Grilled Citrusy Marinated Tri-Tip

June 7, 2024

Grilled Citrusy Marinated Tri-Tip is very flavorful. Marinating the beef in this citrusy mixture helps to tenderize the meat and infuse it with bright, zesty flavors. Tri-tip is much easier to find in states on the West Coast, particularly California where it's a popular cut. It can be trickier to find on the East Coast. Butchers can cut the same section of beef (the bottom sirloin) in different ways. On the West Coast, they often separate a triangular portion as a Tri-Tip, while East Coast butchers might incorporate it into roasts, steaks (called sirloin cap or sirloin tip), or even ground beef. My theory is that Tri-Tip is almost always grilled and we tend to grill year-round on the West Coast.

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Yields: 6 Servings

Ingredients

1½ pounds Tri-Tip

Marinade

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon cumin

4 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 teaspoons oregano

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1½ tablespoons kosher salt

Directions

Marinade

1Combine all the ingredients, except for the Tri-Tip, in a medium bowl and whisk to combine and set aside.  

2Add the Tri-Tip to a ziplock bag large enough to fit the meat.  

3Pour the marinade into the bag with the meat, close and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight. 

Grilling

1To ensure even cooking, remove the meat bag from the fridge at least one hour prior to firing up the grill, so that the meat doesn't hit the grill while it's still cold.  

2Gently remove the meat from the bag, and discard the bag and leftover marinade. There's not need to pat the meat dry before grilling, just make sure it's not dripping prior to placing it on the grill to avoid flare-up and burning.  

3Pre-heat the grill to 350° F. 

4Sear the meat on both sides over direct heat, for approximately 5 minutes per side. 

5Move the meat to a medium section of your grill (in between burners is great!) and cook over indirect heat, turning as needed, until an instant read thermometer reads 130° F when inserted in the thickest part for medium rare, or until you reach your preferred "done-ness".  

6Remove the Tri-Tip from the grill, and let it rest in a cutting board approximately 10 minutes before cutting. 

7Slice against the grain and serve.

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