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Cooking over open fire is one of those things that just resets you. There’s something about the smell of hardwood, the sound of crackling coals, and a big cut of beef slowly picking up all that heat and flavor. When I pair a beautifully cooked tri tip with a bold smoked chimichurri, it turns into a backyard meal that always hits way harder than the effort you put in.
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This tri tip with smoked chimichurri gives you that primal open-fire vibe while still being super approachable. The tri tip gets this incredible crust from cooking directly over the coals, and the inside stays tender and juicy if you take your time. The smoked chimichurri brings a fresh punch of herbs but also gets this subtle smoky depth that changes the whole flavor experience.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you love cooking outdoors, this open fire tri tip with smoked chimichurri is one of those cooks that checks all the boxes. The beef gets that deep wood-fire flavor you can't fake with a grill burner or an oven. The smoked chimichurri takes everything further with herbs, garlic, and a hint of spice that gets mellowed by the smoke from a single hot coal.
The process isn’t complicated, even though the final plate looks and tastes like something you’d get at a ranch-style steakhouse. Everything from the seasoning to the sear is simple and built around letting the fire do the heavy lifting. The smoked chimichurri only uses a handful of ingredients, but that one step of smoking it transforms the flavor into something special.
The best part is how flexible the cook can be. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make this tri tip shine. As long as you can build a bed of hot coals, you can make this recipe anywhere from your backyard to a campsite.
Ingredients
Tri Tip
• 1 Tri Tip Roast, 2–3 lbs
• Salt & Pepper or your favorite BBQ beef rub
Smoked Chimichurri
• 1 C Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• ½ C Olive Oil
• ¼ C Red Wine Vinegar
• ½ C tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced or grated
• ½ tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• ½ teaspoon Thyme, dried
• 1 Hot Coal from your grill or fire
• Salt and Pepper to taste
How To Make It
Prep
Before cooking the tri tip, I always let it sit out at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes. This helps it cook more evenly and lets the seasoning sink in a bit deeper. I pat it dry, hit it with plenty of salt and pepper or a solid beef rub, and only trim off the pieces of fat that feel loose or waxy.
While the tri tip rests, I get the smoked chimichurri mixed and ready. I just combine all the herbs, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings in a bowl and give it a good stir. Keeping it in the fridge helps lock in that fresh brightness until we add the smoke later.
Build Your Fire
For open fire cooking, your coal bed matters more than anything. You want a bed of glowing coals that’s hot enough to sear but not blasting high flames at the meat. I normally burn down a stack of hardwood splits until they’re reduced to a solid layer of red coals.
When the fire is ready, I set my cooking grate just above the coals. You want the heat intense enough that you can feel it right away, but not so aggressive that the tri tip scorches. A good test is holding your hand over grate level for 8–10 seconds before it gets too hot to stand.
Cook
Once the fire is ready, I place the tri tip fat-side down directly over the coals. The fat cap acts as a shield and keeps the underside from drying out while it starts to pick up that smoky heat. You’ll hear some gentle sizzle but shouldn’t see flare-ups if your fire is balanced correctly. I highly recommend a pair of pitmaster gloves from Hey Grill Hey - you can get them on Amazon
I cook the tri tip this way for about 1.5–2 hours depending on its size and how consistent the fire stays. During this time I rotate it every so often, always trying to keep the crust even and the internal temperature climbing slowly. I’m usually aiming for about 100F internal before flipping it to finish.
Once the tri tip hits that point, I flip it fat-side up and cook until it reaches 125–130F internal for a perfect medium rare. That final stretch goes pretty quick because the surface is already hot and the meat has built up momentum. As soon as I hit my target, I pull the tri tip off the fire and let it rest for 15–20 minutes so it stays juicy when sliced.
Smoke the Chimichurri
The smoked chimichurri is what makes this recipe stand out, and it’s incredibly easy. During the last 15 minutes of resting the tri tip, I grab a clean, glowing hot coal from the fire using tongs. I drop it straight into the chimichurri bowl and cover the bowl tightly with foil.
The smoke from that one coal works its way through the herbs and oil and changes the flavor completely. It adds this subtle campfire depth without overpowering the freshness. After about 20 minutes, I remove the coal and the smoked chimichurri is ready.
Serve
Once the tri tip has rested, slice it against the grain into thin pieces. The inside stays pink and tender while the outside has that open fire crust that people go crazy for. I spoon the smoked chimichurri right over the top so the juices from the beef and the oil from the chimichurri blend together.
This dish is perfect for backyard dinners, camping nights, or anytime you want something rustic and bold. It pairs well with potatoes, grilled veggies, or even just warm bread to soak up all the juices.
Other Recipes You'll Love:
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- Jalapeno Popper Pig Shots - Easy Smoker Recipe
- Italian Sausage and Peppers Recipe
- Easy Smoked Cajun Honey Turkey Breast
- Best Peach Glazed Ribs - Easy Backyard BBQ Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 TriTip Roast 2-3 lbs
- Salt & Pepper or your favorite BBQ Beef Rub
Smoked Chimichurri
- 1 C Fresh Parsley finely chopped
- ½ C Olive Oil
- ¼ C Red Wine Vinegar
- ½ C TBSP Fresh Cilantro finely chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ teaspoon Thyme dried
- 1 Hot Coal From Your Grill or Fire for smoking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Build a steady bed of hot coals directly under your cooking grate. You want solid, glowing coals and some active flame, but just enough to provide heat, not to touch the meat
- Pat the tri tip dry, season it generously with salt, pepper, or your favorite rub, and let it sit at room temp for about 20–30 minutes. Only trim the meat to remove any loose or hard fat areas. You want a fat cap left on the bottom to protect the meat while cooking
- Place the tri tip directly over the coals and sear fat side down. You want the heat to be far enough away from the meat that you can hold your hand over the fire at meat level for about 8-10 seconds. This will tell you if it's too hot or cool - adjust accordingly.
- Cook this way while managing your heat and fire for about 1.5 - 2 hours - if you're using an internal temperature probe this will be about 100F internal.
- Flip the meat so it's now fat-side up, and cook the remainder of the way cooking to about 125-130F internal for a medium rare finish.
- Rest for 15-20 minutes after cooking, slice across the grain and serve with smoked chimichurri.
Smoked Chimichurri
- Prepare all ingredients and combine, place in airtight container and seal and put into fridge until ready to serve. During the last 15 minutes of the meat cooking, using tongs, carefully grab a hot coal out of the fire, and place into the bowl of chimichurri, and cover bowl with foil. This will smoke the chimichurri
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