Tri-Tip Tacos

5 from 2 votes

Tri-Tip Tacos are the ultimate California backyard party recipe. Seasoned, grilled tri-tip sliced thin and served with guacamole, pico, cotija, and charred tortillas

Prep Time1 10

Cook Time20

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course, Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex, Southwestern

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

1 whole tri-tip about 2 pounds
4 tablespoons Dalkin&Co Meat Seasoning

Toppings

Guacamole
Pico de Gallo
Small Charred Flour Tortillas
Shredded cheese or cotija cheese
pickled jalapeños
Limes

Instructions

Trim the silver skin from the tri-tip but leave a thin layer of fat. Massage the Meat Seasoning firmly all over the meat until fully coated. Let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill to high heat. Place the tri-tip on the grill and sear one side well, 6 to 7 minutes, watching carefully so it does not burn. Rotate and sear the other side for about the same time.
Reduce the heat to medium-high or move the meat to an area not over direct flames. Continue cooking, turning once or twice, for another 13 to 16 minutes total. A 2-pound roast will need about 20 to 25 minutes total. Use an instant-read thermometer and cook to 120 degrees F for rare, 130 degrees F for medium-rare, or 140 degrees F for medium.
Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 10 to 20 minutes, tented loosely with foil.
Before slicing, identify the two grain directions where the two muscle sections meet. Slice each section thinly against its own grain. Squeeze fresh lime juice generously over the sliced meat.
Arrange the sliced tri-tip on a platter alongside the charred tortillas and all the taco bar toppings. Let everyone build their own.

Notes

Pull the tri-tip from the fridge a full hour before it hits the grill. Bringing the meat to room temperature allows it to cook more evenly from edge to center. Cold meat on a hot grill leads to an overcooked exterior before the inside reaches your target temp.
Leave a thin layer of fat on the tri-tip when you trim it. That fat cap bastes the meat as it cooks, adding flavor and keeping the surface from drying out over high heat. Trim the silver skin completely since it turns tough and chewy, but keep the fat.
Press the seasoning rub firmly into the meat with your hands. Massaging the rub into the surface rather than just sprinkling it on ensures the spices adhere and form a proper crust when the meat hits the grill. More crust means more flavor in every bite.
Sear over high heat first, then finish over indirect heat. Starting on high heat develops a caramelized crust. Moving to indirect heat lets the interior climb to your target temperature without burning the outside.
Use a meat thermometer and pull at 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit for medium-rare. Tri-tip is a lean, tender cut that gets tough and dry when overcooked. Pulling it just below 135 degrees and letting carryover cooking do the rest keeps it juicy and sliceable.
Rest the tri-tip for at least 10 minutes tented loosely with foil before slicing. Resting allows the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb the juices that were pushed toward the center during cooking. Slice too soon and those juices run straight onto your cutting board.
Identify the grain direction before you slice, because tri-tip has two muscle sections that run in different directions. The grain shifts about halfway through the cut. Slice each section against its own grain to get short muscle fibers in every slice, which translates directly to tenderness in the taco.
Char your flour tortillas directly over an open flame or in a dry cast iron skillet. A charred tortilla has slightly crisp edges and a smoky depth that holds up to the juicy meat and toppings without turning soggy. A steamed or microwaved tortilla goes limp almost immediately.
Make the pico de gallo at least 20 minutes before serving. Letting the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime sit together allows the salt to draw out liquid and the flavors to meld. Freshly mixed pico tastes sharp and disconnected compared to a rested one.
Set up a taco bar and let guests build their own. Tri-tip tacos are a high volume, crowd friendly dish. Laying out all the toppings separately keeps everything fresh and lets people customize heat level and toppings without slowing down the line.
Squeeze lime over the sliced meat directly before serving, not just on the finished taco. Lime juice on the warm sliced beef brightens the rich, smoky flavors and adds acidity that cuts through the fat. It does more work at the meat level than it does buried under cheese and guacamole.
Store leftover tri-tip slices in their own juices if you are saving any for later. Tri-tip reheats well when kept moist. Resting the slices in the collected pan juices prevents them from drying out and makes a second round of tacos the next day just as good as the first.

Nutrition (estimated)