninja FlexFlame, plug the grill in, and turn on the propane. Ignite the burners. Set the FlexFlame to Low & Slow and the temperature to 250F. Add wood pellets and push the Woodfire Technology button.

PRO TIP: I like smoking tri-tip with cherry or oak wood pellets. 

2. STEP TWO: Season both sides of the tri-tip with a couple pinches of kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper. Then, add a thin layer of brisket rub to both sides.

3. STEP THREE: Place the seasoned tri-tip on the grate on the center of the grill. Close the lid and cook to an internal temperature of 100F. This will take about 25-30 minutes. 

PRO TIP: When grilling roasts, I use the Thermoworks RFX wireless meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat toward the center. 

4. STEP FOUR: Change the function to Grill/Pizza and the temperature to 500F. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip. Cook 3-5 more minutes to your desired doneness. For medium rare, I pull it around 127-130.

PRO TIP: Remove the meat from the grill about 5 degrees before it reaches your desired doneness. The temperature will continue to rise another 5 degrees or so as it rests.

5. STEP FIVE: Remove from the grill and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

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How to slice tri-tip

Once it has rested, you can slice the tri-tip. For the most tender bite, it’s important to slice the meat against the grain.

Look at the picture below, you should be able to see the grain or cracks in the meat (identified with the thick arrows). They travel in different directions for this triangular cut of beef.

You want your slices to go in the opposite direction than those thick arrows.

Using this example, I would start slicing the right side. Then, once I got to the middle, I would slice the left side.

For added flavor, you can top the slices with chimichurri or compound butter.

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Storage

Store leftover tri-tip sliced or unsliced. Just place it in an airtight container. You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Unfortunately, when you reheat tri tip in the microwave, toaster oven or skillet, it will continue to cook, which is why I really enjoy eating it cold or working it into recipes like my Champion Chili Recipe with Smoked Tri-Tip.

You can also layer thin slices on sandwiches with horseradish sauce or use chunks or strips in tacos.

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