Smoked Tri Tip Marinade Recipes

Make use of these tri tip marinade recipes, and your barbecued tri tips just might become your signature dish. A good marinade recipe adds flavor, improves texture, and helps the meat remain moist after being grilled or smoked.

Use a Tri Tip Marinade For Great Flavor

The following recipes will each marinate up to 5 pounds of tri tip roast.

Red Wine Marinade

• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients and use to marinate tri tip roast in a freezer bag or other non-reactive container.

Tonk's Tri Tip Juice

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder

Combine all ingredients the day before using to marinate your tri tip. Store in the refrigerator.

Tri Tip Marinate #17

• 1 white onion coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Using a food processor or blender, mix all ingredients together. Marinate tri tips for at least 4 hours, and no more than eight.

About Marinating Tri Tip Roasts

Most marinades contain an acidic ingredient, such as citrus juice of one kind or another, vinegar or wine. The acid breaks down the meat fibers, but only at the surface of the meat being marinated.

It won't actually tenderize the meat. But it does help in getting flavors of other ingredients deeper into the meat.

However, salt and sugar in marinades will affect the proteins of the meat in a positive way. The salt relaxes the meat fibers, which helps the meat become more tender. Sugar that's absorbed into the meat traps moisture, making the meat more juicy.

Using a good marinade can make a big difference in the flavor and texture of of your smoked or grilled tri tips. Give it a try sometime and see if you don't agree.