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Juicy, fall-apart beef with almost no work? That’s the magic of slow cooker tri tip. A quick sear, a splash of flavor, and by dinner, you’ve got tender meat that works in tacos, sandwiches, or straight off the fork. It also freezes well, perfect for future-you.
This recipe only takes 15 minutes of prep time, and it makes a great weeknight dinner. You can even stretch it into a couple of meals and
Prefer the oven? We also have a baked tri tip recipe that turns out tender and flavorful with a nice crust, no slow cooker required.
Here’s Why This Slow Cooker Tri Tip Recipe Works
Deep flavor, no babysitting: The beef simmers all day in a blend of broth, wine, garlic, and herbs, while you do literally anything else.
Searing is the secret: That quick crust on the roast locks in flavor and gives you that rich, beefy taste slow cookers usually miss.
Leftovers for days: This makes a big batch. Portion it out and freeze it. You’ll thank yourself later when it’s time to whip up easy meals like tri tip fajitas.
Balanced braise: The combo of soy sauce, Worcestershire, and Dijon brings just enough acid and umami to cut through the richness.
You can also use the shredded meat in beef chimichangas for a crispy, cheesy way to repurpose leftovers.
Recipe Tips
Use a hot pan: Don’t skimp on the sear. Get that pan ripping hot so the meat crusts instead of steams.
Season aggressively: Tri tip can take a solid dose of salt and pepper, don’t be shy.
Partially cover with liquid: The tri tip doesn’t need to be fully submerged—about halfway is enough. The steam and trapped heat will do the rest.
Let it rest: Before shredding, give the roast a few minutes to cool. It’ll shred cleaner and juicier.
Use the “keep warm” setting: If your tri tip is done early, no worries. Most slow cookers have a warm setting that’ll hold it safely for an hour or two without drying it out.
If you’re in the mood to try another cooking method, our sous vide tri tip delivers perfectly cooked beef every time.
If you love cozy, hands-off meals like this, you’ll also want to try our slow cooker pot roast and slow cooker beef stew. Both are comforting classics that make dinner easy.
Perfect for Meal Prep
This slow cooker tri tip is a dinner win with major meal prep potential. It’s low effort, high reward, and seriously satisfying. Make it once, and you’ll start keeping a stash in the freezer “just in case”.
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Tri-Tip in the Crock Pot
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Ingredients
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2½ to 3 pound Tri-Tip roast
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 to 3 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Add the sliced onions to the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Brush the tri-tip roast on all sides with the oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat until very hot and add the meat. Sear for about 3 minutes on each side and edges to a deep crust. (Turn on your stove vent and open your doors)
- Transfer the seared meat to the slow cooker. Brush the Dijon mustard on the exposed top of the tri-tip and dust with the smoked paprika.
- Combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, red wine and garlic together and pour around the sides of the tri-tip. Add the bay leaves and fresh herbs.
- Place the cover on the cooker and set the temperature to low and cook for 8 hours or until the meat shreds when tested with a fork. Remove the tri-tip from the cooker and place on a platter until cool enough to handle. Using two forks, shred the meat then drizzle with ½ cup of the cooking liquid remaining in the cooker.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Delicious!
But, I left out the wine. Just so you know, recovering alcoholics refuse to eat anything that was cooked in alcohol. Although most of the alcohol cooks off, not all of it, and the taste and smell can still trigger reminders. So I make a promise to the recovering alcoholics in my life to never cook with alcohol. On the internet, I can find substitutes. If I think the alcohol is important, like cakes infused with rum, I don’t make it. I wish people making recipes would mention substitutes for eliminating the alcohol ingredient.
Yes, thanks for the reminder Janet. It is true that the alcohol never cooks out completely. I have been trying to include substitutes more frequently in the recipes. Thanks for the comment.