Oven Roasted Tri Tip with Chili Lime Seasoning

This oven roasted trip tip with chili lime seasoning is like a grilling party in the house! The zesty chili lime spice blend is also great for roasted chicken, shrimp or even vegetables like roasted potatoes. (Grilling instructions included too!)

Living in Southern California, our backyard is like an extension of our house. We love to grill and eat outdoors, especially during these longer days. It helps to have mild winters, so we grill all year long.

But I don’t always feel like grilling. Many cuts of meat and roasts can easily be cooked indoors. The tri tip roast is one of these versatile meats. My family’s newest obsession is this homemade chili lime seasoning.

Why you must try this recipe

I started making my own chili lime spice blend because my middle boy is obsessed with these flavors. Our friends also have lime trees, so we get bags of fresh limes several times during the year.

The zest is what is used to give this seasoning its touch of citrus. Use as much or as little as you want. Have a big fat lime? More zest means more flavor, so I say bring it on!

The tri tip roast is a newish cut of beef that became popular in the 1950’s. It is a west coast “invention” and is known as “California’s Cut” or “Santa Maria Steak”. You can easily find tri-tip roasts in major supermarkets here on the west coast, but may find it difficult to locate on the east side of the US.

It is also called a Bottom Sirloin Roast or a Triangle Roast because, well it looks like a triangle. The tri-tip is growing in popularity so if you find it, you should definitely give it a try.

And if you are looking for another great way to enjoy this cut of beef, you should try my whiskey tri tip marinade. See my Oven Roasted Tri Tip Web Story for a quick visual guide to making this recipe.

Ingredients you need

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• Tri tip roast: You can purchase trimmed tri tips from the butcher or you can trim off the excess fat yourself. If you are grilling your tri tip, you can keep more fat on the roast than if you are roasting it in the oven.
• Kosher salt: I prefer using kosher salt for my dry rubs because is melts easily onto the surface of your meats without making it overtly salty. Salts come in a variety of saltiness. If you are using sea salt, start with half the amount listed, taste the mix and see if you need to add more salt. Do not substitute kosher salt with the amount in regular salt.
• Chili powder: There are so many varieties of chile powders available, from red to green, spicy to mild and of course from every type of pepper. So choose your favorite or use a combination.
• Paprika: There are various types of paprika available. I prefer smoked paprika for meats but you can use sweet paprika or whatever you have on hand!
• Other seasonings: ground coriander, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper

Tools to Use

• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowls

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Step-by-step directions

1. Using a fine grater or zester, grate the zest from your lime into a small bowl. Add the seasonings in the bowl and mix to combine.

2. Trim the excess fat from your tri tip roast. The amount you trim off depends if you are oven roasting or grilling your meat. Trim off any large deposits of fat surrounding the tri tip. For grilling you want a little bit of fat, but nothing larger than ½-inch thick. For oven roasting, I tend to trim off more of the fat, leaving only small bits that will melt in the cooking process.

3. Coat your roast with chili lime seasoning. You will make more seasoning than needed, so jar what is left to use again later.

For oven roasting, preheat the oven to 450º F. Place the tri-tip fat side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes and begin checking the internal temperature on a meat thermometer: for medium-rare, 135º-140º F and 140º-145º F for medium.

If grilling, heat grill to 275ºF temperature and place roast on the grill, fat side up. Close grill and cook until the temperature of the meat reaches 135ºF inside. Remove roast from grill and place meat directly on the coals and sears each of the roast.

Recipe tips and FAQs

This recipe is wonderful on the grill or in the oven, so the choice is yours. Either way you prepare it, once it reaches 125ºF internal temperature, transfer roast to a platter and let rest 10 minutes. This helps the roast retain its juices.

Slice thinly across the grain and serve immediately. I like to serve it with roasted potatoes or my Spanish rice. You can also dice up the meat and serve it with tortillas to make delicious tacos.

You will have extra chili lime seasoning leftover, so just bottle it and stick it in your pantry. The grated lime zest will dry out and its essence will meld with the rest of the spices. Add it to chicken, pork or seafood.

It is also great with vegetables! I serve extra seasoning with the roast so you can add more flavor to your tri tip or roast potatoes.

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Yield: serves 6

Oven Roasted Tri Tip with Chili Lime Seasoning

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This oven roasted trip tip with chili lime seasoning is like a grilling party in the house! The zesty chili lime spice blend is also great for roasted chicken, shrimp or even vegetables like roasted potatoes. (Grilling instructions included too!)

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 ½ lb tri tip roast
• Grated zest from 1 fresh lime
• 1 TBS kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon chile (chili) powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Using a fine grater or zester, grate the zest from your lime into a small bowl. Add the seasonings in the bowl and mix to combine.
2. Trim off any large deposits of fat surrounding the tri-tip. For grilling you want a little bit of fat, but nothing larger than ½-inch thick.
3. Coat the entire roast with chili lime seasoning. You will make more seasoning than needed, so jar what is left to use again later.
4. For oven roasting, preheat the oven to 450º F.
5. Place the tri-tip fat side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
6. Roast for 30 minutes and begin checking the internal temperature on a meat thermometer: for medium-rare, 135º-140º F and 140º-145º F for medium.
7. If grilling, heat grill to 275ºF temperature and place roast on the grill, fat side up. Close grill and cook until the temperature of the meat reaches 135ºF inside. Remove roast from grill and place meat directly on the coals and sears each of the roast
8. Transfer roast to a platter and let rest 10 minutes.
9. Slice thinly across the grain and serve immediately.

Notes

You can use smoked paprika or sweet. There are so many varieties of chile powders available, from red to green, spicy to mild and of course from every type of pepper. So choose your favorite or use a combination.

Salts come in a variety of saltiness. If you are using sea salt, start with half the amount listed, taste the mix and see if you need to add more salt. Do not substitute kosher salt with the amount in regular salt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 405Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 730mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 49g

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