Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Roast (Only 4 Ingredients!)

A tri tip meal with green beans and mashed potatoes on a white plate with a fork.

5 from 8 votes

Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Roast (Only 4 Ingredients!)

This Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Roast is as easy as it gets - just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep! Then the slow cooker works its magic, turning it into a tender, flavorful dinner. The simple gravy comes together right in the crockpot, making this a cozy set-it-and-forget-it comfort food.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time8 15

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 433kcal

Author: Misty

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

Notes

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.

Storage

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Nutrition