How to Reheat Tri-Tip – The Top 6 Ways for Best Results

If you have never had tri-tip, you’re missing out on so much flavor. Although it’s the sirloin’s base, it is actually a delicious and tender cut of meat. It has an outstanding balance of lean meat and fat.

Did you know the meat got its name because it’s triangular shaped? Moreover, its unique shape and flavor have been famous since the 1900s in France and Brazil. Now, its popularity has grown widely.

But this large piece of tri-tip is often a leftover, and reheating it incorrectly makes it bland and chewy. Who wants to waste such a delicious cut of meat? That’s why we have methods on how to reheat tri-tip correctly to get the perfect meat.

Things You Should Know Before Reheating a Tri-Tip

Reheating the tri-tip requires attention to storage, moisture content, and temperature. If you mess up any of them, you will end up with soggy and chewy meat. So, here are some things we would like you to know before getting into the reheating process.

You should tightly wrap the tri-tip with plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag. It will help retain moisture and keep the flavor intact for longer. You can freeze your meat or keep it in the fridge, but always remember to thaw it to room temperature before reheating.

Moreover, never reheat your tri-tip at a high temperature because it will lose its tender and juicy texture. But, the internal temperature should be 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any germs or bacteria. We also advise avoiding reheating any meat more than twice because the nutrients will decrease and you might get food poisoning.

What Is the Best Way to Reheat a Tri-Tip?

Now that the precautions and tips are out of the way, let’s get to the reheating process.

1. How to warm up tri-tip on a grill

How do you prepare your tri-tip steak? Most people answered, “on a grill.” That’s logical because it gives the perfect texture and flavor. So, if you make the steak on a grill, why not reheat it on it too? 

The grill method is perfect for reaching a specific temperature for the meat and reheating it without burning or evaporating all the flavorful moisture. All you need is some aluminum foil and indirect heating.

Here are the instructions for reheating grilled tri-tip on the grill:

Step 1: Thaw your meat beforehand.

Step 2: Lay an aluminum foil and put the meat on it. Sprinkle some oil on it and wrap it tightly.

Step 3: Light your grill and place your wrapped meat on it.

Step 4: You should use indirect heating to avoid burning the tri-tip.

Step 5: Cover it up using a heat-resistant lid to retain moisture.

Step 6: Take it off after some time and check the internal temperature. It is done if the tri-tip grilling temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 7: Now cut it up and serve!

2. How to reheat tri-tip steaks in the oven

Next to the grill method, the oven is the second best way to reheat the tri-tip. It will retain moisture and keep the flavors intact. But it doesn’t work properly unless you follow the instructions correctly.

The oven’s high heat can make the meat dry and chewy if you don’t add any moisture to it. So, before reheating your tri-tip, marinate it beforehand. It will help retain moisture and add more flavor. Otherwise, you can always use cups or oven-safe pans filled with water to keep on the bottom wire rack of the oven.

Here are the steps to heating up tri-tip steaks in the oven:

Step 1: Always thaw your frozen tri-tip steak at least 30 or 60 minutes early.

Step 2: Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The low temperature will help reheat the meat thoroughly without burning it.

Step 3: Place the water-filled cups or baking dish on the button rack.

Step 4: Place the meat in the middle oven rack on a roasting rack.

Step 5: Let it reheat for 15 to 20 minutes or until warm.

Step 6: Check the internal temperature and then take it out if it’s done.

Step 7: Lastly, cut it into pieces and enjoy it.

3. Ways to reheat tri-tip steaks in an air fryer

An air fryer is a fast kitchen appliance for cooking or reheating food. It is almost like a convection oven but a mini one. It has hot air circulation, which works to heat the food properly. But, as the air fryer can get really hot in a short time, the food can sometimes dry out.

To avoid mishaps with your tri-tip, you can follow our instructions properly to get reheated tri-tip steaks quickly.

Step 1: Cut your meat into pieces but not too thin.

Step 2: Preheat the air fryer for 7 to 8 minutes at 370 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3: Place a baking sheet in the air fryer basket and put the pieces of meat on it.

Step 4: Reheat the pieces for 6 minutes—that is, 3 minutes of heating on each side.

Step 5: Check the internal temperature, and if it is between 110 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the meat is adequately reheated to consume.

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4. How to heat up a tri-tip in a crock pot

A crock pot is basically a slow cooker because it lets you simmer your food at a controlled temperature for a long time. You can efficiently heat your tri-tip in the crock pot and have more control over the temperature. But, you do have to wait for a long time to let it reheat adequately.

However, crock pots are great if you want your meat to remain juicy and tender. Although, you will need to add gravy or water to keep it that way.

Here are the steps to reheating tri-tip in a crock pot:

Step 1: Start your crock pot.

Step 2: Preheat it to “warm” settings.

Step 3: Place the tri-tip in the crock pot.

Step 4: Measure half a cup of water and half a cup of gravy. Now, pour it into the crock pot.

Step 5: Let everything reheat for 2 to 4 hours.

Step 6: Take it out and serve it hot.

5. How to warm up tri-tips in a smoker

If you want smoked tri-tip steaks, then the smoker is your best bet. A smoker will give you the perfect smoky taste without burning the meat, but it will take longer to reheat.

Moreover, you need to measure the smoker’s temperature now and then to keep it at an optimal reheating temperature. You will also need to add moisture to the meat to keep it tender and juicy.

Here are the steps for reheating smoked tri-tip in the smoker:

Step 1: Light the smoker and bring it to a temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Get aluminum foil and fold it into a bowl shape. Add one-fourth cup of gravy or broth, and then add the meat. Cover the whole thing tightly with aluminum foil.

Step 3: Now place it in the smoker and reheat for about 3 to 5 hours.

Step 4: Make sure you don’t add too much liquid. You only need to add one-fourth of the liquid to each pound of meat.

Step 5: Now, take it out and let it sit for a few minutes. This will help the meat soak up any juices.

Step 6: Now cut it up and enjoy!

6. How to heat up a tri-tip sous vide

“Sous vide” sounds like a fancy French name for a reheating method, right? But, before you judge the fancy word, let us briefly tell you about the technique. Sous vide is a very easy and efficient method of reheating food.

Mainly, it is done by sealing a plastic bag airtight with the food and submerging it in water at a specific temperature for all the ingredients to cook well. It protects the food from getting overcooked, and there is no possibility of burning it. Now, does the method seem easy? We hope it does because it gives the best outcomes.

Here are the steps for heating tri-tip using sous vide:

Step 1: Thaw your meat beforehand.

Step 2: Put it in a heat-resistant sealable bag and seal it tightly.

Step 3: Take out as much air as possible.

Step 4: Now, you need a large saucepan and put it on the stove.

Step 5: Get a stockpot and put it on top of the saucepan.

Step 6: Fill half of the stockpot with water and set your stove to medium heat.

Step 7: Put your meat in the water and use a digital food thermometer to measure the temperature.

Step 8: Let the beef reheat for 40 to 50 minutes.

Step 9: Take it out and serve it hot.

What to Do with Leftover Tri-Tip?

Leftovers are the best part of the reheated tri-tip because you can now make a totally different dish using it. If you followed our reheating instructions correctly, you now have a tender and juicy piece of meat that goes well with many things, such as fajitas, tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, etc. 

If you are confused about what to make, we think we will be able to help you in that matter. We have two dishes with great recipes that will soon become your favorite leftover tri-tip dishes. So, let’s not make you wait anymore.

1. Tri-Tip Sandwich

You can easily assemble a tri-tip sandwich if you have leftover tri-tip steaks. The meat goes really well with garlic bread and will soon become a fan favorite in your house. 

Here is the leftover tri-tip sandwich recipe for you to make.

Ingredients you will need:

1. Pickled red onions
2. Jalapeno Aioli
3. Mozarella or Ricotta cheese
4. Any bread
5. Tomato slices
6. Tri-tip Steak

How to Assemble:

Reheat your tri-tip steak with any of our reheating methods and let it rest. Now, butter your bread and toast it a bit in a pan. Next, cut the meat into thin pieces and lay them on the bread. Add cheese on top of the assembled meat, and then add pickled red onions. Now, spread some jalapeno aioli on top and finish it with sliced tomatoes. You are done! 

A small tip: You can toast the whole thing again to melt the cheese. It will also get the meat juices into the bread and make it more flavorful.

2. Tri-Tip Roast Quesadillas

Quesadillas are heart-warming meals. One bite with sour cream will make you want to have three or more of it. But it gets so much better when you use leftover tri-tip roast.

Ingredients you will need:

1. Tri-tip roast cut (small pieces)
2. Guacamole
3. Sliced tomatoes
4. Shredded cheese
5. Lemon juice
6. Sour cream
7. Flour tortillas

How to Assemble:

Get your flour tortillas and start assembling the toppings. First, add some shredded cheese on one side, and then add the pieces of meat. On the other side, add guacamole, sliced tomatoes, and a bit of sour cream. Now, fold the flour tortillas into triangles. Next, butter a pan and add the tortillas to it. Let it brown on both sides, and then serve it with some lemon juice on top and your favorite dips.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we would like to answer your most-asked questions regarding tri-tip steaks.

1. Can I make a tri-tip instant pot?

We have received this question a lot. The instant pot is actually a great way to get a tender and juicy tri-tip steak. Moreover, you can add veggies, broth, and even a little red wine to make it taste more flavorful. So, to answer the question, yes, you can make tri-tip in your instant pot.

2. Are Traeger tri-tip roasts worth it?

Traeger grills are great for cooking meat if that’s what you want to know. We actually have a Traeger grill, which is a wood pellet grill. It gives a smoky and fresh flavor to the meat and roasted veggies. We really enjoy using it. So we would say the Traeger grill tri-tip roasts are worth it.

3. What side dishes go best with reverse sear tri-tip?

It is hard to mix and match side dishes that would complement tri-tip steaks, but we have a whole list of side dishes to help you out. 

1. Crispy baked potato wedges
2. Smoky garlic mushrooms
3. Butter mashed potatoes
4. Classic spicy french fries
5. Twice baked potatoes
6. Grilled mushrooms, carrots, and cauliflower
7. Grilled asparagus
8. Grilled or fried sweet potatoes
9. Potatoes and green beans
10. Grilled corn on the cob

4. What is the specialty of a Pit Boss tri-tip?

Pit Boss is another excellent grill with a ton of space for different types of food, and you can also smoke your food on it. So, if you plan on making a tri-tip steak on a Pit Boss grill, you won’t be wrong. 

The Summary

Tri-tip steaks or roasts are delicious, and such a large piece of meat always gets leftover. So, you get stuck with the problem of reheating the meat properly, so it remains tasty and causes no sickness to your family. That is why our article covers everything for you. Trust us; you will love it! Just choose your most convenient reheating method and go on with it.

We hope you enjoy your tri-tip for longer, but remember not to heat it more than twice. We have also answered some FAQs and given you two leftover recipes to renew your tri-tip dish. Your family will enjoy it. Have a great day!