This grilled barbecue tri-tip delivers smoky flavor, juicy beef, and a tender bite in just about 20 minutes of cooking. Starting with Creekstone Farms tri-tip, the roast is lightly trimmed and seasoned with Plowboys BBQ Bovine Bold Rub, a Kansas City favorite that balances sweet, savory, and smoky flavors. Cooked hot and fast over lump charcoal on the Yoder Smokers Flat Top Charcoal Grill, the roast develops a rich char before finishing indirect to a perfect medium rare. Once off the grill, the tri-tip is brushed with Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce, which tacks up beautifully while the meat rests.
Sliced thin against the grain—or chopped for sandwiches—this tri-tip makes a versatile centerpiece. Serve it piled onto brioche buns with tangy dill pickles, or pair it with beans and slaw for a hearty barbecue plate. With its bold seasoning, charred crust, and quick cook time, this tri-tip is a go-to when you want authentic barbecue flavor without the all-day commitment.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Bold barbecue flavor with minimal prep
- Perfect medium-rare beef with smoky char
- Quick cook on lump charcoal (about 20 minutes)
- Great for sandwiches or sliced as an entrée
- Flexible toppings—pickles, slaw, extra sauce
How to make Grilled Barbecue Tri-Tip Sandwiches
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Beef
Cuisine
American BBQ
Servings
105
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Calories
380
Smoky, juicy barbecue tri-tip grilled over charcoal, sauced, and chopped for easy sandwiches with bold flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb Creekstone Farms Tri-Tip Roast
-
Plowboys BBQ Bovine Bold Rub
-
Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce
- Brioche buns, for serving
- Dill pickles, for serving
-
Meat Mitch Whomp White BBQ Sauce
Directions
- Light two chimneys of lump charcoal in the Yoder Smokers Flat Top Charcoal Grill. Bank the hot coals to one side to create a direct and indirect cooking zone.
- Trim the tri-tip roast of silver skin and hard fat. Season generously with Plowboys BBQ Bovine Bold Rub, pressing the seasoning into the meat.
- Place the tri-tip over direct heat and sear until charred on all sides, about 5 minutes total. If needed, raise or lower the charcoal bed to control the intensity of the sear.
- Once color and texture are developed, move the roast to the indirect side of the grill. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 125ºF.
- Remove the roast from the grill and immediately brush all over with Firebug Mild Grillin’ Sauce. Let the sauce tack up as the beef rests for 5 minutes.
- Slice the tri-tip in half to follow the natural grain change, then cut thin slices across the grain. For sandwiches, chop the slices into bite-sized pieces.
- Serve on brioche buns with dill pickles. Add white sauce, slaw, or extra barbecue sauce if desired.
Recipe Note
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 6 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 380
- Carbs
- 16 grams
- 6%
- Fiber
- 1 grams
- 4%
- Sugar
- 5 grams
- 10%
- Protein
- 35 grams
- 70%
- Fat
- 18 grams
- 23%
- Saturated Fat
- 6 grams
- 30%
- Sodium
- 690 milligrams
- 30%
- Cholesterol
- 105 milligrams
- 35%
