This is the best tri tip dry rub recipe that is savory and sweet. NO need for gravy or a sauce with this. Once cooked, slice and serve for a WOW over the top flavor everyone will love. On our Instant Pot tri tip or in the oven it is good.

We made this tri tip dry rub recipe the other day to amp up our dinner and man was it good!! With 5 ingredients you'll be blown out of the water too. One of many dry rub recipes on our site.

Tri-Tip Dry Rub Recipe

As you know, we buy meat in bulk each year. It not only saves us trips to the store but we also get to work with meat we normally wouldn't purchase at the store, this is one cut.

Not that we wouldn't love tri tip, it is something out of our normal range of cooking ground beef, steak, or stew meat. Adding a sweet and savory coating of seasonings to the outside of it though brings those flavors to a whole new level. Used first on our air fryer tri tipwe knew it had to be shared with all of you.

What is the tri tip?

This cut of beef is the bottom or tip of the sirloin. The name comes from it's triangular shape. Tip roasts are rich in great flavors and lower in fat than most other cuts.

How is tri tip supposed to be cooked?

We mean that depends. It is great cooked on a smoker for sure but many prefer using their oven to make dutch oven tri tip. This way you can sear on the stovetop before baking. We recently made it in a pressure cooker and will add a link to that once the post is live.

Why is our tri tip chewy?

There are two different grains to this meat, different from any other. SO it is important to slice it properly or it will seem chewy. When you cut the meat you will need to slice against the grain of the fibers to shorten them. This will make it more tender when chewing.

Ingredient notes

You want to start out with a sweet element to this because it is out of this world good to pair with the seasonings and salt. We go with light Brown sugarnot packed. We haven't used sugar-free Splenda but others have had success with that as an option.

Paprika smoked or regular brings a deep bold flavor to this we love
Chili powder can be set to mild as we do below but could be enhanced if you wanted more heat to it
Garlic powder is one of our go to spices
Salt is a must and yes 1 tbsp is not incorrect, believe us it works so well together! Black pepper is up to you if that is a must then throw some in by all means.

You mix it all together, easy peasy, in a bowl and you're ready to season you baby! We choose to trim the fat side a bit but that is up to you. Some prefer to leave that on for moisture, and flavor. Depending on how you're cooking it you may want to rub olive oil on first, then your rub.

Substitutions

Of course you could add and/or omit seasonings of your choice. We mean if onion powder is preferred over our garlic then do it. This combo is our go to though. We even use it as a steak dry rub all the time. If our husband doesn't use it we are super disappointed!

We're telling you, we use this stuff for ALL THE THINGS. Even our grilled steak recipe and air fryer steak bites are tossed in it before throwing them into the basket. They blow people away.

How to Coat Tri Tip with Dry Rub

Time needed: 5 minutes

Tri Tip Dry Rub

Combine
Mix all seasonings together well in a bowl. Use a fork so you can break up any chunks of brown sugar and make it smooth.
Prepare
Trim your meat (or not, depending on your preferences) and pat dry with a paper towel. If you are smoking it we'd rub a bit of olive oil on the outside once dry to keep it moist. Follow your recipe.
Coat
Pour half of dry rub on top and rub with hands to cover all areas.Flip meat over allowing excess to fall off and pour remaining rub on the other side. Rub in and on sides as well. Lift meat up and allow excess to fall off before cooking.

as with any beef or tri tip recipe you should also allow meat to rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes before slicing. This will allow the juices to soak in and not be released upon slicing.

Kitchen questions

What temperature do you cook a tri tip roast at?

You will want a digital meat thermometer to test meat internal temperature. If you want it rare it should be 135° degrees F, 140° F for medium rare (this is recommended for the best texture and flavor). 145 degrees F would make it closer to medium “doneness” for you.

What is the best way to check the internal temperature of beef?

Always remove from gas grill or medium high heat (however you're cooking it) before using your instant read thermometer. Put into the thickest part to get an accurate read.

When should you add dry rub to tri tip?

Ideally for the most flavor you want it to sit on the outside for a bit before cooking. More time will deepen the taste. You can coat, wrap with saran wrap and set into the fridge for an hour, or coat and cook immediately if necessary.

Tri Tip Dry Rub Recipe

By Try this killer tri tip dry rub that is savory and sweet at the same time. Then bake, smoke or cook it in a pressure cooker. Prep: 5 minutes minsCook: 0 minutes minsServings: 8 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2-3/4 tbsp chili powder, 1/2 will make it mild, add more if you want more heat

Instructions

Mix all seasonings together well.
Trim your meat and pat dry with a paper towel. Then pour half of dry rub on top and rub with hands to cover all areas.
Flip meat over and pour remaining rub on the other side. Rub in and on sides as well.
Lift meat up and allow excess to fall off before placing it on the grill, smoker, dutch oven, pressure cooker to cook.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: DipCuisine: American Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

How long is leftover tri tip good?

Ideally you should reheat it within 3 to 4 days. Remember to wait until it has cooled, then store in airtight containers or freezer bags. Keeping air out will keep it moist. We would save some of your gravy too to use for reheating.