My friend Leslie makes the most delicious barbecue tri tip sandwiches. Mike drools over them. I think they are great, but I can keep it in check, jeez Mike. I asked her for the recipe, and it was so easy – two pounds of tri tip roast and a bottle of BBQ sauce thrown into a crock pot and cooked on low for eight hours. That’s the kind of cooking I can really get behind. I’ve made it a handful of times, but for some reason I wanted to mix it up this week. Friends, I made my own barbecue sauce. I look in the mirror and I don’t even recognize myself. What is this cooking challenge doing to me?!?!
Crock Pot Tri Tip With Homemade BBQ Sauce
You need:
2 lbs Tri Tip Roast
2 cups ketchup
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon minced garlic, dried
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (not pictured because I forgot about it)
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
Add all the ingredients (except the meat) to a saucepan.
Stir all the ingredients over medium-high heat. You should definitely taste the sauce as you cook it, adding more of certain flavors. This is when we realized Liquid Smoke would be a good ingredient to add. The most surprising thing? I HAD LIQUID SMOKE. I am still shaking my head over that. My mom and Mike and I tasted the sauce several times until we got it exactly how we wanted it. We then cooked it right until it started to bubble.
Add your meat to the slow cooker. I should say here that this sauce works on any meat – I’m sure it would be delicious with chicken or pork. Mmmmm….pork.
Pour the hot BBQ sauce right over the meat.
Set your crock pot and start it. I cooked this for four hours on high, but you can also do eight hours on low. Or six hours on medium? I don’t know, that’s advanced math.
After your cook time is up, shred the meat. I let it sit in the crock pot, post-shred, for an additional 20 minutes.
We only had hamburger buns, but this would taste really good on a regular sandwich roll. Or plain. I ate it plain. Bread just wastes space in my stomach that could be used by delicious tri tip.
As you may or may not remember, my dad is a tri tip eating champion. So he had to be in on the taste test. Mike was off-camera, drooling. It wasn’t becoming.
They loved it! My dad had…several…helpings.
Even Annie loved it!
The sauce really turned out so well that next time I make this, I’m going to get really crazy and use tomato paste instead of ketchup. WHO AM I AND WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH HEATHER?!
Any questions? Let me know. Enjoy!
- 2 lbs Tri Tip Roast
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1¼ cups water
- ½ cup worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic, dried
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- Mix ketchup, water, worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, sugar, liquid smoke, and vinegar in a sauce pan and cook until sauce just starts to boil.
- Put meat in slow cooker, then pour the barbecue sauce on top.
- Cook on high heat for four hours (or low heat for eight hours).
- Shred meat before serving.
Ashlea says:
Loving all of the recipes!! I have had so much fun trying all of these out. Keep them coming please!!
Kristen says:
I love how your parents drink milk! Everyone thinks I’m weird because I drink milk – A LOT of milk. My family/friends only use it it cook with or in cereal, but I drink it. Glad your ‘rents do, too – Now I know I’m not crazy!
Oh – and the food looks good, too!
Brandi says:
Kristen, we drink a lot of milk too. There are 5 of us (3 kids, ages 7 & 3), and we get 7 gallons delivered a week. I’m so glad to know we’re not the only freaky milk drinkers.
Kate says:
I used to drink milk like it was the only liquid in the universe. My parents stopped buying milk when I moved out because nobody drank it anymore and it’d just go bad!
But then, in my early 20s, I developed a lactose intolerance. Now, I am selective with my milk intake…and drink more soy milk than anyone probably should!
Lisa says:
Looks awesome!
I have to saw, I LOVE that your Dad is wearing the same shirt as in the video!!
beth says:
what is liquid smoke?
Ashley says:
This sounds amazing! I’ve made my own BBQ sauce for chicken in the crock pot, but I’ll definitely try this recipe with the beef.
Me says:
I got my grocery list right here, right this minute, and I’m going to write down 2 lbs of tri-tip and some liquid smoke. Surprisingly, I already have the rest. Thanks!
beth says:
what is liquid smoke????
Susan says:
A liquid seasoning that gives food a pleasant smoky quality.
beth says:
can u give me an example?
like misquete?
Whitney says:
I too have been trying my hand at some new recipes, so I thought I would share my favorite homemade BBQ sauce. I have used it for ribs, but I imagine it would be just as good with pulled pork/beef/chicken. You can’t beat anything that calls for 1/4 cup of rum!
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup chile sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 dash ground black pepper
cynthia says:
crockpots are DA BOMB. looks yummy!!
Pam L. says:
Heather, that looks delicious!
Not to be bossy, but to be sort of bossy anyways…I’m hoping that the photo of the crockpot cooking/sitting on the island was just for photo op and that you don’t leave it there to cook for the duration of time needed (I couldn’t see your cord)…I feel the need to mention it because we have a family friend that experienced a horrible cooking accident when using their rice cooker on their island (plug was on one of the outside walls) and their two year old son pulled on the dangling cord and the boiling hot water and rice fell on his face, neck and chest causing serious burns and a long, long recuperation, permanent scars. So sad and yet was preventable, I mention it only to help another family not have to go through their kind of pain.
GingerB says:
I will definitely try because the last time I tried to roast a tri-tip in the oven I exploded a Pyrex pan. Things can only go up fromm there . . . but can I just use a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s?
isabella057 says:
Thanks for this mouth-watering recipe! Looks so yummy! I love to do this at home too! I’m sure my family will love this and they will be looking for this all the time!
Bianca S says:
Sounds delish! I’ll have to try to find some liquid smoke or equivalent. And what is tri tip? As in the actual name of the cut of meat? I have NO clue how I would ask for that here. Drooling nonetheless.
Sara says:
First of all, I’m totally salivating over your recipe AND your all-clad crockpot.
And second, I will be trying this…only tri-tip is hard to come in Northwest Ohio. The only kind I found was prepackaged and at Costco. I miss California.
Meyli says:
That looks and sounds delicious o.O
When I get my own place the first thing I’m buying is a crockpot!
Kelly says:
My mouth is watering right now. FOR REALZ. This looks awesome.
I love the picture of your parents giving the thumbs up. Your family is so cute.
Jenny says:
Blame your new adventurous cooking on Pinterest. Or just acknowledge that you are showing some mad kitchen skills. Woot!
Leslie King says:
That gorgeous kitchen would inspire much more cooking from me too!
CJ says:
Once again you had me running to the store at midnight to get groceries!
I also added a yellow onion. I made the sauce the night before and let it sit overnight. My kids are not fans of onion so I strained the BBQ before I added it to the meat.
I am funny about the texture of meat so I ground up the meat after it cooked and made more of a chopped beef sandwich!
This was a HUGE hit with my son and his teenage friends!
Keep the recipes coming! Thanks!
AmyT says:
Sounds delicious Heather.
Just FYI….I’m from the south and have never heard of tri tip before so I asked my butcher about it today and he said it he didn’t have any as it’s a “California thing”. He had some top cut sirloin that he said was similar.
Becca_Masters says:
yummy!!! must try that!! i also put some maple syrup and soy sauce in my homemade bbq sauce. so good!!!
Jackie says:
Looks lovely! I do something similar with pork, but hadn’t thought of a beef option! Thanks!
Shannon says:
Yummy! These look great…almost like a brisket sammich..to us Texas gals. Annie looks super cute in her pic too!
Nick says:
Just found your site. Your web-site is really cool and informative. We’re going to have to try your recipe as we’re big BBQ fans. The picture of two thumbs up really adds a personal touch. Nice job!
Becki says:
If you have to cook it longer, say 10 hours?, does it continue to soften? or does it toughen up? LOL .
Heather says:
I don’t think there is danger of overcooking…I think most crock pots switch to a very low-heat warming mode after 8 hours. So if you have to go longer, it should be fine!
Becki says:
Ok. Trying this Wednesday . .but using cheater sauce . .this sounds GOOD.
Melanie B says:
It actually pains me to read that you used tri tip for a crock pot recipe but, I digress. I do this with cheaper roasts and either use BBQ sauce or a bottled green salsa. Slow cooking a beef or pork roast with green salsa is heaven. All the ingredients are in the jar and it make the meat really tender and so good thrown in a tortilla with fixings!
Angie says:
Rather random question, I live in South adfrica and have never heard of Tri Trip – exactly what is it? We made the sauce over the weekend and used it on our steaks that we “braai” (aka bbq). It was great thanks
Mike says:
Hi Angie!
Glad you liked the sauce! Tri-tip is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin. It can be found throughout Europe and most of America, but it is most popular in California! In fact, Tri-tip is often called “Santa Maria barbecue” after the California city it first gained its popularity.
CJ says:
I have to thank you again for this recipe. I just made it for a second time in a week! With two teenage boys and all their friends who eat here, it was a HUGE hit and economical to make!
Theriz26 says:
I have never tried this kind of Homemade BBQ Sauce. But i would love to give this a try. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Love it!
Becki says:
Tried it Leslies way and it was PERFECT (after I added 1 T of brown sugar to cut the tartness of the bottle BBQ sauce)
Hubby and daughter INHALED it.
This is now going to be made often. THANKS!
Helen says:
I made your Crock Pot Tri Tip with BBQ sauce for a dozen young men and women who stopped by on their way headed to El Salvador, to do Christian mission work. The BBQ Tri Tip sandwiches were FANTASTIC to fill their stomachs before a long journey! Thank you for this amazing recipe! The pictures you provide really make it easy to follow the recipe!
Chrisie says:
My in laws are on their way from Florida to visit, this recipe is in the crock pot….I hope mine turns out as good as yours!
Tammy C says:
H-
Finally got around to trying this tonight — SO YUMMY! Possibly the best sauce I’ve ever tried. Thanks for sharing!!
lamboinoz says:
Living in Australia for 40 years, you can imagine how happy this 2nd generation Californian was when Costco opened in Sydney last year and carried tri-tip. Every time I went home, old high school friends had the inevitable barbeque featuring tri-tip and I always missed it down here. Well there are a couple of roasts in the freezer and it’s a crock-pot kind of day (it’s winter now) and last night, I made a big ole pot of barbeque sauce based on some bacon bones left over from yesterday’s pea soup (with, tomatoes, brown su… blah blah, same as you but with a few spices yours gets from ketchup like cloves, cinnamon, bay, pepper and no need for the liquid smoke thanks to the bones). I’ve only ever barbequed tri-tip where the trick is to cook it less so I was hoping to discover that it would be just as delicious cooked more. Thanks to you, the tip’s defrosting and the crock-pot’s in position. Cannot wait. Thank you. And to Beth, just search “liquid smoke” and the city/country you’re in – you’ll find out where to get it. Amy T, download a diagram of a cow showing where the tri-tip is and get your butcher to take up the initiative. He can put it in his window as “California tri-tip” or something and I bet he’ll sell out. Or get some beef short ribs, even chuck or any cheap stewing cut and this is going to work.
Christina says:
Heather, you have no idea how many times I’ve used this recipe. I have this page bookmarked so I can use your recipe for the sauce. We use pork as the meat and let me tell you, it goes fast here at my house with a husband and two teenagers. I’m making it tonight, in fact. Just wanted to say thank you for all of the good recipe ideas!
Mary says:
This looks great! Thanks so much for sharing!! I love the way you did the pictures with the captions. Please post more!
Carolyn says:
Thank you for such a great recipe. I made it yesterday for a neighborhood gathering & everyone enjoyed perfect bbq sandwiches! So glad I came across your site and will keep coming back for more
eva says:
i want to make a pre seasoned tri tip in a crock pot, any ideas how i can do this without bbq sauce? thank u!
Heather says:
I’ve never done this, but I found a few suggestions when I looked on Google!
eva says:
i want to make a pre seasoned tri tip in a crock pot, any ideas how i can do this without bbq sauce? thank u!
deonna says:
This was a wonderful recipe! We added smoked paprika and chipotle chili powder. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Stacy says:
I would like to try this recipe this sunday. Now I know tri tip is always better when you marinate it. Do you recommend any ways to marinate it or can I use this delicious sounding sauce? (And shockingly I have liquid smoke too lol)
Pamela says:
So thankful I found your recipe for the BBQ Tri Tip. It was amazing and so simple. We have a new fav to add tour our list. Thanks again and God bless