How To Marinate Tri Tip + 3 Tri Tip Marinade Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Should you marinate a tri-tip? ›

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.

A typical marinade is made up of three essential components: an acid (such as vinegar, wine, or citrus), an oil (such as olive oil or sesame oil), and a flavouring agent (such as herbs and spices). These elements work together to transform the taste and texture of your dish in different ways.

For mouth-watering results try a marinade and marinate two to three hours before you cook. Or, use a simple dry brine to tenderize and season the steak. No matter how you serve the tri-tip steak, the bold, beefy flavors of this unique steak cut will delight your taste buds.

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.

Tri tip steak usually cooks best when cooked in low heat over a long period of time, so roasting it in the oven or smoking it are excellent methods for moist tri tip. Sous vide and slow cooking also work well, as these methods lock moisture into the meat.

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.

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.

Marinades generally consist of cooking oil, an acidic liquid, such as vinegar, wine, tomato, or citrus juice (or a natural enzyme, such as ginger or pineapple), and flavorings, including garlic, molasses, honey, fresh or dried herbs, and spices.

Marinades typically feature an oil and an acid — but the sky's the limit for creativity: For your oil base, try olive, peanut, truffle, sesame, walnut, or chile oil. You can also use milk, coconut milk, buttermilk, or yogurt. For acids, experiment with different types of vinegar, wines, beers, lemon, or lime juice.

Don'ts of Marinating

Don't add too much salt. Too much salt drains moisture from the meat, causing the meat to dry out and preventing flavors from absorbing. Don't re-use marinades or use them as a sauce. Marinades are in contact with raw ingredients; therefore, the marinade could contain harmful bacteria.

What is the best spice for marinating? ›

Spices you can add to enhance flavor; Blackened seasoning, Lemon Pepper or Lemon Herb seasoning, Herb Grill seasoning, Creole seasoning, Italian seasoning, Fresh rosemary sprigs, fresh dill, fresh basil Leaves, fennel, sage, thyme, marjoram, oregano, celery salt. Let marinate 1-2 hours before cooking.

Marinades are usually 2 parts oil to 1 part acid (something like wine, lemon juice or vinegar), and some salt.

If you need shredded or strips of beef for fajitas, tacos, salads, or sandwiches, a slow-cooked tri-tip steak meal might be the best choice. Not only is it convenient to make when you want something ready to go after a long day, but it also makes for a tasty and satisfying meal.

Once thawed, remove your roast from the refrigerator at least one hour (but not more than two hours) before cooking to allow the roast to come to room temperature. Season your Tri-Tip roast well.

The tri-tip has a good amount of marbling throughout, but is actually quite lean and devoid of any fat caps, so it can be tough if not cooked properly. This is definitely a cut built for grilling and keeping medium rare to medium.

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.

Odor: If the marinated beef has a strong, unpleasant odor or a sour smell, it is likely spoiled. Fresh marinated meat should have a pleasant aroma. Slimy Texture: If the marinated beef feels slimy or sticky to the touch, it may indicate bacterial growth and spoilage.

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.

Searing Tri Tip Steak

If you want a sear that your oven isn't achieving, consider searing the tri tip steak before putting it in the oven. Just heat up a skillet with a drizzle of oil and sear the steak on each side for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can do the same after it comes out of the oven.

Start with the fat side up (in truth it makes no difference. "If you put the fat side of the tri tip on the fire first, the moisture will come up through the meat and make it tender.") The problem I have with this is that, as the fat warms, it will drip down into the fire and will not evaporate until it's in the fire.

Should I cover a tri-tip in the oven? ›

Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Set the tied tri-tip roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until an insta-read thermometer registers about 125 (rare) to 135 (medium) degrees F, or according to taste.

Mix salt, pepper, and garlic salt together in a small bowl; rub all over the tri-tip and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. Remove tri-tip from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before grilling.

Marinating your tri-tip can also help keep it juicy. The salt in most marinades produces a mild brining effect, which can help the meat retain more moisture. A good marinade, like one of these unique steak marinades you need to try, will also improve the flavor of your steak.

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.

Methods for Reverse Searing

Reverse searing a tri tip steak can start with a grill or oven. The point is to cook the steak until it's almost done, followed by giving it a quick sear on high heat.