Grilled Tri-Tip Steak with Molasses Chili Marinade Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you marinate tri-tip too long? ›

To get a really good flavor infusion, marinate the tri tip for at least eight hours or overnight. The maximum amount of time you should marinate the steak is twenty-four hours. If you leave it in for longer than that, you risk breaking down the fibers too much, giving the meat a mushy texture.

Season the Tri Tip with kosher salt and pepper. That's all you need, nothing else. Double wrap the meat in aluminum foil and place on a grill with indirect heat. After an hour, remove the Tri Tip.

A general rule of thumb for grilling a tri-tip roast is about 10 minutes per pound (not counting the time of searing), but it's best to check after 20 minutes with an instant-read thermometer. You're aiming for 115°F for rare or 125°F for medium-rare meat.

Marinating Tri Tip steak is a good idea because it's one of the leaner cuts of meat that can get a little tough when cooked without extra moisture. It's particularly good for steaks that will be grilled or smoked. Try marinades with any strong flavor that will pair well with beef.

Marinating tri-tip infuses the meat with flavor and moisture, making it more tender and enjoyable once cooked. Although other cuts can also be marinated, tri-tip's lean nature makes it well-suited for this preparation method.

Tri-tip doesn't need to be tenderized because it's already a naturally tender cut. If you want to enhance its flavor, you can marinate it for two to three hours before cooking it. Adding acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar to the marinade will help break down the muscle fibers, making the steak more tender.

When the tri tip reaches 160°F (71°C), wrap tightly in pink butcher paper. This locks in the color and holds in the moisture while still allowing it to maintain some good bark. Foil works too but the bark will end up softer than with paper.

Grill on medium heat (300-400°F). Grill for 20 to 40 minutes until internal temp is 135°F. Flip tri-tip every few minutes. Rotate around on grill if grill cooks unevenly.

While the tri tip is a steak-like cut, it has very long muscle fibers, and long muscle fibers mean stringy, chewy steak if you don't handle them correctly. You have to cut across the grain of the meat fibers to shorten the individual fiber pieces you'll be eating.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. Place the meat directly above the flame to sear the meat and lock in the juices, about 5 to 10 minutes per side. Turn the grill down to medium heat and continue to cook, turning occasionally, for another 25 to 30 minutes.

How do you know when tri-tip is done? ›

The final temperature will read 135°F. To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your Tri-Tip. This will help ensure your final cooking temperature is accurate and your roast is not dried out.

Lean, tender, and flavorful, Tri-Tip Steak works well with smoking, grilling, and roasting. We recommend cooking to a medium-rare internal temperature of 135 degrees F. Pan Seared Top Sirloin: Pat dry – use paper towels to pat the steaks dry to get a perfect sear and reduce oil splatter.

Soaking your meat in marinades helps add flavor while making your meat tender. However, depending on how thin you have cut your pieces of meat, the marinade may fail to penetrate all that deep. In such cases, poking holes in your meat will help all the ingredients fully absorb and not remain on the surface.

How To Grill Tri-Tip Steak. Follow these tips to get the best results when cooking your steak. Season it in advance to give the seasoning time to penetrate the meat and enhance its flavor. Let it come to room temperature before cooking for more even doneness.

Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends storing marinated meat in the refrigerator for no more than 3-5 days. This time frame accounts for the potential growth of harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

The longer you cook tri-tip the more tender it will become, so you can choose your time according to what you are trying to accomplish. For a more traditional texture you can cook it until it is just heated through, usually 3 to 4 hours.

Be careful not to exceed marinating time since allowing food to soak too long can result in toughness. A marinade should be thin enough in consistency to penetrate the meat; otherwise, the flavor desired will not be reached.