Sous-Vide Tri-Tip Roast Recipe for Tender, Juicy Beef

Discover the restaurant chefs’ secret to consistently perfect steak by using sous vide. This Sous Vide Tri Tip is incredibly flavorful, tender, and surprisingly simple to prepare.

Serve the steak with a drizzle of chimichurri and a side of richly seasoned mashed potatoes for a memorable meal.

When I first moved to California I hadn’t encountered tri tip before. Often called “California’s cut,” tri tip gained fame in the Santa Maria Valley and has since become a favorite for its deep beefy flavor and satisfying texture. It comes from the bottom sirloin and, when cooked well, yields a tender, juicy steak with a wonderful crust after searing.

This recipe uses sous vide to take the guesswork out of cooking a tri tip. Sous vide is a gentle, precise method: the meat, herbs, and seasonings are sealed in a bag and cooked in a water bath held at an exact temperature. Because the meat never encounters direct high heat during the long cook, it cooks evenly from edge to edge and reaches the same level of doneness throughout.

For tri tip, I recommend a long, slow sous vide cook—about six hours—to break down connective tissue and deliver a melt-in-your-mouth result. The actual hands-on time is minimal: a few minutes to season and seal the meat, and a couple more minutes to sear the exterior at the end. If you like meal prep, you can season and vacuum-seal extra tri tips and freeze them for later; they go straight from the freezer into the water bath without adding extra cook time.

Step by step instructions

• Fill a large pot or container with water and attach your sous vide immersion circulator. Set the temperature to 129°F for medium-rare (see the temperature chart below for other doneness levels).
• Place a tri tip (about 3 lb recommended) in a vacuum-seal bag or a heavy-duty zip-top bag.
• Season the tri tip generously with steak seasoning, then add a few pats of butter, fresh rosemary sprigs, and crushed garlic cloves into the bag with the meat.
• Vacuum-seal the bag or use the water displacement method to remove air: slowly lower the open bag into the water so the water pressure pushes the air out, then seal the bag just above the water line.
• Submerge the sealed bag in the preheated water bath and cook for 6 hours.
• When the time is up, remove the bag from the bath, take the tri tip out, and discard the rosemary sprigs and garlic if desired. Pat the steak dry with paper towels—this helps achieve a better sear.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet, grill pan, or outdoor grill until very hot. Sear the tri tip for 30–60 seconds per side until a golden-brown crust develops.
• Season lightly with salt and pepper while searing, then remove from heat, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

How to slice tri tip steak

Tri tip is triangular and its grain changes direction where the two muscles meet. To slice properly, cut the long point off from the wider end where the grains intersect, then slice each portion against the grain into even, thin slices. Slicing against the grain is key to maximizing tenderness in each bite.

Can you sous vide the steak from frozen?

Yes. One of the advantages of sous vide is its flexibility. You can season and seal tri tip steaks, freeze them for up to six months, and cook them straight from the freezer. For this recipe, cook frozen steaks the same way and for the same amount of time—six hours gives ample time to heat through and become tender.

Many home cooks buy tri tip in two-packs at warehouse stores, preparing one for dinner and freezing the other for a future meal.

Sous vide cooking temperature chart

• Rare: 120–128°F
• Medium Rare: 129–134°F
• Medium: 135–144°F
• Medium Well: 145–155°F
• Well Done: 156–162°F

More delicious sous vide recipes

1. Sous Vide Chipotle Apple Pork Loin
2. Rosemary Garlic Sous Vide Steak
3. Sous Vide Egg Bites
4. Korean BBQ Short Ribs
5. Sous Vide Sliders