The Best Grilled Tri Tip Marinade (5-Ingredients!)

What Makes This Recipe Great

I love steak, and I especially love using a cut like tri-tip since I can pack in tons of flavor in the marinade, it feeds all of us for a whole lot less than if I was serving us filet mignon, and it does great on the grill which adds even more flavor to it.

After trying a million marinades, I was just not satisfied. A ton of recipes use red wine, but I don’t like the flavor and texture red wine gives to the tri-tip. It almost makes it grainy and too earthy. I wanted something to make it brighter and add tons more flavor.

Then I had a stroke of genius: what if I used red wine vinegar? I added in a few other essential ingredients to get the flavor I was hoping for, and it was the BEST Tri-Tip Marinade Recipe ever! The umami flavor from the steak with the brightness of the red wine vinegar, sweetness, and earthiness from the garlic and thyme. It is heavenly!

The steak marinade has just 5 ingredients: red wine vinegar, olive oil, monk fruit (or substitute date paste for whole30), crushed garlic, and dried thyme. And, of course, salt and pepper. So simple, and it is so delicious! 

Tri-Tip Marinade

• tri-tip roast: I get my beef from ButcherBox, which I highly recommend.
• red wine vinegar
• olive oil
• monk fruit sweetener: Because I typically eat low carb, I use monk fruit sweetener in this recipe. However, feel free to use brown sugar or white sugar if preferred. Honey is also a great option. 
• fresh garlic cloves
• dried thyme
• salt and pepper: I like to use kosher salt and ground black pepper for seasoning this tri-tip marinade. 

Sautéed Red Onions

• red onions
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• red wine vinegar
• dried thyme

The Best Tri Tip Marinade

1. In your gallon Ziploc bag, combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, monk fruit, garlic, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Seal bag and shake and squeeze it to mix the marinade. Add the tri-tip roast, remove as much air as possible, and seal. Marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator or up to 2 days. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful meat you’ll get!

Tri-Tip Recipe

1. Preheat your gas grill (or indoor grill grates) over medium-high heat. 
2. Remove the tri-tip from the flavorful marinade, and discard any remaining marinade in the bag. Place tri-tip on your preheated grill and sprinkle it with about 1 teaspoon of salt. Grill the tri-tip covered for 15 minutes. 
3. Flip and continue to cook until the tri-tip has an internal temperature of 135ºF for medium rare (or 145ºF for medium), about 8-10 more minutes, depending on the thickness of your tri-tip. You should have a nice crust on the meat. 
4. Remove the cooked tri-tip from the grill and rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. You can tent with aluminum foil if desired.
5. After the tri-tip has rested, slice against the grain and serve topped with grilled red onions.

Grilled Onions

1. While the tri-tip is cooking and resting, make the grilled onions. 
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, sliced onions, salt and pepper. 
3. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft. If the pan ever gets too dry, or the onions start to get too charred, I add in 1/4 cup of water to keep everything juicy. The water will cook away. Add more water during the cooking process if needed. 
4. When the onions are softened, add 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and serve on top of your tri tip. 

Expert Tips

• Meat Thermometer: You can check the temperature of the beef with an instant-read thermometer to know the temperature. I typically cook mine to 140-145 degrees F, which is medium. Cook to your desired temperature. 
• Sweetener: Because I typically eat low carb, I use monk fruit sweetener in this recipe. However, feel free to use brown sugar or white sugar if preferred. 

Serving Tips

Slice against the grain of the meat into thin slices. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Serve as a main dish with various side dishes like roasted vegetables, potatoes, or a salad.

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Discard any remaining marinade and make it fresh the next time.