Sous Vide Tri Tip

This sous vide tri-tip will make any meal a special treat. The beef is cooked to perfection, allowing it to retain its natural flavors and texture, making it incredibly juicy and tender. You'll have an amazing dinner with minimal effort in the kitchen!

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 6

Additional Time: 10

Total Time: 6 15

Servings: Servings

Calories: 461kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

3 pound beef trip tip
2 tablespoon coarse salt divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil divided

Instructions

Prepare the Water Bath:

Fill your sous vide container with water. Attach the immersion circulator unit and set it to the desired temperature according to the chart in the post or see the notes below. We set our sous vide unit to 130°F for medium rare.

Prepare and Cook the Tri Tip:

Trim any thick fat from the tri tip, leaving just a very thin layer.
Fold a wide cuff at the top of the sous vide bag. This step will keep the sealing area clean, ensuring a good seal to the bag.
Season the trip tip well with 1 tablespoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Slide it into the bag with several sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs. Seal the bag.
When the water reaches the programmed temperature, place the bagged tri tip in the water bath. Cook the tri tip based on the thickness of the steak. Calculate 30 minutes for every half inch of thickness. A ¾ inch steak will need to cook for 45 minutes. A 1-inch thick steak will need to cook for 1 hour. A 1-½ inch steak will need to cook for 90 minutes. A 2-inch steak will need to cook for two hours.

Finishing the Tri Tip:

Remove the tri tip from the bag, reserving any liquid that has been released from the meat, and discard the herbs.
Pat the tri tip dry with paper towels.
Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over the tri tip and season it with salt and pepper.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to a heavy skillet (a cast iron skillet works great). Heat the oil over high heat until it just begins to smoke.
Carefully place the beef in the skillet and sear. When the tri tip is browned on one side, turn it over and add a few fresh herbs to the pan.
Add the reserved liquid from the sous vide bag to the skillet. Tilt the skillet and spoon the liquid over the tri tip while it is browning. Total searing time will be 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the tri tip to a cutting board, let it rest for 5 minutes then slice it across the grain. Arrange the tri tip slices on a serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

With sous vide cooking there is no need for a ‘rest’ time for the meat and there is no ‘carry over’ cook time. However, there is a benefit to letting the meat rest for a few minutes. Meat cooked in the sous vide water bath doesn’t come in contact with oxygen. Once you open the bag and the meat gets exposed to the air, it will begin to ‘bloom’ as the myoglobin in the muscle fibers reacts with oxygen.
If your meat is frozen, follow the instructions as written but add 1 hour to the cooking time.
Choose your favorite seasoning for the tri tip in place of the salt and pepper. Try a dry rub, sliced garlic cloves, or a tablespoon of butter.
If you do not have a vacuum sealer, use a resealable plastic bag and the water displacement method. Place the tri tip in the bag and partially close the bag. Lower the bag into the water keeping the top of the bag just barely above the water so the air is forced out of the bag. Close the bag completely and submerge the bag.
To get a good sear to the tri-tip pat the moisture off the outside of the beef and brush lightly with oil.

Doneness Temperature for Sous Vide Steak

Set the water temperature to your desired internal temperature for the steak.

Rare = 120-130°F
Medium rare = 130-135°F
Medium = 135-145°F
Medium well = 145-155°F
Well done = 155-160°F

Nutrition