Grilled Tri Tip with Kinder’s Original 46 Marinade
Grilled Tri Tip with Kinder’s Original 46 Marinade
Grilled tri tip is the cut that earns its reputation every time you cook it right. Marinated 4-8 hours in Kinder’s Original 46 Marinade, seared hard over direct flame for a deep charred crust, then finished low on the cool side of the grill, this is California BBQ done the way it was meant to be done.
Tri-tip rewards a reverse sear more than almost any cut, because it runs thick at one end and thin at the other. Anchor of the steak collection.
The mistake most people make: they treat tri tip like a steak. It’s not. It’s a roast. A thick, dense cut that needs time and a two-zone setup to cook through without burning the outside. Go direct-heat only and you’ll have char on the surface with raw beef in the center. Set it up right, sear, move, rest, and you get edge-to-edge pink with a crackled, seasoned crust.
Original 46 Marinade does the flavoring while you handle the fire. The salt, acid, and layered depth penetrate a 3-4 pound roast over a full marinating window, not just coat the surface. Add olive oil, minced garlic, black pepper, and smoked paprika to the mix and you have everything the cut needs to build real bark when it hits high heat.
Before you slice: tri tip has two grain directions. There’s a seam where they meet partway through the roast. Find it before the knife comes out. Cut against both grains at a 45-degree angle and every slice is clean and tender. Miss it and half the plate chews.
Rest 10-15 minutes after pulling from the grill. Spoon the resting juices back over the slices. Serve while it’s still hot.
Flavor First.
Grilled Tri Tip
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Trim excess fat from the tri tip, leaving about a 1/4-inch fat cap for flavor.
- Combine Kinder’s Original 46 Marinade, olive oil, minced garlic, black pepper, salt, and smoked paprika in a bowl.
- Place the tri tip in a large resealable bag or glass dish. Pour the marinade over, coat completely, then seal.
- Refrigerate for 4-8 hours (or overnight). Turn the bag or flip the meat a couple times if you can.
- Pull the tri tip from the fridge 30 minutes before grilling to take the chill off.
- Set up your grill for two-zone cooking: one side on high (450-500°F), one side on medium-low (250-300°F).
- Remove the tri tip from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Patting dry helps the sear.
- Sear over high heat for 5-7 minutes per side until deeply charred and crusty.
- Move to the cool zone, close the lid, and continue cooking 20-30 minutes, flipping once, until you hit 130-135°F for medium-rare or 140-145°F for medium.
- Remove from grill and tent loosely with foil. Rest 10-15 minutes — this is not optional.
- Identify both grain directions in the tri tip (the grain changes partway through the roast). Slice across both grains at a 45-degree angle into thin strips.
- Serve immediately, spooning any resting juices over the slices.
Nutrition
Notes
- Find both grain directions before you cut — Tri tip has a seam where two grain directions meet partway through the roast. Locate it before slicing. Cut against both grains at a 45-degree angle — this is what makes tri tip tender, not chewy.
- Two-zone setup is non-negotiable — Sear over high heat (450-500°F) for the crust, then move to the cool side (250-300°F) to finish. Trying to cook this through on direct heat alone burns the outside before the center reaches temp.
- Pat completely dry before the sear — Pull the tri tip from the marinade and dry it thoroughly with paper towels. Surface moisture turns to steam on the grill and kills the crust.
- One more hit of seasoning right before the sear — The marinade builds the base. A final crack of salt and black pepper immediately before the tri tip goes over high heat adds an extra bark layer you won’t get from the marinade alone.
- Rest is not optional — Pull at temp and tent loosely with foil for 10-15 minutes. Slicing early forces all the juice out onto the board. Wait, then slice.
- Plan for leftovers — Cold tri tip the next day makes exceptional tacos, French dip sandwiches, and grain bowls. If you’re cooking 3-4 pounds, you want what’s left.
- Slice thin and serve while it’s still hot. Chimichurri or a sharp salsa verde alongside is the move — the herbaceous acid cuts the fat and makes every bite brighter.
- Build a platter: sliced tri tip at the center, roasted garlic potatoes and charred broccolini around the edges, chimichurri in a small bowl for dipping. This needs no pitch.
- Leftover tri tip holds up the next day. Heat slices in the reserved drippings with a splash of beef broth over medium-low, pile onto crusty rolls for French dip sandwiches, or chop and tuck into tacos with pickled onion and salsa verde. The Kinder’s marinade flavor deepens overnight.
- Fridge: Store sliced or whole leftover tri tip in an airtight container with any collected resting juices for up to 3 days. The juices keep moisture in the meat and carry the full marinade flavor.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly in foil, then in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Low and slow. A covered skillet over medium-low with a splash of beef broth, just until warmed through. High heat strips the moisture out fast — you’ll end up with gray, dry slices instead of what you made.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I marinate tri tip?
4-8 hours is the target for a 3-4 pound roast, long enough for the marinade to penetrate, not so long that the acid breaks down the surface texture. Overnight works. Under 4 hours and you’re mostly coating the exterior.
What internal temperature should grilled tri tip reach?
Pull at 130-135°F for medium-rare or 140-145°F for medium. Use an instant-read thermometer, tri tip is too thick to judge by touch or time. It’ll carry up 3-5 degrees while resting, so pull it slightly before it hits your target.
How do you slice tri tip?
Find the seam where the two grain directions meet, it runs diagonally through the roast. Slice against both grains at a 45-degree angle into thin strips. Skipping this step is why some tri tip comes out tender and some comes out chewy.
Do I need a charcoal grill?
No. A gas grill with a two-zone setup, one burner on high, one on medium-low, works the same way. Charcoal adds more smoke character, but the Kinder’s marinade brings enough depth that it reads well on gas.
What if I don’t have Kinder’s Original 46 Marinade?
Use the built-in sub: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp Worcestershire, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp black pepper, 0.5 tsp onion powder. It hits the same salty-savory-umami profile the cut needs.
Why does tri tip need two-zone cooking?
It’s a thick roast. Direct heat only and the outside chars before the center comes to temp. The two-zone setup lets you build the crust over high heat, then move to the cool side to finish at 130-135°F without burning. Same logic as reverse-searing a thick steak, applied to a full roast.
More like this: Grilling Recipes · Game Day Recipes · Kinder’s Recipes
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