Santa Maria Tri Tip (Grilled, With Pinquito Beans)
By Emily Carter ·
Published
Quick answer
Rub a tri tip roast with garlic salt, black pepper and a little garlic powder, grill it over medium high heat for about 35 to 40 minutes until the center reads 130 F for medium rare, rest it 15 minutes, slice thin against the grain and serve with warm pinquito beans and fresh salsa.
Santa Maria Tri Tip is the California Central Coast classic: a triangular roast rubbed with garlic salt and pepper, grilled over red oak heat until the outside is crusted and the center is pink, then sliced thin and piled next to warm pinquito beans and fresh salsa. Simple seasoning, real fire, and a rest that keeps every slice juicy.
Why you’ll love it
- A garlic salt and pepper rub that lets the beef taste like beef.
- A crisp grilled crust with a pink, juicy center.
- Pinquito beans and salsa that make it a full plate, not just a roast.
- One roast feeds six, so it suits a weekend cookout.
- Leftovers slice beautifully for sandwiches the next day.
Ingredient notes
Tri tip: the star. Look for a roast around 2 1/2 lb with a thin fat cap left on, which bastes the meat as it grills. A thick fat cap should be trimmed down to about 1/4 inch so the rub can reach the meat.
Salt and pepper: the whole Santa Maria rub. Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper do most of the work, with garlic powder and onion powder for depth. Keep the rub simple and let the grill add the rest.
Rosemary: the quiet herb note. A little crushed dried rosemary in the rub gives a piney warmth that suits grilled beef. Use it lightly, since too much turns bitter over fire.
Pinquito beans: the classic partner. Small, pink and buttery, they stay firm when warmed and they soak up salsa beautifully. Pinto beans are the closest substitute if pinquitos are not in your store.
Salsa: the bright finish. Fresh salsa cuts through the rich beef and the beans, so use a fresh one rather than a cooked jarred sauce.
The rest and slice rule that makes or breaks it
Two rules decide this roast, and both happen after the grill. First, rest it for the full 15 minutes under loose foil. Cutting early lets the juices run out onto the board, and no sauce can fix dry slices. Second, slice thin against the grain, and watch for the grain changing direction. Tri tip has grain running in two directions, so a roast sliced straight across one end will be sliced with the grain at the other end, and those bites will chew tough. Turn the roast as you cut, keep the slices thin, and every bite stays tender. Pull the roast at 130 F for medium rare, since the temperature rises a few degrees while it rests.
Variations
- Garlic butter finish: melt butter with minced garlic and brush it over the rested roast before slicing for a richer finish.
- Spicy rub: add 1 teaspoon of chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne to the rub for a warm, smoky heat.
- Tri tip sandwiches: pile thin slices on crusty rolls with salsa and beans for a Central Coast style sandwich.
- Grilled vegetables: add thick slices of zucchini and red onion to the grill while the tri tip rests for a full cookout plate.
What we learned testing it
- A 15 minute rest beat a 5 minute rest clearly in the side by side test. The rested roast sliced clean and stayed juicy, while the early cut roast lost a pool of juice on the board.
- Searing first then finishing on the cooler side beat cooking on high heat the whole time. The two zone batch had an even pink center and a crisp crust, while the high heat batch was charred outside and uneven inside.
- Pinquito beans beat plain pinto beans for serving. The pinquitos stayed firm and buttery after warming, while the pintos went soft and mushy in the pan.
Read how we test recipes.
Santa Maria Tri Tip (Grilled, With Pinquito Beans)
Makes 1 tri tip roast, about 6 servings · 1 hr 10 min total · Medium
Ingredients
Equipment
Charcoal or gas grill · Instant read thermometer · Tongs · Cutting board · Sharp carving knife · Small saucepan
Instructions
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Season the tri tip
Pat the tri tip dry with paper towels. Rub it all over with the olive oil, then coat it evenly with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and rosemary, pressing the rub into the meat. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while the grill heats, so the seasoning sticks and the roast cooks evenly.
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Grill over medium high heat
Set the grill up with a hot side and a cooler side, and oil the grates. Sear the tri tip on the hot side for 4 to 5 minutes per side until it has deep brown grill marks. Move it to the cooler side, close the lid and cook for 25 to 30 minutes more, turning once, until an instant read thermometer in the thickest part reads 130 F for medium rare.
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Rest and slice against the grain
Move the tri tip to a cutting board and tent it loosely with foil. Rest it for a full 15 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. Find the grain, which runs in two directions on a tri tip, and slice thin across the grain, turning the roast as the grain changes direction.
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Warm the beans and serve
While the tri tip rests, warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the pinquito beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve the sliced tri tip with the warm beans, fresh salsa and warm tortillas or grilled sourdough.
Notes
- Rest the tri tip for the full 15 minutes. Cutting into it early lets the juices run out onto the board, and the slices come out dry.
- Watch the grain when you slice. Tri tip has grain running in two directions, so turn the roast as you cut and always slice across the grain for tender bites.
- Use a thermometer, not the clock alone. Roasts vary in thickness, and 130 F in the thickest part is the reliable target for medium rare.
- Red oak is the classic Santa Maria fuel, but any hardwood charcoal gives a good smoky result. Avoid lighter fluid, which leaves a chemical taste on the meat.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition information is being calculated.
Substitutions
- Pinquito beans
- Use pinto beans instead, drained and rinsed. They are softer and a little less buttery, but they still work well with the salsa and the sliced beef.
- Dried rosemary
- Use 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, finely chopped, instead. Fresh rosemary is stronger, so keep the amount small or it will overpower the garlic salt rub.
- Flour tortillas or sourdough
- Serve the tri tip with warm crusty rolls or garlic bread instead. Any bread that can soak up the meat juices and the salsa works.
Storage and make-ahead
Store leftover sliced tri tip in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container, with any juices poured over the top. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water until just warm, and do not overcook it or the slices turn tough. Store leftover beans separately for up to 4 days and reheat them on the stove.
Frequently asked questions
What is Santa Maria tri tip?
Santa Maria tri tip is a California Central Coast classic: a triangular beef roast rubbed with garlic salt and pepper, grilled over red oak heat, sliced thin against the grain and served with pinquito beans and salsa.
What temperature should tri tip be cooked to?
Pull it at 130 F in the thickest part for medium rare, or 135 F for medium. The temperature rises a few degrees while it rests, so pull it just before your target.
How do you slice tri tip?
Rest it 15 minutes first, then slice thin across the grain. Tri tip has grain running in two directions, so turn the roast as you cut and always slice against the grain for tender bites.
What are pinquito beans?
Pinquito beans are small pink beans grown on the California Central Coast and the classic partner for Santa Maria tri tip. They cook up firm and buttery. Pinto beans are the closest easy substitute.
Can I cook Santa Maria tri tip on a gas grill?
Yes. Sear it over high heat on one side, then move it to a cooler burner with the lid closed to finish. You lose the red oak smoke, but the garlic salt crust and the rest and slice method still give the classic result.
