How to Reheat Tri Tip: 6 Methods to Choose From

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Tri tip is an excellent part of the bottom sirloin that you can grill or roast with ease. It sure is a party pleaser and a very famous dish in Southern California. In fact, cooking this triangle-shaped long meat strip on hot flame barbecue dates back to the early 1900s. It is called ¨aiguillette baronne¨ in France and ¨maminha¨ in Brazil.

There are many recipes that you can prepare using this special cut. After all, the meat itself has the right combination of tenderness and toughness, making it very delectable. It is also inexpensive.

Large size roasts usually make for delicious leftovers that you can enjoy the next day. Appetizing delicacies like roasted or grilled tri-tip are among the recipes that you don’t want to throw out. If you don’t know how to reheat tri tip, then you are missing a lot.

A reheated tri-tip is an excellent ingredient for other meals. For example, you can mix it with grilled veggies and make yourself some tasty fajita wraps. Some of the reheated leftovers can still be additives for sandwiches and salads. However, you should know the proper method of reheating tri-tips before you can enjoy these tasty quick-meals. Check out this guide to find out!

How to Reheat Tri Tip

Before we start, let me reveal some important tips first. Make sure you pay attention to the quality of the meat while shopping. Specifically, you should know that tri-tips are relatively tough pieces of meat. A lot of people tend to overheat them so that they can become tender. Now, there is no problem with this method. However, if you are planning to reheat the meat later on, then you should never make it too chewy in the first place.

Slow and indirect cooking is more applicable to this piece of meat, rather than bursting it through fire. That’s why frying it is not a good idea, and most people either grill or roast their tri-tips.  This is the best way to easily restore the quality of the meat when you reheat.

Similarly, reheating tri-tips should also involve careful moderation of heat. Use lower temperatures to prevent the meat from being mushy.

There are several different methods available for reheating tri-tips. Here are some of the most effective ones.

Method 1: Sous Vide

Don’t be intimidated by the classy French name given to this reheating method.  It is actually a very simple method if you have the time and equipment, but the results are far superior compared to all other cooking styles.

Specifically, sous vide is the art of sealing any ingredients in a vacuum-seal bag, and then heating it in the water at a certain temperature. Many see this as the savviest way of cooking food, as it does not cause any damage to the outer parts of the food at all.

This type of cooking and reheating was only available to Michelin restaurants in the past, but now even novice home cooks can attain the very same results with the convenient digital sous vide cookers.

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Sous vide is an excellent way to reheat tri-tips because the sealed bag protects the latter from being exposed to the heat of the water. In short, it is capable of curbing the chances of overheating down to zero.

Sous vide appliances are very versatile, and you can use them for various types of foods, not just meat. If you can invest in a home-grade model of this device, by all means, do so, it is totally worth it. But if you can’t, here is an alternative way to achieve similar results.

However, please note that using a digital sous vide cooker improves the quality and taste of the food significantly.

How to reheat tri tip in a Sous Vide

Step 1:

Put the tri-tip leftovers in a resealable food bag. Make sure that you expel as much air as you can out of the bag to prevent oxidation from taking place.

Step 2:

Place a wide saute pan on the stove. Next, set a stockpot above it. The purpose of this design is that the saucepan can mitigate the heat being transmitted to the pot. As a result, you can have better control on the temperature of the water. Once done, half-fill the pot with water.

Step 3:

Crank the stove to operate and set it to the medium-heat setting. Let the temperature of the water rise to up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit (if your tri-tips have been cooked to medium-rare). Set it to 140 degrees Fahrenheit if you have medium tri-tips. For well-done tri-tips, just increase the water temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. It would be great if you have an instant-read thermometer in this method to avoid the guessing game.

Step 4:

Let the water be heated for around 40 to 50 minutes. If the bag floats, just turn it around.

What are the Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking?

  • Sous vide is healthier
  • Provides hands off cooking
  • You cannot overcook
  • Makes inexpensive tough meats tenderer
  • Produces gourmet quality food
  • Energy efficient
  • Easy cleaning

Accessories to Use with Sous Vide Cookers

You can use your sous vide cookers with almost any pan, but if you get one of the special containers, then you will get even better results with your food. Keep in mind that you will also need sealable plastic bags in addition to the container.

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This is the perfect container to use with any sous vide cooker, including the Anova Nano. You can cook for longer hours, and you don’t even need to refill water. This is very beneficial when you are roasting large pieces of meat like tri-tip; feel free to cook overnight. No clamps necessary if you are going to use it with Anova. Please check with the manufacturer if you are planning to use this container with different sous vide cooker. The lid is made special to fit Anova Nano.

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Before you purchase any kind of food grade bag, make sure that it is BPA, and PVC free. These chemicals can severely make you sick in the long run. In general, sous vide bags are not reusable unless it is indicated on them as otherwise. However, these silicone sous vide bags can be used many times and can be washed in dishwasher. These bags have special vacuum system with one-way air flow valve. You don’t need to purchase any other vacuum machine.

Benefits:

  • Includes sealing clip
  • Easy lock
  • You can label your bag
  • Versatile
  • Includes 37 bags (3 different sizes)

These bags keep your food fresh for 5 times longer. Remove excess air with the included pump. You can also use these as freezer bags.

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Method 2: Oven

If for some reason, you cannot apply the sous vide approach, then the obvious route that you have now is reheating through the oven. Now, there is nothing wrong with this method. It is just that you need adequate control over the process to ensure that the meat won’t get dry and paltry. But once you can successfully execute the following steps, you can turn your tri-tips into brand new again!

How to reheat tri tip in the oven

Step 1:

Start by heating the oven into warm.

Step 2:

While doing so, wrap the tri-tips with an oven-safe aluminum foil. Next, put the foil-covered tri-tips on a lined sheet pan and shove it in inside the oven. Have the tri-tips be heated for around 30 to 40 minutes. You can add a 5-minute increment to ensure that all of the meat flesh have been heated thoroughly.

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You can use these aluminum foil pans with lids to reheat your tri-tip without losing its juices. The biggest mistake is to turn your tri tip roast chewy and tough while trying to reheat in the oven. These oven safe aluminum pans keep the moisture inside during reheating thanks to the lids. You can use them with confidence for temperatures of up to 500°F. Made out of thick gauge, and heavy-duty material. If you don’t want to use foil pans with lids, then you can also take a look at oven and freezer safe round aluminum foil pans to reheat the tri-tip.

At What Temperature Is Tri Tip Done?

Tri-tip is an inexpensive but very flavorful part of sirloin. It is a lean meat but has enough marble structure to provide a good balanced buttery taste. You should check the inner temperature of the tri-tip with a meat thermometer. Here are the suggested range according to various desired levels:

  • Rare tri-tip; 135°F
  • Medium rare tri-tip; 140°F
  • Medium tri-tip; 145°F
  • Well-done tri tip; 155°F

Make sure the tri-tip rests for about 15 minutes before you start slicing.

Method 3: Stove Top

Another practical method of reheating tri-tip is through your stove. You should try this method if you have cooking liquid like a gravy at your disposal.

How to reheat tri tip on stove

Step 1:

Pour around 1/2 cup of gravy into a saucepan. Heat it under medium-heat setting and wait until the gravy starts to get hot.

Step 2:

Place the leftover tri-tips in the saucepan. Cover the latter with a lid and wait for around 15 minutes before flipping the meat. The temperature that the gravy should have still depend on the meat that you have. For example, the liquid should be 130 degrees Fahrenheit if you are reheating medium-rare trips. The temperatures are actually similar to sous vide.

Method 4: Microwave

The microwave oven is the easiest method of reheating tri tip. All you need to do is add a source of moisture  before you reheat the tri tip inside the microwave.

Methods to Reheat Tri Tip in a Microwave

1. Make sure that the tri tip is well-wrapped or well-covered in your container.

Wrapping the meat in an oven-safe bag, foil or container can help ensure that the meat retains its flavor and juice.

2. The Wet Bread Bed Method

The wet ‘bread bed’ method is where you moisten a bread with broth or water before placing the meat on top of it. This will make sure that the steam that passes through the meat from the wet bread so it continues to maintain its juices.

Important things to remember when heating tri tip in a microwave

To ensure that your meat will retain its moisture and flavor, you can try these things:

  1. Add a source of moisture ( broth or water in a pan) inside the microwave with the meat.
  2. Flip the meat over while heating it in a microwave to ensure that the heat is spread evenly
  3. Use medium heat for a longer period of time to have the meat reheated evenly and safely.

Method 5: Crock Pot

Crock pot is a slow cooker that is used for simmering food at a low temperature. It has heat control that ranges from low-warm-high setting to heat or cook the food inside. The best setting for reheating is the warm setting.

How to reheat tri tip roast in a crock pot

Here are the steps to guide your way in reheating tri tip in a crock pot.

Step 1:

Plug in the crock pot  and set it to warm.

Step 2:

Place the leftover tri tip roast inside the crock pot and pour ½ cup water and ½ cup gravy over the roast. Make sure that the meat is at least submerged in this mixture.

Step 3:

Cover the crock pot and allow the roast to be reheated for 2~4 hours.

For this method, the amount of broth, water or gravy is essential for the meat to retain or gain moisture.  If you want your Tri tip to be a bit dryer, then reduce your water or remove the gravy.

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Method 6: Air Fryer

An air fryer is like a countertop convection oven. The air fryer has a fan and a heating device on top that will blow hot air below. The hot air will then rush down and surround the food making the food crispy without the use of too much oil.

Since the air fryer works like a mini convection oven, this means that there will be hot and fast air that will go around the tri tip. Make sure to reheat the tri tip quickly to avoid drying the food.

How to reheat tri tip in an air fryer?

Here are the steps in reheating tri tip in an air fryer:

Step 1:

Set the air fryer to 370°F degrees and pop your tri tip  onto the frying tray.

Step 2:

“Air Fry” your trip in three minute intervals until the temperature of the meat inside is around 110~130 °F. This temperature will ensure that the food is safe and that the meat is in a medium-rare to medium doneness.

Step 3:

Remove the tri tip from the frying tray. You don’t need to sear the meat again after removing it from the frying tray.

How to reheat smoked tri tip?

Smoked tri tip is a barbeque method that adds a good amount of perfect smoke flavor into the well-seasoned meat. You use a smoker to cook the tri tip slowly before searing it on high heat to lock in the juices. So what is the best way to reheat a smoked tri tip?

The best way to reheat  smoked tri-tips is through the oven method. All you need to do is wrap the smoked meat in an oven-safe foil before popping it in the oven.

Here are the steps to help you guide your way on reheating smoked tri tip:

Step 1:

Preheat the oven or the smoker to 225~250 °F

Step 2:

Wrap the smoked meat with ¼ cup of broth in an oven-safe foil tightly. Make sure that you only put ¼ liquid per pound of meat to make sure that the moisture will be kept. You also have to take note that you are not steaming the meat so the liquid that you added should be the right amount. .

Step 3:

Put the wrapped meat inside the oven and heat it for about 10~15 minutes. If you have more meat, make sure to add around 5~7 minutes per pound of meat added.

Step 4:

Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for 2 minutes before serving. Letting the meat rest would allow the meat to reabsorb the juices ensuring its juiciness and moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: How long should I reheat a tri-tip roast?

Reheating a tri-tip roast depends on the temperature of the meat. The fastest method of reheating tri tip is the stove-top method. It takes around  30 minutes to evenly reheat the meat on both sides. Sous vide method is the longest but  the most recommended to ensure  the flavor, texture and moisture is well preserved. Sous vide method  traps moisture inside a  ‘vacuum bag’ as it reheats it slowly in warm water   This can take anywhere from 5 minutes up to 6 hours

Q:  How long should I reheat tri tip using the sous vide method?

Sous vide is a method that cooks and warms the meat ‘under vacuum’ or in a vacuum sealed pouch in a water bath. It will take around 5 minutes to 6 hours depending on the thickness,  and the initial temperature of the meat. The thicker the meat, the longer it takes for you to perfectly reheat the meat. Similarly, the colder the meat, the longer it wil take to reheat. Increasing the size of meat by a pound will increase the reheating time by four times. You can check this table to have an idea how long to reheat your meat. .

Q: How do you reheat tri tip slices?

Tri tip slices will retain more moisture if reheated whole and unsliced. However, you could use the same method for  sliced tri tip too. Whether sliced or unsliced, it’s best to  wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and reheat it in the oven at 200 to 350F.

Q: How to reheat tri tip without drying out?

A: The best way to reheat tri tip without sacrificing its juices is to reheat it as a whole. In case you have sliced your tri-tips already,  don’t worry, you can still try any of these three methods.

  • Make sure that you reheat it for the right amount of time and temperature when using the sous vide method.
  • If you’re using the oven method, wrap the meat tightly in foil so that no moisture will escape from your meat.
  • Add your gravy or broth into the pan when using stove-top method so that your meat  retains the flavor and does not lose any moisture during the reheating process.

Q: How to reheat medium rare tri tip?

There are many ways of reheating medium rare tri tip but the best way to retain the juiciness and moisture of the meat is to make sure that there’s enough moisture while you are reheating. Although time consuming, the sous vide method  ensures that your medium-rare meat will still be juicy despite being reheated.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of ways on how to reheat tri tip. It is only up to you to decide which one of them do you can rejuvenate the original texture and taste of your meat. For me, I recommend that you should learn all these methods that I have featured. After all, a versatile cook always has the upper hand in the kitchen.

Now, do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions? If yes, then you can drop them in the box below. Of course, you can freely subscribe to my site to discover the latest updates to kitchen recipes, gadgets, and everything in between!

Last update on 2022-09-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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