How to Make Easy Cast Iron Skillet Tri-Tip Roast

Cozy, delicious Cast Iron Skillet Tri-Tip Roast begins on your stovetop and ends in your oven for a flavorful, tender cut of beef. It’s special enough for guests but perfect for an easy family dinner.

What You’ll Need to Make Tri-Tip Roast

The key ingredients for this tri-tip roast recipe are the tri-tip roast itself, olive oil and melted butter. For the rub, you’ll need a simple blend of seasonings like kosher salt, dried rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

How to Make Tri-Tip Roast in Your Cast-Iron Skillet

Step One

The first step is to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step Two

First, place the rub ingredients in a small bowl and mix until well combined. Next, season the meat on all sides using the spice rub you prepared.

Step Three

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the olive oil to the pan. Next, sear the roast on both long sides (3-4 minutes per side) until it’s nice and brown. Turn the heat off when you’re done searing the tri-tip roast. Now, pour the melted butter over the roast. Finally, place the roast (still in the cast iron pan) into the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes or until it’s reached the internal temperature you’d like to eat the roast at.

What Temperature Should I Serve Beef At?

While the USDA recommends that beef should be served at a minimum of 145 degrees F, this is often a matter of personal preference. Here’s a basic guide for the correct temperature to cook beef at, depending upon the level of “doneness” you prefer:

• Rare: 125°F – bright red in the middle
• Medium-Rare: 135°F – warm red in the middle
• Medium:145°F – warm pink at the center
• Medium-Well: 150°F – slightly pink at the center
• Well-Done: 160°F – little to no pink throughout

More Easy Recipes Your Family Will Love

In addition to this tri-tip roast, the author provides several other easy and delicious recipe ideas that are perfect for family dinners, including:

• Best Stuffed Firm Bell Pepper Recipe With Ground Beef
• Amazing Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
• 30-Minute Beef Kafta Bowls
• One Skillet Southwest Chicken Bowls
• Cheesy Chicken Green Enchilada Soup
• 20-Minute Rosemary Chicken
• 15-Minute Everything, Bagel Salmon

Cast Iron Tri-Tip Roast

Cast Iron Tri-Tip Roast is a perfect, quick, and easy dinner idea. Tri Tip is a super flavorful, tender, and delicious cut of beef! This recipe has just a few ingredients and is easily cooked on a stovetop in a cast iron or a skillet.

What is Tri Tip

Tri Tip is a lean, boneless triangular cut of beef that is super tender and juicy and usually comes in 1.5 to 2 pounds. Cut from the Bottom Sirloin. It can be slow-roasted, grilled, smoked or cooked in a nice cast iron skillet as demonstrated in this recipe. Tri-tip is easy to cook and goes far to feed your family.

Recommended Equipment

• 12-inch cast iron skillet
• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife

How to Cook Tri-tip Steak in Cast Iron

Prepare Tri Tip

Before you do anything, take the tri-tip out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to bring up the temperature. Ideally, you want it to be at room temperature, this will help it cook quickly.

Season the Tri-Tip

Prepare the spice rub mixture by combining sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season the tri-tip liberally, really layer it on all sides, pressing the seasoning into the meat as you go.

Heat the Cast Iron

Place the cast iron pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Heat it for 1-2 minutes until it is hot. Pour in the avocado oil and swirl it around the bottom of the pan to coat.

Brown the Tri-Tip

Place the tri-tip into the cast iron pan and brown it on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.

Cook the Tri-Tip

Once the roast is browned with a nice crust on both sides, turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook, turning every 3-4 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your steak, it should take about 5-7 minutes per side to cook to 125º F.

Add More Flavor

For the last minute of cooking time, melt the butter in the pan and add in the garlic, shallots, and rosemary. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted butter over the tri-tip.

Rest

Lastly, once the tri-tip has reached your desired doneness temperature, remove it from the pan to a cutting board and rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute within the steak.

What Temperature for Tri-Tip

You can easily adjust this recipe for your own family! We like our steaks at a nice Medium temperature, so I plan on cooking to about 130ºF. The following is a guide for what final temperature you would cook it to from Rare to Well Done:

• Rare: Final temperature 115ºF
• Medium Rare: Final temperature 125ºF
• Medium: Final temperature 135ºF
• Medium Well: Final temperature 140ºF
• Well Done: Final temperature 150ºF

The best way to check the doneness of your steak is with an instant-read thermometer.

How to Slice Tri Tip

The Tri-tip needs to be sliced against the grain. Cutting against the grain helps it stay tender, otherwise it will be chewy and hard to eat. Because of its shape, the muscles run in different directions, so it is easiest to slice the two pieces apart and then slice those against the grain. Slice into 1/4 inch slices and serve while still warm!

FAQs

What is Tri Tip?

Tri Tip is a lean, boneless triangular cut of beef that is super tender and juicy. It’s sometimes also called a Santa Maria steak or California cut.

Why Cook Tri Tip in a Cast Iron Skillet?

The cast iron cooking method has a few perks – it’s fast, requires simple equipment (a cast iron pan), and allows for different levels of doneness since the middle will be the rarest.

What Temperature Should I Cook Tri Tip To?

The final temperature you cook the tri-tip to depends on your preference for doneness, ranging from 115°F for rare to 150°F for well-done. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature.

How Do I Slice Tri Tip?

Tri-tip should be sliced against the grain to ensure tenderness. Since the grain changes direction, it’s best to slice the two pieces apart and then slice each piece against the grain.

What Sides Go Well with Tri Tip?

Tri-tip pairs well with a variety of sides like garlic butter asparagus, roasted potatoes, or a fresh watermelon salad.

Conclusion:

Cast Iron Skillet Tri-Tip Roast is a simple, yet elevated dinner option that’s perfect for both weeknights and special occasions. The combination of searing the meat on the stovetop and finishing it in the oven results in a deliciously tender and flavorful roast. With just a few key ingredients and some cast iron magic, you can easily recreate this restaurant-quality dish at home.