Tri-Tip Steak Recipe (Easy Stove Top)
Aug 12, 2024, Updated Sep 03, 2024
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If you are wondering how to cook the most flavorful, tender, juicy tri-tip steak in under 20 minutes, you’ve landed on the BEST recipe- a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love.
Serve with green beans and mashed potatoes. Try my gas grill tri-tip recipe next.
Best Tri-Tip Steak on Stove
Trip-Tip steak is a delicious cut of meat! It makes the best juicy steak with little time. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Juicy and Tender: Coating the steak with extra virgin olive oil helps lock in moisture, resulting in a juicy and tender texture. Allowing the steak to rest after cooking further ensures optimal juiciness.
- Perfect Searing: The cast iron skillet’s high heat provides the ideal environment for achieving a golden-brown crust on the steak during searing. This enhances the overall texture and gives a nice caramelized sear. This will be your favorite way to make tri-tip for a weeknight meal.
- Versatility in Doneness: The recipe provides a range of cooking times to accommodate different preferences for doneness, from rare to well-done. You can tailor the cooking time to achieve the perfect level of doneness for your taste. Achieve perfectly cooked steak every time!
You’ll also love my Steak Marsala, Pork Chop Baked at 425, and Pan Seared Steak recipes.
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
Simple seasonings are best to let the flavor of the meat shine!
- Tri-Tip Steak: Choose a quality tri-tip steak, approximately 1” thick, for a flavorful and juicy result.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Coat the steak generously with extra virgin olive oil, providing a rich and savory base for the seasoning.
- Kosher Salt or Sea Salt enhances the natural flavors of the tri-tip steak and helps create a delicious crust during searing.
- Finely Ground Black Pepper: Adds a bold and aromatic element to the seasoning, complementing the meat’s taste.
- Fresh Rosemary Leaves: Chopped fresh rosemary leaves bring a fragrant and herbaceous flavor to the steak, enhancing its overall profile.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to Cook Tri-Tip Steak
This cooking method requires minimal effort and the best results. Follow these instructions and
Take the tri-tip cut steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking and let it come to room temperature (this yields more even cooking). Pat the tri-tip steak dry with paper towels.
Combine olive oil, kosher salt, finely ground black pepper, and chopped rosemary leaves in a small bowl.
Rub each side of the tri-tip steak with the seasoned oil, ensuring an even coating.
Heat the cast-iron skillet or heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, carefully place the seasoned tri-tip steak into the hot skillet.
Sear the steak for about 4 minutes per side or until a golden-brown crust forms. Reduce the heat to medium. For medium-rare steaks (internal temperature of 145° – 160°F), continue cooking for about 15 minutes, turning the steak once to ensure even cooking on both sides. Refer to the internal doneness guide in the notes for the desired doneness (use a meat thermometer).
Once the steak reaches the desired doneness, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board.
Cover the steak loosely with aluminum foil and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This redistributes the juices, resulting in a more flavorful and tender steak.
Place steaks on a cutting board and cut them into thin slices against the grain for a tender texture.
Serve the delicious cast iron skillet tri-tip steak slices, and enjoy!
Substitutions
- Tri-Tip Steak: Substitute with sirloin, ribeye, or New York strip steak for a different beef cut with good marbling.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil for a neutral flavor.
- Fresh Rosemary Leaves: Replace with sea salt or regular table salt. Adjust the quantity based on the salt’s granule size. Try soy sauce or tamari for a different flavor profile.
Variations
The next time you make this recipe, try these different ways:
- Mushroom Topping: Sauté mushrooms in the same skillet, adding a rich and earthy component after cooking the steak.
- Blue Cheese Crust: During the last few minutes of cooking, crumble blue cheese on top of the steak and let it melt for a decadent crust.
Equipment
- My favorite Cast Iron Skillet
- Best Meat Thermometer
Storage
Store Tri-Tip Steak in the refrigerator. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Top Tips for Easy Tri-Tip Steak
- Choose a Quality Cut: Opt for a well-marbled and high-quality tri-tip steak for the best flavor and tenderness.
- Room Temperature Steak: Allow the steak to come to room temperature before cooking. This ensures even cooking throughout the meat.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: Check the internal temperature of the steak using a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches your desired level of doneness.
- Rest Before Slicing: Allow the cooked steak to rest for 5-10 minutes under loosely tented aluminum foil. This allows the juices to be redistributed, ensuring a juicier result when sliced.
FAQs
Tri-tip steak is a flavorful and tender cut of beef, originating from the bottom sirloin area. It is often recognized for its triangular shape, versatility, and popularity in grilling and roasting. Other names include: Bottom Sirloin Roast
Santa Maria Steak, Triangle Steak, Newport Steak, Triangle Roast, Bottom Sirloin Butt, California Cut, Sirloin Tip, Sirloin Tip Roast.
The best way to cook tri-tip steak is to sear it on high heat in a cast iron skillet for a golden-brown crust, then finish in the oven until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Rest before slicing for a juicy result.
More Steak Recipes
Looking for other recipes? Try these:
What to Serve with Skillet Tri-Tip Steak
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Easy Tri-Tip Steak Recipe
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
If you are wondering how to cook the most flavorful, tender, juicy tri-tip steak in under 20 minutes, you’ve landed on the BEST recipe- a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tri-tip steak, approximately 2” thick
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
Instructions
- Take the tri-tip cut steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking and let it come to room temperature (this yields more even cooking). Pat the tri-tip steak dry with paper towels.
- Combine olive oil, kosher salt, finely ground black pepper, and chopped rosemary leaves in a small bowl.
- Rub each side of the tri-tip steak with the seasoned oil, ensuring an even coating.
- Heat the cast-iron skillet or heavy-duty skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, carefully place the seasoned tri-tip steak into the hot skillet.
- Sear the steak for about 4 minutes per side or until a golden-brown crust forms. Reduce the heat to medium. For medium-rare steaks (internal temperature of 145° – 160°F), continue cooking for about 15 minutes, turning the steak once to ensure even cooking on both sides. Refer to the internal doneness guide in the notes for the desired doneness (use a meat thermometer).
- Once the steak reaches the desired doneness, remove it from the skillet and place it on a cutting board.
- Cover the steak loosely with aluminum foil and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This redistributes the juices, resulting in a more flavorful and tender steak.
- Place steaks on a cutting board and cut them into thin slices against the grain for a tender texture.
- Serve the delicious cast iron skillet tri-tip steak slices, and enjoy!
Notes
Level of doneness Guide:
Rare: 125-130°F
Medium-Rare: 135-140°F
Medium: 145-150°F
Medium-Well: 155-160°F
Well-Done: 165°F and above
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: American
Absolutely loved the simplicity of this. I sent pictures of our finished steak to family and everyone thought it looked yummy. Ours took a little longer to cook because it was closer to two inches, but still came out juicy and moist! We’re going to use the leftovers for taco Tuesday 🙂
So thrilled you loved it. Yummmy idea for the leftovers!