This oven roasted tri-tip takes advantage of coating a beef tri-tip roast with Dijon mustard. This not only flavors the meat, but acts as a binder to hold fresh herbs in place as it cooks. This is a beautiful tender juicy recipe for cooking tri-tip in the oven that’s not only incredibly easy but impressive enough for entertaining.
Looking for more impressive steak recipes, don’t forget about the trusty T-bone and my recipe for Grilled T-bone Steaks with Cowboy Butter.
Table of contents
About this Recipe and Why It Works
This oven-roasted tri-tip recipe is one of my “go-to” recipes when I’m entertaining guests. Hands off cooking, easy to prepare, can be prepped ahead of time and an impressive beef dinner to satisfy those beef lovers.
The recipe comes from Cooking School I attended in Heidelberg, Germany.
Even though our project was to learn to make dumplings, spaetzle and a German dessert, I actually found this oven roasted tri-rip recipe to be the best take-away of the day.
I couldn’t keep my eyes off those roasts that were lined up on roasting pans, slathered with Dijon mustard and piled high with fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs. I was intrigued. And with good reason.
Super simple in preparation, the beef spent a short time in the oven and with a very surprising flavorful end result.
This roasted tri-tip recipe shines with dijon flavor and the rosemary and thyme infused flavors are evident on the palate.
A super easy oven roast recipe, I’m hoping you’ll give this one a try.
What Exactly Is A Tri-Tip Roast?
A tri-tip is actually part steak and part roast and absolutely beefy delicious. Where is the tri tip roast cut from? It’s a cut taken from the bottom of the sirloin.
The top sirloin produces cuts great for grilling, while the bottom sirloin produces cuts like the tri-tip roast and the sirloin bavette, which are good for roasting or grilling.
Tri tip roasts may be labeled as bottom sirloin roast.
It’s a lean triangular muscle with plenty of beefy flavor. Tri-tip roasts are most famous grilled as the Santa Maria Tri-Tip.
How To Cook Tri-tip In The Oven
I’m no stranger to tri-tips. I’ve reverse seared them, and I’ve Santa-Maria’d them on the grill. I’ve also cooked them in a crockpot for a long roast. They’ve always been full of flavor and tender in texture.
Tri-tips are good candidates for the grill, for the oven, or even a smoker.
I usually opt for to cook a beef tri-tip roast in the oven. It’s the best way to cook a tri-tip roast during colder months. This oven roasted tri-tip is easy, hands off, and it fills the house with mouthwatering aromas.
Tri-tip roasts usually weigh in at 2 pounds, with a thickness of about 2 inches. Even though it’s considered a lean cut, it should be nicely marbled. The beauty of a tri-tip roast is it takes less time to cook than other roast beef cuts.
How to cook a tri-tip roast in the oven, slow or fast? Simple.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. A hot oven like this will sear the outside of the meat quicker leaving the meat tender and juicy on the inside.
- Step 2: Let the tri-tip roast come to room temperature. Some say to slice off the layer of fat from the roast, but I prefer to leave it on for flavor and to keep the roast juicier.
- Step 3: Place the tri-tip roast on a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Using a basting brush, liberally coat the top of the roast with Dijon mustard.If you don’t have a roasting pan, you can use a baking dish, or better yet, a cast-iron skillet.
- Step 4: Cover the roast with fresh stalks of rosemary and thyme, gently pressing the fresh herbs into the mustard. The sticky mustard helps them stay in place.
- Step 5: Place the meat in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 and continue roasting to desired doneness. About 20 minutes longer.
- Step 6: Remove the beef tri-tip roast from the oven and tent it with foil. Let is rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the meat to continue to cook while drawing the juices into the meat so they don’t spill out all over the cutting board.
- Step 7: Remove the fresh rosemary and thyme, slice the tri-tip against the grain and serve.
How Do You Know When A Tri-Tip Roast Is Done?
A good guide line for a beef tri-tip roast is as follows:
- Rare, (120 degrees)
- Medium rare (135 degrees)
- Medium (140 degrees).
- Tip: Your best friend when cooking any type of meat is an instant read thermometer. Use one to determine the internal temperature of the meat by inserting the probe into the meat half-way. When desired temperature has been reached, remove from the oven and tent the meat.
Questions You May Have
There’s really no reason to trim or cut the fat from a tri-tip roast. Leaving the fat will lock in the natural juices and add flavor as it bakes in the oven.
With a cut of meat like a tri-tip, always cut against the grain. Why against the grain? It shortens the muscle fibers and makes it easier to chew. With its triangular shape, the grain of the meat changes direction. Be aware of this and follow the pattern of the meat. Look for the direction the grain is running, and then cut the meat against that pattern. To make it easier, cut the roast in half where the grain changes direction, then carve.
A 2-inch thick or greater sirloin roast or London Broil.
Tips For Success
- How Do You Select A Good Tri-Tip Roast? Look for a well marbled roast with good red color.
- Presentation Tip: Sprinkle the sliced tri-tip roast with small leaves of fresh thyme.
- Want To Double This Recipe? Just make sure the tri-tip roasts aren’t touching in the oven. Give the roasts room for air to circulate around them.
Storage
Place any left over tri-tip in an air tight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Left over tri-tip is great for sandwiches, just slice the meat as thin as you can. To freeze leftovers, place in a freezer container and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
In Conclusion, Oven Roasted Tri-tip
It’s amazing how the herbs and spices infuse flavor deep into the meat for a delicious entree. Cooking a tri-tip in the oven; it’s a perfect recipe for entertaining and easy enough for a weeknight meal.
I hope you give this oven roasted tri-tip a try. It’s a great recipe for entertaining, yet easy enough for a weeknight family meal.
What To Serve With A Beef Tri-Tip Roast
- Crispy Roasted Smashed Potatoes with or without the Chimichurri Sauce
- Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Baked Potatoes
- Green Vegetable Medley
And if you’re looking for more beef recipes, don’t miss my Main Course Beef Category. You’ll find lots of steak, burgers and roasts recipe, including the most popular on my site for Italian Steak Tagliata recipe.
Related Recipes
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Oven Roasted Tri-tip With Rosemary and Thyme
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 pounds Tri-Tip Roast
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Let the tri-tip roast come to room temperature. Some say to slice off the layer of fat from the roast, but I prefer to leave it on for flavor and to keep the roast juicier.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. A hot oven like this will sear the outside of the meat quicker leaving the meat tender and juicy on the inside.
- Place the trip tip roast on a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Using a basting brush, liberally coat the top of the roast with Dijon mustard.If you don't have a roasting pan, you can use a baking dish.
- Cover the roast with fresh stalks of rosemary and thyme, gently pressing the fresh herbs into the mustard. The sticky mustard helps them stay in place.
- Place the meat in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325 and continue roasting to desired doneness. About 20 minutes longer.
- Temp To Cook Tri-Tip: Rare, (120 degrees) medium rare (135 degrees) or medium (140 degrees)
- Tent the roast with foil and let is rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the meat to continue to cook while drawing the juices into the meat so they don't spill out all over the cutting board.
- To serve, slice thin against the grain.
Notes
Nutrition
Oven Roasted Tri-Tip with Rosemary and Thyme…It’s What’s for Dinner.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
I would really like to win these.
The meat looks perfect and the whole plate looks delicious. We made a couple of trips to Heidelberg when Rhett was stationed there and we loved the city.
Lee Ann, so glad to read that you were in Heidelberg Germany. I’m Yvette’s sister and have lived in Germany for 2 1/2 years now. We always enjoy visiting Heidelberg and especially love the square during the Christmas market season and summer. You must come visit again. Hugs, V
I knew you lived in Germany, but weren’t sure where. Heidelberg and the Black Forest were my favorite parts of that trip. What a beautiful area. I’d love to go back at Christmas.
What a wonderful vacation you had, Lea Ann, It must have been so much fun sharing it with blog friends. Heidelberg looks so beautiful and historic.
Thanks so much Pat. And if we don’t get together for lunch soon there’s something wrong with us. Let’s make aplan.
What a fabulous trip! So beautiful! I’ve never seen a fresh chestnut either!
It really was a great experience. I’d love to live in Heidelberg.
Sounds like a great copy of the meal you had there… and there’s nothing wrong with tri-tip 🙂 Gorgeous pictures!!
Thanks Karen.
Love the photos of Heidelberg. The last time I was there was during December so it looked completely different with bare trees.
Thanks Karen. I’d love to go to Heidelberg any time of the year. Loved that place.
What an incredible trip! Germany is such a beautiful place to visit with amazingly delicious food! This tri-tip looks mighty good!
Thanks Claire. I loved Germany.
Thanks for taking us along for the views of your trip! Wonderful food and friends– what could be better?
Thanks Holly.
The tri-tip looks delicious and hard to go wrong using it. Your great photos brought back some good memories of our visits to Heidelburg when Madison was a baby – so I guess about 14 years ago.
Thanks Larry. I think Heidelberg was my favorite spot of the trip.
Never tried tri tip in the oven but I bet it would be a great roast, it’s got such great texture and beef flavor. Great pictures from Germany too, what a memorable experience.
That tri-tip worked like a charm in the oven. And with a short cook time, I’m loving this method.
Thanks for both the lovely memories and photos! One day it was the beginning of our trip and then it went so quickly….I’ll have to try the roast when I get home 😉
I’d like to find the exact cut and try it again. The tri-tip worked very well however.
What a wonderful tour! Loved all those colorful buildings and that castle. I can’t wait for the next “installment.” That roast sounds delicious – I know how I’m going to make my next tri-tip. 🙂
The tri-tip looks delicious, but those pictures of Germany are amazing! So beautiful!
What a beautiful city to visit. We both are of German heritage and would love to go again. Your steak looks perfect Lea Ann and as always, a lovely presentation.
Sam
Lea Ann, our hotel was the yellow house on the very right. It also has a white car in front of it. I really loved our walk that morning. Your roast looks wonderful! I didn’t read that you made Maggi Spaetzle out of a bag, correct? (Especially after you just learned how to make them from scratch on our visit to Germany.) 😉
Truly picturesque. I want to stay in the castle! And though I don’t eat meat, my manservant would love just a bite!
Great food and gorgeous scenery! What a wonderful trip. I can’t just taste this roast. I love tri-tip.
Love your photos, Lea Ann. What a beautiful and picturesque city. Looks like you had perfect weather for your hike.
Great post! Must have been an amazing trip. Great food and great places. What more can you ask for!