Perfect for a hearty lunch or delicious dinner, this Grilled Tri Tip Sandwich combines tender, juicy steak with melty cheese. This satisfying sandwich can be customized to your preference for the perfect handheld meal!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a small commission. Thank you! Read our disclosure policy here.
Hearty and comforting, this sandwich takes tasty grilled tri tip steak and turns it into a sandwich worth grilling for! Pair it with your favorite cheese and a basket of fries and you've got yourself a filling meal that's guaranteed to satisfy.
Why This Recipe Works
Aside from a few notable ingredients, odds are you have most of the seasonings for this dish already in your pantry. It uses a less expensive cut of beef for an accessible recipe that you can make any night of the week!
Serve alongside these Air Fryer Potato Wedges or this Cilantro Lime Coleslaw. The whole family will love this easy meal that's packed with savory, smoky flavors and thin strips of perfectly cooked steak. You might also like my Grilled Tri Tip with Onions and Peppers!
Ingredients Needed
- Tri tip steak: This affordable and boneless cut of steak is also known as a triangle steak, bottom sirloin steak, and sometimes a Santa Maria steak.
- Seasonings: Make a homemade seasoning rub with brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Salt and black pepper may also be necessary for some additional flavor.
- BBQ sauce: You can use your favorite jarred sauce or make my homemade bbq sauce!
- Pepper jack cheese: This mild cheese with a slight kick gets perfectly melty, or you can use your favorite cheese..
- Sandwich rolls: Use your rolls of choice to make the perfect sandwich.
How to Make this Grilled Tri Tip Sandwich
- Step 1: Combine all of the spices in a small bowl, then sprinkle over both sides of the tri-tip.
- Step 2: Place the steak in a large plastic bag and drizzle with olive oil. Keep it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results and the most flavor.
- Step 3: Before grilling, allow the steak to sit at room temperature for about half an hour. Heat a grill to medium-high heat, then add the steak and grill for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 4: Once you get a good sear on the steak, flip it and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on another side. Then move to indirect heat, cover, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Step 5: Remove the steak from the grill and allow the steak to sit for 15 minutes, then take a sharp knife and cut in thin strips against the grain.
- Step 6: Halve the rolls and place them under your oven broiler to toast, then add steak strips.
- Step 7: Add slices of cheese and broil for another minute or two, until melty.
- Step 8: Add BBQ sauce, add the other half of the roll, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Cooking time will change how done the steak is. Use a meat thermometer to check for the following internal temperature:
- 130-135 degrees: medium rare
- 135-145 degrees: medium
- 145-155 degrees: medium well
- For additional toppings, add some grilled onions, pickle slices or pickle chips, caramelized red onions, sauteed bell peppers, tomato slices, crisp lettuce, whole grain mustard, or horseradish.
- Pepper jack cheese is a great option for tri-tip sandwiches, but you could also use provolone cheese, cheddar cheese, or any cheese that will melt well under the broiler.
- Add a bit of sweetness to balance out all of the savory flavors by drizzling a bit of honey over the steak after it's finished cooking.
- Make sure you use a good bread for these steak sandwiches! A hoagie roll or ciabatta rolls are great starts for a good sandwich.
Recipe FAQ's
This lean and boneless cut of bottom sirloin steak is known for being particularly flavorful. It can be sold as the entire triangular cut, or cut into smaller steaks. Tri tip is also typically less expensive than other cuts of steak like ribeye or strip steak, which makes it a great option for a hearty and affordable meal.
Because tri-tip steaks can sometimes be on the tougher side, the best way to cut the steak is against the grain. To do this, pay attention to the natural lines that go through the meat. You'll want to cut perpendicular to these. The reason for this is that these lines are actually the muscle fibers of the meat, and if you cut them shorter, you'll end up with more tender pieces of steak that are easier to chew.
If you can't find a tri-tip you can use sirloin steak it comes from the same area and has comparable flavors. If the sirloin steak is thinner it will affect your grilling time so make sure to use a meat thermometer.
MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST FOR ALL MY LATEST RECIPES.
Grilled Tri Tip Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1-3 pound tri tip
- 1 Jar homemade bbq sauce or your favorite jarred
- 8 soft rolls
- 16 slices pepper jack cheese
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix all the spices together until combined.
- Place the tri-tip on a cutting board and sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the tri-tip.
- Place the tri tip in a large ziplock freezer bag or container and drizzle the olive oil over the seasoned beef. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for the best flavor.
- Remove the tri-tip from the refrigerator and place it on the counter to let come to room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Heat a grill on medium-high heat, and place the tri-tip over direct heat for 2-3 minutes to get a good sear. Flip the meat to sear the other side for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the tri-tip to indirect heat, cover the grill, and let it cook for 20-30 minutes or until it reaches desired doneness. 130°–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare or 135°–145°F (57–63°C) for medium.
- Remove it from the grill and place it on a cutting board to let rest for 15 minutes.
- Using a sharp knife cut thin slices against the grain. Season with extra salt if needed.
- Place your sandwich rolls on the grill or under a broiler to toast, place the sliced beef on top of one half followed by slices of cheese, and place back on the grill or under the broiler to melt.
- Once melted add bbq sauce and serve!
Notes
- Tri-tip can be a tougher cut of meat you need to make sure you cut thin slices against the grain.
- You can use whatever cheese you prefer.
So happy you enjoyed it Kimmy!
Made this recipe for dinner last night and it was a total hit! The steak was so tender and juicy, and the homemade seasoning rub was perfect. Loved the melty pepper jack cheese too. This sandwich is definitely a keeper - thanks for sharing!