Tri tip is hands down one of our favorite things to cook sous vide. This meat is delicious in any preparation style, but cooking it sous vide takes it to the next level.
For this recipe, we did a very basic salt and pepper rub to let the taste of the meat shine. And boy does it shine. But if we want to take our tri tip roast straight to Flavortown, we like to use our favorite seasoning blend, Meat Church, to kick the flavor up a notch.
We hope you obsess over sous vide tri tip steak as much as we do.
To Trim or Not to Trim
Tri tip is a nicely marbled, tender cut of beef that can come with a fat cap up to ½ inch thick. Determining whether or not to trim the fat cap prior to cooking sous vide can be a tough decision.
Note: cooking the tri tip at 131F for 6 hours does not allow a thick fat cap to render all the way, leaving a "rubbery" fat layer that some cooks find unappetizing. Due to this, if your fat cap is between ¼ - ½ inch thick we recommend trimming it down to a thin layer.
Besides this, additional trimming is based on your preference depending how much fat you enjoy. If you like your beef more lean, go ahead and trim off a large majority of the fat and silver skin. Just remember that the fat adds great flavor to the tri tip, so we recommend keeping some of it on.
Packaging
An essential part of cooking sous vide is putting ingredients in an air-tight bag or container. The two most common techniques to package your ingredients are vacuum sealing and using the water displacement method.
A vacuum sealer removes all the air and seals the contents of a plastic bag through a vacuum. Ensuring the food is airtight and properly sealed prevents the bag from floating, which can result in uneven cooking. If you are in the market for a vacuum sealer, I’d recommend the Anova sealer.
The displacement method is a technique where you first place your food and marinades in a sous vide bag, submerge the bag in a container of water, and allow the pressure to force all the air out of the bag.
Both of these methods work for this recipe, so use whichever you feel more comfortable with!
Tri Tip Time and Temperature
Through loads of experimentation, we've found that cooking the tri tip roast at 131F for 6 hours is the perfect combo. Leaving the tri tip in for 6 hours breaks down the connective tissue (collagen), which results in an extremely tender steak. Also, cooking them at a temperature of 131F is the sweet spot for that perfect edge to edge rosy color.
Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule). For other time and temperature options, check out our cooking guide here.
Best Way to Sear Beef After Sous Vide
Searing is the most critical step in the sous vide process. Getting a deep, rich sear can make your food look like it is Michelin star quality. Failing to do so will make your dinner guests wonder why they let you cook again.
If you want to get an amazing sear on your roast, you’ve got to:
1. Pat the meat completely dry with a paper towel
2. Season generously with salt or seasoning of your choice
3. Sear at extremely high temperatures.
First, pat the meat completely dry using paper towels. After the meat is dry, lightly brush the roast with olive oil then season generously with salt and pepper or a seasoning of choice. Note that brushing with olive oil is optional, but will allow the seasoning to stick to the meat better and results in a deeper sear.
At this point you want to determine the best searing method. For tri tip, we suggest pan searing, grilling or using a searing torch. The trick is getting the pan, grill or torch extremely hot, then searing for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. This results in a quick, high-quality sear without overcooking the steak.
Carving the Tri Tip
Slicing tri tip can be a bit tricky since the grain can change direction on the roast. So make sure to take a look at the raw meat and determine which direction the strands of muscle fiber are running on each section of the beef.
After the trip tip is pulled from the sous vide bath, you want to cut the roast in two separate parts where the grain changes direction. At this point, make sure your knife is real sharp so you can effortlessly carve this heavenly piece of meat. I recommend the E5 electric knife sharpener for the job. Then slice each part separately against the grain.
Special Equipment
Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule.
The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.
12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.
Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for hours care-free.
Cast Iron Skillet – If you are looking to take your searing game to the next level, we recommend investing in a cast iron skillet. By using a cast iron in this recipe, you’ll achieve a deep sear on the protein. Cast irons are also extremely handy for searing just about any and all sous vide meat. Lodge offers the best quality and price, which is why it is our favorite cast iron brand.
Next Level Sous Vide –Looking to take your sous vide skills to the next level? The Next Level Sous Vide eCookbook will push your culinary boundaries with 65 delicious recipes that are equally approachable and tasty. With pro tips and a detailed explanation of the sous vide process, you will be on your way to maximize your sous vide skills.
Interested in more sous vide essentials? Check out our full list of recommended gear.
Sous Vide Tri Tip
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 lb Tri Tip Roast
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparation
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Set sous vide machine to 55C/131F.
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Salt and pepper the tri tip to taste. Put the tri tip in a freezer bag with crushed garlic, and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Drop tri tip in the bath for 6 hours.
Finishing
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Remove bag from bath. Take tri tip out of the bag, pat dry and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat pan on high and add oil. Sear for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
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Slice and serve tri tip topped with fresh chimichurri or your favorite BBQ sauce and enjoy!
Andrew D says
I never knew what true love was until I tried sous vide tri tip. Your cooking time and temperature is spot on. I would definitely recommend going the whole 6 hours on this.
Mike V says
Won't make tri tip any other way. 6 hours at 131F was perfection. Wife and kids loved it.
Furio says
Absolutely delicous! Served it with your chimichurri, and everyone loved it!
Just perfect!
Brian says
Any suggestions for time and temp to finish this on a smoker?
Jason Veselak says
Hey Brian, if I'm going sous vide to smoke I'll SV the tri tip at 125F. Once it's done, I'll drop it in an ice bath to cool the internal temperature. I'll then put it on a smoker at 225F until it reaches 131F. This method allows you to get extra smoker time to really capture that smokey awesome flavor.
Ben says
How about smoking for an hour at 180, then sous vide?
Jason Veselak says
Hi Ben, that definitely works. There are two trains of thought with smoking - one is to smoke then SV, the other is to SV then smoke. I prefer SV then smoke. I think it captures the smoke flavor better and creates a nice finish on the tri tip. I'd recommend trying both and seeing which one you prefer! Curious to hear your thoughts after.
Lisa says
What timing would you use for a tri-tip steak?
Jason Veselak says
I would do 2 hours for a tri tip steak.
Jessica Touchard says
Help! I forgot to take my tri tip roast out of the freezer and would like to make it for this evening. For smaller cuts I have read that you add 1/2 of the cooking time to the end which would make this about 9 hours....do you think that would work? I don't want to ruin this yummy roast.
Jason Veselak says
Hi Jessica! Happy to help. I would just add an extra hour to the cooking time in this case. 7 hours will be the perfect amount to defrost the tri tip and still get a tender, delicious roast.
Jolyn Hann says
If you cut the tri tip in half, will the 6hour time still apply, or do you cook it less?
Jason Veselak says
Depends how many pounds each half of the tri tip is, but I think 4 - 6 hours should still be perfect.
Jack Lorenz says
Jason this was incredible. 24hr marinade, 6hr sous vide at 131. It was the most tender sliced beef. My first tri tip. Now I finally see why my Cali friends always raved about them. Thanks for a great recipe!
Jack
Jason Veselak says
So glad you enjoyed, Jack! Sous vide tri tip is one of my favorites, really changes the texture for the better.
TumbleYankee says
Hi! I agree that the 6 hrs and 131 temp for a 2.5 lb (grass fed/grass finished) tri tip was absolutely perfect! I did marinate the meat overnight (red wine/soy/garlic/black pepper) and then let it sit out for an hour before putting in the water bath. Finished on the grill for a few minutes on each side. Thank you!
John G says
Hi Jason! I'm new to Sous Vide, can you please comment or suggest reading on safety of cooking below 140F? When I got my food handlers card, 40-140 was considered the danger zone. Also if you're not going to eat immediately, should a large cut such as a Tri Tip be put in an ice bath following a cook to get it out of the danger zone? I'm doing a Tri Tip per your 121 suggesting, going to chill and planning on reverse searing on the smoker tomorrow, thinking I'll get more smoke penetration starting from a colder temperature; thoughts? Thanks in advance!
Jason Veselak says
Hi John, the constant temperature over the long period of time that is common in SV actually kills food borne bacteria, so the same danger zone rules don't apply. And yes, that is correct, if you aren't eating it immediately I highly recommend placing it in an ice bath immediately to cool it down so you don't play around in the danger zone as it cools. Regarding the smoker, that is the method I also do and it works great. I think letting it come up to temp gives it a much smokier, richer flavor. Hope you have a great cook!
Lori Pettey says
Whats the trick to using the Pump to get the air out of the special bags. ?
Jason Veselak says
Hi Lori, if you have the special bags that go with the pump, simply place the pump where the hole is on the bag and pump until the air is removed. If you don't have these bags or a vacuum sealer, i'd recommend the displacement method.
fred says
Wet the bag and the tip of the vaccum pump before pumping. It may not be absolutely necessary, but it does make it a bit easier vacuuming the air out.
fred says
Sorry, I couldn't edit my previous reply. While the vacuum bags work better that the displacement method, I have come to prefer using a vacuum sealer for sous vide. Less possibility of water seeping in, less floating, etc. It's a bit more expensive, but not bad if you by the vacuum rolls in quantity.
Rachael says
If I want to cook 2- 2lb tri tip should I add extra time?
Jason Veselak says
6 hours should be good for a 2 lb roast!
James Chung says
What's the difference between tri-tip steak and roast? Is it just the size (i.e., weight)? Thanks.
Jason Veselak says
Yes, it is the same cut of meat. The roast is the entire cut and steaks can be cut from the roast. I recommend cooking the entire roast and not cutting them into steaks.
Todd Wolgamuth says
Excellent! I am fairly experienced with sous vide and this is a delicious recipe! One caution though: In Their book "Sous Vide for Everybody" from America's Test Kitchen, they note to not use Raw Garlic. They point out that garlic is "particularly susceptible to Clostridium botulinum (or botulism) especially in a warm, anaerobic environment (like sous vide). They suggest either cooking the garlic first or using granulated garlic powder (or leave it out entirely). Having read a lot of sous vide recipes, I find this information is not well known. Bon Appetit!
Erica Champion says
Do I cook for less time for a 1.5 lb roast? Thank you!
Jason Veselak says
You definitely could, but I'd still recommend 6 hours for maximum tenderness and juiciness!
David says
What if I have two 2 lb Tritips. Still 6 hours you think?
Jason Veselak says
You could go a little shorter, around 4 hours if you'd like, but 6 hours will still make the meat very tender and delicious
Paul says
Best trip tip I've ever had.
George says
Two questions - can you sous vide multiple tri tips at same time and does it change cook time? Can you cook day before needed?
Jason Veselak says
Yes you can, no it doesn't impact cook time, and yes you can do it the day before. Enjoy!