Exact Answer: Five Minutes On Each Side
Tri-Tip is amongst one of the most loved beef delicacies that can be prepared by grilling it. Tri-tip is a piece of the bottom sirloin subprimal cut. It got its name since the pieces are cut in a triangular shape.
Tri-tip meat is cut up into steaks to consume. People love to grill it or roast it as per preference. However, it is important to grill it for a specific period to get the proper taste and texture.
How Long To Cook Tri Tip On Grill?
Tri-tip needs to get cooked properly to get the exact flavor. The most preferred option to cook the Tri-tip is to grill it. While grilling it, a steady temperature is to be maintained for specific timings to grill it evenly.
When it is about the time that needs to be invested while grilling can depend on a variety of factors like the size of the cut, the thickness of the cut and so much more. However, on average, when tri-tip is to be grilled at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, it needs to be grilled for a maximum of five minutes on each side.
It makes the whole grilling time about 10 minutes. Since 500 degrees is the highest temperature that the tri-tip is to be grilled on, it should not be grilled for more than five minutes on one side.
However, the timing for the grilling will increase considerably if the temperature is decreased to 475 degrees or 450 degrees. The maximum time that one can grill the tri-tip on the lowest possible heat is about 20 to 40 minutes for each side when grilled at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
If a thickly cut piece of tri-tip is cooked at minimum temperatures, it can extend the cooking time a lot.
| Temperatures for grilling | The overall time for which the tri-tip is to be grilled. |
| 250 Degrees Fahrenheit | Twenty to forty minutes on each side |
| 300 Degrees Fahrenheit | Eighteen to twenty minutes on each side |
| 350 Degrees Fahrenheit | Fifteen minutes on each side |
| 425 Degrees Fahrenheit | Twelve minutes on each side |
| 450 Degrees Fahrenheit | Seven minutes on each side |
| 500 Degrees Fahrenheit | Five minutes on each side |
Why To Cook Tri Tip On Grill For So Long?
Cooking anything will take time. The time might differ from one food to another especially when it is about cooking beef or meat. It is applicable while cooking the tri-tip on the grill as well. There are many reasons behind the tri-tip taking so long to cook. The reason for the timing is as follows:
- The main reason behind the timing it takes to grill the tri-tip for so long is to remove the rawness from the piece of beef. If the beef is cooked for a lesser time, the meat will not be cooked properly and still be contaminated with bacteria and germs.
- The other reason why it takes a long time to cook the tri-tip is the type of grill that is being used to grill the tri-tip beef. The type of grills like the charcoal grill or the propane grill can be a determining factor for the timing it takes to grill tri-tip perfectly.
- Another factor that will decide how long it will take to grill the tri-tip is the requirement. Well done steaks of tri-tip can take much longer than medium-rare cooked tri-tip.
- The temperature can also be an imminent reason behind the time it might take to grill the tri-tip. Higher temperature makes it possible to grill the tri-tip faster. Likewise, when the tri-tip is grilled at a lower temperature, it will take even around 40 minutes to cook the tri-tip.
- The time to grill the tri-tip even extends further when the piece of the tri-tip is thick. It takes time for the heat to cook through the thickness of the tri-tip.
Conclusion
Sometimes to cook the tri-tip faster, people try to grill it at a higher temperature. However, doing so for more than 10 minutes altogether can cause the tri-tip to be charred ruining the flavor and texture.
The ideal temperature is between 450 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and grilling it only for a maximum of seven to eight minutes on each side without burning or overcooking it.