If you love beef, you are going to love this Grilled Tri-Tip Sandwich recipe! Tri-tip is a special cut of beef and, when cooked properly, is one of the tastiest things around. This sandwich takes a perfectly grilled tri-tip steak to the next level…and beyond!

The tri-tip steak is also called the “Santa Maria” steak as it was popularized in Santa Maria, California. Here are some other steak recipes you should check out. My Grilled Tri-tip Steak recipe. Or my “almost famous” Grilled Steak with Garlic Butter Mushrooms!

The tri-tip is a triangular cut of steak that comes from the bottom of the sirloin. People say that it just might be the most flavorful cut of meat that you may never have heard of! I agree! I love this underappreciated cut of beef!

What do you need to make a Grilled tri-tip sandwich?

Obviously, you need the beef, but the herbs and spices make this sandwich. Don’t forget the chipotle mayo; it adds that extra kick!

How to make Grilled Tri-tip sandwiches

You will want to remove your tri-tip steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you are going to grill it. This allows the steak to come up to room temperature. It will cook better and more evenly this way.

Preheat your grill. It needs to be set up for indirect cooking. One side of the grill should be on high heat; the other side of the grill with no heat at all. Next, in a small bowl, mix all the seasonings together, Kosher salt, smoked paprika, fresh ground pepper, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. This is the dry rub for your steak.

Cover your tri-tip steak entirely with the dry rub. You don’t want to rub it onto the steak as much as you want to sprinkle the dry rub over the meat.

While your grill is preheating, prepare your chipotle mayo. In a food processor or blender, add the mayonnaise, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, lime juice, smoked paprika and Kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. I would only add one to two chipotle peppers at first. You can always add more if you want it spicier.

On to the grill!

Place the steak on the hot side of the grill and sear each side for 3-5 minutes. You want to have nice grill marks on both sides of the steak.

Once you have done this, move the steak to the cool side of the grill and close the lid. Continue to cook with the lid closed until you reach an internal temperature between 118 – 130 for rare to medium-rare.

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I always use my trusty Thermapen One instant-read thermometer for an accurate and quick read of internal temperature.

Once you have reached your desired doneness, remove the steak from the grill and allow it to rest on a cutting board for 5 – 10 minutes before slicing.

You want to slice your tri-tip into 1/4 – 1/2 inch slices. Always cut across the grain. With the tri-tip steak, be aware that the grain changes, so you need to adjust as you slice.

Toast your buns or bread slices on the grill. Now it’s time to start building your grilled tri-tip sandwich!

Spread some chipotle mayo on your bread, then lay out the slices of the grilled tri-tip. Top with a generous portion of the pico de gallo.

This is the perfect sandwich for a weekday dinner or a great weekend brunch, lunch, or casual dinner! Pair it with a great salad, and you have something amazing to feed the gang.

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Yield: 6 Servings

Grilled Tri-Tip Sandwich

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This grilled tri-tip or Santa Maria sandwich is the perfect easy lunch or dinner for the gang!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lb Tri-tip
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• ½ tsp thyme
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• Pico de gallo
• 6 bolillo buns or any crusty bun are my favorite to use!

Chipotle Mayo:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or to taste)
• Fresh squeezed lime juice (½ lime)
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Start by mixing all of your seasonings together, salt, smoked paprika, pepper, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. This will be your dry rub for the tri-tip.
2. Remove your tri-tip from the fridge about 30 min prior to grilling to allow it to come up to room temp.
3. Take your rub and cover the entire tri-tip.
4. Next, set your grill up for the indirect cooking method; preheat to high.
5. While your grill is preheating, prepare your chipotle mayo. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, around 30 sec - 1 min. You may want to start with 1-3 peppers at first to test for your level of spiciness. You can always add more!
6. When your grill is preheated, grill your tri-tip on the hot side for 3-5 min for each side. You want a nice sear to each side.
7. Once you’ve done this, move it to the cool side and continue to cook it with the lid closed until it is rare to medium-rare with an internal temp between 118 - 130 degrees.
8. Once you’ve reached your desired doneness, remove it from the grill and place it on a cutting board, and allow it to rest between 5-10min before slicing.
9. When it’s ready to be sliced, you will want to cut it between ¼ - ½ inch slices.
10. Toast your bolillo buns and build your sandwiches with the chipotle mayo, then slices of tri-tip topped with pico de gallo. You can add some extra cilantro if you like! Enjoy!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Greener Chef Organic Extra Large Bamboo Cutting Board - Lifetime Replacement Cutting Boards for Kitchen - Wood Butcher Block and Wooden Carving Board for Meat and Chopping Vegetables
• 
  MAIRICO Premium Carving Knife - 11-inch Ultra Sharp Brisket Knife with Luxurious Pakkawood Handle and Granton Blade, designed as Slicing Knife for Meat, Roasts, BBQs, and more.
• 
  Char-Broil 463352521 Performance 4-Burner Cart Style Liquid Propane Gas Grill, Stainless Steel

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1024Total Fat: 55gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 2174mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 62g

Recipe calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.