Cut
Tri-Tip
A triangular 2-3 lb cut from the bottom sirloin, the signature beef of Santa Maria-style BBQ.
Tri-tip is a triangular muscle (the tensor fasciae latae) cut from the bottom sirloin. Lean, beefy, and well-marbled when from a quality animal, it's the centerpiece of Santa Maria-style BBQ on California's Central Coast. Traditionally seasoned with just salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then grilled over red oak at high heat to medium-rare, rested, and sliced thin against the grain. Outside the Central Coast it was nearly impossible to find until the 2000s; now it's a national favorite.
Why it matters
It delivers ribeye-level flavor at chuck-roast prices, and cooks in under an hour — perfect weeknight steak alternative.
Related Terms
Santa Maria Style
California Central Coast BBQ: tri-tip grilled over red oak on an adjustable-height iron grate, served with pinquito beans.
Pinquito Beans
A small, firm pink bean grown almost exclusively in California's Santa Maria Valley, the mandatory side for Santa Maria BBQ.
Reverse Sear
Cooking a thick steak slowly at low heat first, then finishing with a hot sear for a perfect edge-to-edge cook.
Marbling
The intramuscular fat that runs through a steak in white veins — directly determines flavor, juiciness, and price.
Used In These Articles
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