See How It’s Done:
This tri tip recipe grills a 2 to 3 pound tri-tip roast over direct heat for a deep crust, finishes it indirect until the internal temperature hits 130°F for medium-rare, then serves it sliced against the grain with a charred green onion chimichurri. The sauce takes a classic Argentine chimichurri and adds smoky depth by charring fresh green onions on the grill before chopping them in. Total cook runs about 25 to 30 minutes plus a 10 to 15 minute rest, and serves 6 to 8.
Why This Tri Tip Recipe Pairs With Charred Green Onion Chimichurri Instead of Standard Sauce
Charring the Onions Adds Smoke That Echoes the Grill
A standard chimichurri leans on raw garlic and parsley for its aromatic punch. The flavor is bright and herbaceous, but the raw alliums can compete with the smoke flavor in grilled beef instead of complementing it. Consequently, charring the green onions before blending them into the sauce builds a smoky base that echoes the grill char on the tri tip rather than fighting it. The result tastes like the sauce and the steak were cooked together.
Tri Tip’s Beefy Flavor Holds Up to a Bold Sauce
Tri tip is one of the most flavorful cuts on the cow, with significant intramuscular marbling and a distinctly beefy taste profile. Milder sauces get lost on this cut. However, a chimichurri loaded with charred onions, fresh parsley, garlic, and red wine vinegar has enough intensity to cut through the richness without overpowering it. Furthermore, the acid in the vinegar resets the palate between bites so each slice tastes as good as the first.
Choosing and Trimming a Tri-Tip Roast
What Tri Tip Is and Where to Find It
Tri tip is a triangular cut from the bottom sirloin, weighing typically 1.5 to 3 pounds. The cut became famous in Santa Maria, California during the 1950s where it was traditionally grilled over oak. It is sometimes called “Santa Maria steak” or “California cut” outside the West Coast. Look for it in the beef section of a well-stocked grocery store or ask the butcher directly. Additionally, prioritize roasts with visible marbling and a uniform thickness across the triangle for even cooking.
Trimming the Silverskin Without Losing the Fat Cap
Most tri tips come with a thick fat cap on one side and a layer of silverskin (silvery connective tissue) on the other. Trim away the silverskin completely, which will not render at grill temperatures and turns chewy. Then leave 1/4 inch of fat on the fat cap side to baste the meat as it grills. Moreover, removing all the fat strips the roast of flavor and produces a drier final product.
How to Char Green Onions for Maximum Smoky Flavor
Direct Heat for 3 to 4 Minutes Per Side
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and lay the green onions directly over the flames. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until the outside is lightly blackened and the white bulbs have softened. Specifically, you want char marks deep enough to see and smell, not just lightly browned. The blackened sugars are what carry the smoke flavor into the finished sauce.
Let Them Cool Before Chopping for Cleaner Cuts
Once charred, transfer the green onions to a cutting board and let them cool for 5 minutes. Hot onions release moisture as they cool, and chopping them while steaming makes them slip on the board and produces uneven cuts. As a result, waiting until they are warm but not hot gives you cleaner knife work and lets the smoky aroma settle into the flesh instead of evaporating.
The Charred Green Onion Chimichurri Method: Build Order Matters
Combine the Solids First, Then Add the Liquid
Combine the chopped charred green onions, fresh parsley, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl first. Then pour the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the top and stir to combine. Building the sauce in this order distributes the herbs and aromatics evenly through the oil instead of clumping them at the bottom of the bowl. Therefore, every spoonful gets a balanced ratio of herbs to liquid.
Rest the Sauce While the Tri Tip Cooks
Make the chimichurri before you put the tri tip on the grill and let it sit at room temperature for the full 25 to 30 minutes the steak cooks. As the sauce rests, the herbs hydrate into the oil and the garlic mellows into the acid, producing a deeper, more cohesive flavor. In contrast, fresh-made chimichurri served immediately tastes harsh and disconnected. The rest is the difference between sauce that tastes built and sauce that tastes assembled.
Searing the Tri Tip, Indirect Finish, and the 130°F Pull Temp
3 to 4 Minutes Per Side Over Direct Heat for the Crust
Season the tri tip generously on all sides with your favorite steak seasoning. Place it directly over the hottest part of the grill and sear 3 to 4 minutes per side until a deep mahogany crust develops. The visual cue is when the surface darkens past brown into a rich caramel color. Do not flip more than once during the sear, as repeated flipping disrupts the Maillard reaction that builds the crust.
Pull at 130°F and Slice Against the Grain
Once the crust forms, move the tri tip to the cooler side of the grill and close the lid. Continue cooking with indirect heat until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 130°F for medium-rare. Then rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Tri tip has two grain directions that meet in the middle of the roast. Slice each half against its respective grain in thin pieces. Furthermore, cutting with the grain produces tough, chewy slices even on a perfectly cooked roast.
Step-by-Step: How to Make This Tri Tip Recipe With Charred Chimichurri
Step 1: Char the Green Onions
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the green onions directly over the heat and char them on all sides until lightly blackened and softened, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and transfer to a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Mix the Charred Green Onion Chimichurri
Once cooled, finely chop the charred green onions. Combine them in a bowl with the parsley, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Then pour the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the top and stir until evenly combined. Set aside at room temperature for the 25 to 30 minutes the tri tip cooks so the flavors meld.
Step 3: Season the Tri Tip Roast
Pat the tri tip dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with your favorite steak seasoning. Press the rub into the surface so it adheres. Let the seasoned tri tip rest at room temperature for 15 minutes if it just came out of the fridge.
Step 4: Sear Over Direct Heat
Place the tri tip directly over the hottest part of the grill and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until a deep mahogany crust develops. Flip only once. Repeated flipping disrupts the Maillard reaction and slows crust formation.
Step 5: Finish Over Indirect Heat to 130°F
Move the tri tip to the cooler side of the grill and close the lid. Continue cooking with indirect heat until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 130°F for medium-rare. This takes 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the roast and the grill temperature.
Step 6: Rest, Slice Against the Grain, and Serve
Transfer the tri tip to a cutting board and rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Identify where the two grain directions meet in the middle of the roast and slice each half against its own grain into thin pieces. Serve with a generous spoonful of charred green onion chimichurri over the top or on the side.
Salt Block Seared Tomahawk Steak & Mini Corn Ribs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Generously season the tomahawk steak on all sides with kosher salt. Place it uncovered on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate overnight to dry out the surface and season the interior.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper. Mix until fully incorporated and set aside at room temperature.
- Cut each ear of corn lengthwise into 4 long strips, then cut those strips in half crosswise to make 8 mini corn ribs per ear. Toss with olive oil and Cajun seasoning until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Place the Himalayan salt block on the grill grates while the coals are still cool and lighting. Let the block come up gradually to 500-550°F over 30 to 45 minutes. Never place a cold block directly over high heat.
- Place the tomahawk directly onto the hot salt block. Immediately set a heavy cast iron pan on top of the steak to force full contact with the block. Cook 90 seconds, flip, replace the cast iron, and cook another 90 seconds until a deep golden crust forms.
- Remove the steak and carefully take the salt block off the grill using heat-resistant gloves.
- Move the steak to the indirect side of the grill and add the seasoned corn ribs around it. Close the lid. Cook until the steak reads 122°F internal for medium-rare, and the corn ribs are tender and lightly charred (about 8-10 minutes). In the last 30 seconds, top the steak with the garlic herb butter and let it melt.
- Transfer the steak to a cutting board and rest 10 minutes. Carryover cook pushes internal to 130-135°F for medium-rare. Slice against the grain and serve alongside the corn ribs.
Notes
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Let us know how it was!Tri-Tip & Chimichurri — FAQ
Everything you need to nail the tri tip and the sauce that goes with it.
Setup & Basics
Tri tip is a triangular roast cut from the bottom sirloin, typically weighing 1.5 to 3 pounds. It became famous in Santa Maria, California in the 1950s and is sometimes called “Santa Maria steak” or “California cut.” Find it in the beef section at most well-stocked grocery stores. If you don’t see it on display, ask the butcher directly. East Coast stores sometimes label it differently or only stock it on request.
Look for a 2 to 3 pound roast with visible marbling and a uniform thickness across the triangle. Smaller than 2 pounds cooks too fast to develop a good crust before the interior overcooks. Larger than 3 pounds takes longer indirect time and risks uneven doneness between the thick and thin ends. One 2.5-pound tri tip serves 6 to 8 people sliced thin against the grain.
Both are oil-based green herb sauces, but the origins and ingredients differ. Chimichurri is Argentine, built on parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil, with red pepper flakes for heat. Italian salsa verde uses parsley, capers, anchovies, lemon juice, and olive oil. Chimichurri is bolder and brighter; salsa verde is saltier and more savory. Chimichurri pairs best with grilled red meat. Salsa verde works better with fish, chicken, and poached meats.
Yes, and it actually gets better. Chimichurri keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, with peak flavor at the 1 to 3 day mark when the garlic mellows and the herbs fully hydrate. Bring it back to room temperature before serving so the olive oil loosens up. Skip freezing since freezing destroys the fresh parsley texture and makes the sauce watery on thaw.
Technique & Troubleshooting
Almost always a slicing issue, not a cooking issue. Tri tip has two grain directions that meet in the middle of the roast, and if you slice the whole thing in one direction you will cut with the grain on half of it. Find where the two grains meet by looking at the muscle fiber direction on the surface, cut the roast in half there, then slice each half against its own grain. Also slice thin (1/4 inch or less) for maximum tenderness.
Yes. Use the reverse sear method: preheat the oven to 275°F, place the seasoned tri tip on a wire rack over a sheet pan, and roast until the internal temperature reads 115°F (about 30-45 minutes). Then sear all sides in a screaming hot cast iron skillet for 1-2 minutes per side until you hit 130°F. Rest 10-15 minutes and slice. Char the green onions for the chimichurri in the same cast iron pan or under a broiler.
