Tri tip is a nicely marbled cut of meat that develops wonderful flavor and is rendered extremely tender when roasted at a low temperature in convection. After the tri-tip has cooked for approximately 30 minutes, the oven temperature is increased for a high-heat finish to brown the roast and add sizzle to bring out the flavor. Ideally, marinate the roast with the dry rub overnight and serve with homemade BBQ sauce slathered over the meat or served on the side.

When the oven temperature is increased, you have the option to slide vegetables into a tray to roast alongside the meat. The meat will only require another 12 - 15 minutes of cooking time at the higher temperature, but it’s important to let it rest for at least 10 minutes prior to slicing. That allows approximately 25 minutes to roast the vegetables. I chose sweet potatoes and green beans mixed with onions and garlic as my vegetable side, as they cook easily within the time frame.

Slicing the tri-tip correctly is important to ensure each slice is perfectly tender. The tri tip has two grain directions, so it’s best to first separate the two sections. Then, each section can be cut into slices, slicing against the grain.

INGREDIENTS

For the Tri-Tip and Dry Rub

2 - 3lb  (1 - 1.5 kg) tri-tip roast, plain, not seasoned or marinated

1 tbsp (15 g) kosher salt

1 tbsp (15 g) garlic powder

2 tsp ((8 g)onion powder

2 tsp (8 g) smoked paprika (mild or spicy)

1 tsp (4 g) ground cumin

1 tsp (4 g) ground black pepper

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

For the BBQ Sauce

1 cup (235 ml) ketchup

¾ cup (165 g) brown sugar

¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar

1 tbsp (15 g) Colemans dry mustard

1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp (8 g) salt 

1 tsp (4 g) paprika 

½ cup (118 ml) water 

PREPARATION

Place the tri-tip in a glass oven casserole dish. Combine the salt and other seasonings in a small bowl and rub into the trip tip. Add the olive oil and turn to coat evenly; cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.

Heat the oven in the Convection Roast or Convection Bake mode to 300 F/150 C.

Place the meat on a rack in a shallow-rimmed baking pan. If your oven is equipped with a meat probe, slide the probe into the meat, taking care that the tip doesn’t touch the pan. Slide the pan into the oven, insert the probe into the probe receptacle, and close the oven door.

Touch the probe icon or symbol on your control panel and program the probe to reach an internal temperature of (130 F/55 C) rare or (135 F/58 C) medium rare. Set the oven timer for 30 minutes, and when the timer elapses, increase the oven temperature to 400 F/205 C for the remainder of the cooking time, approximately 12 - 15 minutes. 

Once the tri-tip reaches the desired internal temperature, remove the pan from the oven and set the roast aside to rest for 10 - 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Serves 4 - 6