This Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Roast is made with just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep! It’s fall-apart tender, perfectly seasoned, and bathed in a succulent, creamy gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes for the easiest meat and potatoes dinner!
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🥩 What is Tri-Tip?
A tri-tip roast, also called a Santa Maria steak, is a triangular cut of meat that comes from the lower portion of the sirloin, or the bottom of the beef sirloin. In contrast, a sirloin tip comes from the top of the sirloin. This flavorful cut of beef is large, nicely marbled with fat, and can be ultra-tender and juicy if cooked correctly.
Tri-tip can be grilled, braised, roasted, or smoked. You can also cook tri-tip in the Crock Pot! This is the easiest way to get tender, pot roast style meat. In fact, this recipe is very similar to our Slow Cooker Pot Roast recipe.
🏅 Why this recipe is great
- So tender it falls apart!
- Super flavorful with only 4 ingredients
- Gravy is made right in the slow cooker
- Easy slow cooker recipe - just season sear, pour and go!
- Great with lots of side dishes
🧂 Ingredients
You only need four ingredients to make this tri-tip crock pot recipe.
- Tri-tip roast: If your roast has a fat-cap on one side, trim it off before seasoning.
- Montreal steak seasoning: We love McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning (affiliate). You can substitute this with another brand, just be sure that it includes salt, pepper, onion, and garlic.
- Beef broth or beef stock: You can also use beef bouillon and hot water.
- Heavy cream: This extra ingredient makes the gravy rich and creamy.
🔪 How to make slow cooker tri-tip roast
- Season: Sprinkle both sides with seasoning.
- Sear: In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat canola or olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear both sides of the roast in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes. We use a cast iron skillet (affiliate).
- Add to slow cooker: Place roast in a 6 quart Crock Pot (affiliate) and pour in the beef broth. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or until it’s very tender and shreds easily.
While the beef roast is cooking, go about your day. Do a load of laundry, go to work, finish a project, or take a nap. Dinner is taken care of 😉
- Shred meat: Once the meat is tender, use two forks to shred it right in the slow cooker.
- Finish the gravy: Add the cream, then cook it for another 30 minutes on high with the lid partially off. Gravy done!
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
This recipe serves 6 people. If you are serving a larger group, I suggest making two roasts in separate Crock Pots. One 3 lb tri-tip will cook well in a 6 quart slow cooker.
🙋 Questions and Answers
For best results, definitely brown it first. Searing the roast gives it a beautiful crust on the outside and adds a lot of flavor. You won’t regret taking the extra few minutes to sear it!
Yes! You want to cook it until it very easily shreds when prodded with a fork. If it is still a bit tough at the 6 hour mark, cook it for another hour or two.
Slow cooked tri-tip roast is excellent with creamy mashed potatoes or crispy smashed potatoes. You can also serve it with roasted veggies, like this Oven-Roasted Broccoli or this amazing Pan Fried Corn. For more ideas, check out this whole list of the best Roast Beef Sides.
Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The next day you can enjoy a hearty dinner all over again.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Get extra flavor by pouring the broth in the skillet, scraping up the brown bits, then adding it to the slow cooker.
- Cook the meat until ultra-tender. It should easily fall apart when prodded with a fork. If it is still a bit tough, keep cooking it.
- If you want a thicker gravy, dissolve 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the cream before adding it to the slow cooker.
📖 More slow cooker recipes
👋🏻 Connect with us!
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📋 Recipe
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Roast
Ingredients
- 3 lb tri-tip roast trimmed
- 2 tablespoon steak seasoning we like McCormick Steak Seasoning (affiliate), but any brand works
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 cups beef broth or beef bouillon dissolved in 2 cups of hot water
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of trimmed tri-tip with steak seasoning.3 lb tri-tip roast, 2 tablespoon steak seasoning
- In a large skillet over med-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear on side of tri-tip for 4-5 minutes. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil, flip the meat, and sear on other side for another 4-5 minutes.2 tablespoon oil
- Place seared tri-tip in a 6 qt slow cooker. Pour the beef broth into the hot skillet and scrape up the seared bits with a spatula. Pour broth into the slow cooker.2 cups beef broth
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Start checking it at 6 hours. When prodded with a fork, it should fall apart easily. If it is still a bit tough, continue cooking for up to 8 hours.
- Once very tender, use two forks to shred the meat right in the slow cooker. Add cream and cook on high for 30 minutes with the lid partially removed (this will allow steam to escape so the sauce can thicken slightly).3 tablespoon heavy cream
- We love comments! Please come back and leave us one after you’ve tried this recipe.
Notes
- Get extra flavor by pouring the broth in the skillet, scraping up the brown bits, then adding it to the slow cooker.
- Cook the meat until ultra-tender. It should easily fall apart when prodded with a fork. If it is still a bit tough, keep cooking it.
- If you want a thicker gravy, dissolve 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the cream before adding it to the slow cooker.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Christine Dawn says
No one from Santa Maria is going to make try tip like this. It normally is barbecued on an oak fire and served medium rare to medium.
Brittney says
Spent all day smelling this tri-tip cook in the crockpot & it was most definitely worth the wait! Such a simple, easy & delicious dinner. Instead of adding the heavy cream directly to the crockpot (because we we couldn’t wait any longer) I took some of the broth & let it simmer in a small saucepan with the heavy cream & cornstarch mixture. I also did eyeball the seasoning & might have added a tad bit too much & this resulted in a saltier gravy than I’m sure the recipe was supposed to have. Next time I will be sure to follow measurements.
Misty says
The way it makes the whole house smell good is the BEST! Thank you so much for taking the time to share. We're glad you enjoyed it!
Carson says
This is one of the most delicious recipes I have ever made. Absolutely incredible how tender and tasty this turned out!!
Danielle says
Yay! So grateful that you took a moment to let us know!
Priscilla says
Thank you! I will try this!
Misty says
Enjoy!