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Tri-Tip Products
The Instacart guide to tri-tip
About tri-tip
Tri-tip is a beef cut that comes from the bottom sirloin. The tri-tip roast is a larger cut, and the tri-tip steak comes from the roast. This inexpensive cut has lots of flavors, and its excellent marbling helps it stay very tender as long as you don't overcook it.
The entire tri-tip roast has a triangular shape, and the steak is a piece of this roast. It's sometimes called triangle steak because of its shape. This cut is also known as Santa Maria steak after the California town famous for making tri-tip roast at its annual barbecue festival. The steaks are boneless and usually around an inch thick.
Tri-tip steak has a lot of flavor with a tender chew and beefy taste. Even though it is a lean cut, it has enough fat to boost flavor. It takes on marinades very well and will easily adopt the flavors of any ingredients you make a sauce or seasoning with.
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Cooking tips for tri-tip
You can cook tri-tip steaks in a variety of ways. It is best when cooked medium-rare, but if you prefer your steak beyond medium, marinate it for at least three hours before cooking. Use a meat thermometer to make sure your steak is the right doneness based on these temperatures:
- Rare: 120 F with a cool to warm red center, tender, and soft texture.
- Medium Rare: 130 F with a warm red center.
- Medium: 140 F with a hot pink center and firmer texture.
- Medium Well: 150 F with a mostly brown center and firm texture.
- Well Done: 160 F with no color, dry, and very firm.
Tri-tip roast is delicious as long as you take a few minutes to prepare it before cooking. If you get it from the store and it's untrimmed, take a sharp knife and cut off any silver skin and ragged ends. Trim down the fat as much as you can, leaving a thin layer behind. Season with your favorite dry or wet rub, or let it sit in a marinade for a few hours.
To cook tri-tip, use quick, high-heat methods such as:
- Grilling: Use high heat and indirect cooking.
- Broiling: Start by searing the tri-tip in cooking oil with the fat side down. Flip it over, put it in a 400-degree oven, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes per pound. When you remove it from the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Pan-searing: Season the tri-tip roast with sea salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat, and brown the meat on both sides. Turn the heat down and continue cooking for eight to 10 minutes on each side. When it reaches 126 F, add butter, garlic, rosemary, and shallots to the pan, drizzling the melted butter over the roast until it comes to your desired temperature.
- Smoking: Tri-tip makes an excellent substitution for brisket if you don't have the time brisket needs to cook. Season generously, then place the meat in a smoker until it reaches your desired cook. Once it's smoked, quickly sear on high heat to lock in the juices.
No matter which cooking method you choose, once the tri-tip reaches the desired doneness, remove it from the heat and let it rest for at least five minutes. It's also important to slice the tri-tip correctly, or it will become tough and chewy. This meat has two distinct grain patterns, one horizontal and one vertical. Cut the steak in half at the intersection of the two grains. Then slice each piece going against the grain.
Tri-Tip Near Me
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FAQs about tri-tip
Many side dishes complement tri-tip, including roasted garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and fried sweet potatoes. If you cook your tri-tip on the grill, you can grill Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, or okra with it. A refreshing green or tomato salad with red onion, dill, and feta also pairs nicely with tri-tip.
Tri-tip roast is a large cut of meat, and you can make many dishes from the leftovers. You can cut it into small pieces to make a tri-tip chili or slice it into thin strips and make a tri-tip sandwich with herb garlic butter, tomatoes, lettuce, barbecue sauce, and a sandwich roll.
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