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Cooked beef on cutting board with knife; herbs in glass behind.
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4.91 from 11 votes

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!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Additional Time10 minutes
Total Time6 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Sous Vide Tri Tip, Tri Tip Sous Vide
Servings: 8 Servings
Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

  • 3 pound Tri-Tip roast
  • 2 tablespoon Kosher salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
  • 1 to 2 sprigs Fresh rosemary
  • 1 to 2 sprigs Fresh thyme
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable 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.
    Seasoned tri tip with herbs in vacuum bag, prepared for sous vide.
  • 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.
    A tri tip steak in a sous vide water bath.

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.  
    A tri tip on cutting board, brushed with oil and.
  • 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. 
    Browned tri tip with herbs in white skillet.
  • 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

To rest, or not. Since there’s no carryover cooking, resting the meat after it cooks isn’t required like it is with traditional methods. But giving it a few minutes after opening the bag lets the color improve.
If you're starting with frozen tri tip, just add an hour. No need to thaw, follow the same instructions, but increase the cook time by 1 hour to ensure it heats all the way through.
Feel free to swap the salt and pepper for your favorite seasoning. Our tri tip rub, sliced garlic cloves, or a tablespoon of butter in the bag can all boost flavor without changing the cook process.
No vacuum sealer? Use the water displacement method. Place the tri tip in a resealable plastic bag, press out most of the air, and slowly lower it into the water, keeping the top just above the surface. The pressure from the water will push the rest of the air out. Then seal the bag fully and submerge.
For a great sear, dry the meat and brush it with oil. Pat the tri tip thoroughly with paper towels to remove surface moisture, then lightly brush it with oil before searing. This helps get that deep, golden crust without steaming the surface.
Storage: Wrap leftovers tightly or store in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for 3 months. 

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

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1673mg
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