Name: California Tri-Tip, Santa Maria Style
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 pounds tri-tip roast; 6 garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 0.75 teaspoon salt; 2 cups wood chips; 1 teaspoon pepper; 0.75 teaspoon garlic salt

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California Tri-Tip, Santa Maria Style Recipe — Recipes Zone

Method

13 steps · 45 min

01
Prep the Roast
Pat the tri-tip roast dry with paper towels. Then, using a fork, prick the roast about 20 times on each side to help the rub penetrate.
02
Season and Chill
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, and salt, then rub this paste evenly over the roast. Cover the roast tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
03
Soak Wood Chips
While the roast chills, soak the wood chips in a bowl of water, ensuring they're fully submerged, for at least 15 minutes. This helps them smolder rather than burn too quickly.
04
Open Grill Vents
Open the bottom vents on your grill completely to allow for maximum airflow.
05
Light Charcoal
Fill a large chimney starter with charcoal briquettes (about 100 coals). Light them and let them burn until they're completely covered with a fine gray ash, indicating they're ready.
06
Set Up Two-Zone Grill
Once the coals are ashy, pour them into an even layer over one half of your grill, creating a two-zone setup (direct and indirect heat). Set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and open the lid vents completely.
Let the grill heat for 5 minutes, then scrape the cooking grate clean with a grill brush.
07
Wipe Off Paste
Using paper towels, gently wipe off the garlic, oil, and salt paste from the roast. You want to remove any excess moisture before the next rub.
08
Apply Second Rub
Generously rub the pepper and garlic salt all over the surface of the meat, pressing it in slightly.
09
Sear the Roast
Place the roast directly over the hot coals. Grill until it's well browned and has a good crust, about 5 minutes per side.
10
Add Wood Chips
Carefully remove the seared roast and the cooking grate from the grill. Scatter the soaked wood chips evenly over the hot coals.
11
Move to Indirect Heat
Replace the cooking grate and arrange the roast on the cooler side of the grill, away from the direct heat of the coals.
12
Smoke and Finish
Cover the grill, positioning the lid vents directly over the meat to draw the smoke across it. Cook until the roast registers about 130 degrees (for medium-rare) on an instant-read thermometer, which should take about 20 minutes. The internal temperature will rise a bit more as it rests.
13
Rest and Slice
Transfer the cooked meat to a cutting board. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for a full 20 minutes; this allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the meat tender. Finally, slice the tri-tip thinly across the grain before serving.

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Nutrition

Per serving% reference intake

Nutrition per serving, with share of an adult's daily reference intake
Nutrient	Amount per serving	Share of reference intake
Energy	367kcal	18%
Fat	21g	30%
Carbohydrate	19g	7%
of which sugars

Allergens

Auto-detected

The 14 regulated allergens0 present · 1 uncertain

Allergen status for this recipe, for each of the fourteen regulated allergens
Allergen	Status
Sulphites	May contain
Gluten	Free from
Crustaceans

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About this recipe

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Method

Prep the Roast

Season and Chill

Soak Wood Chips

Open Grill Vents

Light Charcoal

Set Up Two-Zone Grill

Wipe Off Paste

Apply Second Rub

Sear the Roast

Add Wood Chips

Move to Indirect Heat

Smoke and Finish

Rest and Slice

Nutrition

Allergens

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