Before preparing barbecued tri tip roast on the barbecue, gas grill (or even in the broiler), it’s important to marinate it for at least 24 hours.

Tri Tip is an excellent piece of beef. It is very lean, has lots of flavor, and when prepared properly, is very tender as well.

I’ve noticed many times, you won’t find Tri Tip on the shelf at the grocery store. You may have to ask the butcher for it. Sometimes they’ll have it in the case, but only as little strips… ask for the whole roast.

They’ll ask you if you want it trimmed. The choice is yours. Some people like to leave the layer of fat on until after its cooked, so the fat will drip down into the meat as it cooks, and others prefer to leave the fat with the butcher. I usually have them trim it off for me because I would rather not pay for the extra weight — and with the marinade process, it comes out plenty juicy and tender.

The secret to a great Barbecued Tri Tip is to marinate it for a whole day.

Marinate it with what? You might be asking…well, I’m gonna tell ya.

This is my own marinade recipe that I came up with myself, and have, until now, only shared with two other people on the planet. So, let’s keep it between us. Many people have said that I should bottle it and put it on the market. But not today! OK, here goes…

Barbecued Tri Tip Marinade

First, cover both sides of the Tri Tip with Lawry’s seasoned salt, garlic powder and coarse ground black pepper.

Then, take a whole bottle, just a small one, of the cheapest bbq sauce that you can find, and pour it all over the Tri Tip.

Then, take worcestershire sauce (so named because it was first made in Worcester, England) and dribble it all over the top of that.

Next, add about half of a bottle of Kikoman’s Teriyaki baste and glaze. (that’s the thick stuff)

After that, dribble some soy sauce all over the top.

Finally, add in about 1/4 cup of zesty Italian dressing.

Take a large fork, I use the one that is supposed to be for serving salads, and stab the Tri Tip all over both sides. (don’t get overly zealous with the stabbing part… someone might see you, and think you have an issue.)

Barbecued Tri Tip Marinade

Then, just cover that bad boy or put it in a zip lock freezer bag and stick it in the refrigerator overnight. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready for it. Here’s the process: about 1/2 hour or so before you are going to fire up the grill, take out the Tri Tip, and let it warm up and sweat a bit. This is important so this barbecued tri tip turns out perfect after cooking. Tip: Do this with steaks also. The meat comes out more tender and flavorful.

Barbecued Tri Tip on the Gas GrillWhen you cook this on the grill, make sure that the grill is nice and hot when you first put the Tri Tip on so it sears the juices in. Do this to both sides of the tri tip, and then turn the flame down to a little less than medium, and only close the grill lid part way. Don’t worry about the blackened part… when its all said and done, this is going to be perfect… all kinds of ooohs, ahhhs, and yums coming from around the dinner table. (Note: the blackened part is considered bad for you. While it is extremely tasty, you may want to skip that part).

You can see below that I took a piece of copper that’s for grounding a home’s electrical panel, and made a nifty little gadget that I use to keep the lid from fully closing.

Grill Gadget for Barbecued Tri TipThis allows the meat to continue cooking on a low heat, and doesn’t burn the meat by having the lid completely closed.

A couple of times toward the end of the cooking process, pull the barbecued Tri Tip from the grill, and lay it back in the marinade so you cover both sides. Then put it back on the grill. This will give it a really nice glaze. Wait until the end of the cooking process, because if you do it too soon, it will just turn black and that’s not your goal.

Cut the Barbecued Tri Tip into quartersYou can see here, that I’ve now cut the barbecued  Tri Tip into quarters. I do this simply to speed up the glazing process at the end… Let the Tri Tips cook for a few minutes, roll them over, and re-dip them in the marinade until you like the way they look.

Grilled or Barbecued Tri Tip should still be plenty pink in the center when you pull it from the grill. It will keep cooking for a while even when removed from the heat. These are looking like they’re ready!

I also take the marinade inside and cook it so I can use it on the meat when I serve it. You have to cook the marinade since it had raw meat in it. I just pour it into a sauce pan (using a spatula to make sure I get it all) and bring it to a boil for a few minutes. Any of the marinade that is leftover can be used with any leftover Tri Tip.

Be sure to slice the barbecued Tri Tip roast across the grain for extra goodness and tenderness.

Barbequed Tri Tip Dinner

Sliced Barbequed Tri Tip Dinner with Fresh Salad and Sourdough Garlic Toast

There you go – Barbecued Tri Tip – Enjoy!