Slow Cooker Tri-Tip Roast With Vegetables

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/6/23
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 7 hrs
Total: 7 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 servings

A triangular cut of meat from the bottom of the beef sirloin, the tri-tip roast generally ranges in size from about 1 1/2 to 3 pounds, perfect for cooking in a 6-quart slow cooker. In this recipe, the tri-tip roast is flavored with a savory chile-seasoned rub, which when left to marinate for at least 1 hour before cooking, develops a full-bodied flavor. The list of ingredients may seem long but relies heavily on pantry staples that you probably already have on hand.

You may not readily find a tri-tip at your local grocery store, since it often gets sacrificed to the ground beef packages, but specialty butchers, supermarkets, or warehouse clubs with higher volume meat counters usually recognize the value and sell it as a roast or cut into steaks. The comparatively low price tag and great flavor make it a worthwhile search. If you have difficulty finding a tri-tip roast, you can substitute it with a chuck arm, bottom round, or rump roast.

Thick slices of tri-tip roast with vegetables on a deep dinner plate next to a bowl with cooking liquids

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Ingredients

  • 1 (3-pound) tri-tip beef roast

For Rub:

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, optional

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

For Vegetables:

  • 2 to 2 1/2 pounds medium potatoes, quartered or cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks

  • 1 large onion, cut into wedges

  • 4 large carrots, quartered or halved lengthwise, and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

  • 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, or basil

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, optional

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup beef stock, preferably unsalted or low sodium

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for tri-tip roast with vegetables recipe gathered

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  2. In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the rub.

    Rub ingredients combined in a small bowl

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  3. Rub the tri-tip roast all over with the spice mixture.

    Tri-tip roast rubbed with spice mixture in a rectangular baking dish

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  4. Put the roast in a food storage bag. Leave it to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

    Roast with spice rub placed in a freezer bag

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  5. Cover the bottom of a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker insert with the potatoes, onion, and carrots. Drizzle the vegetables with the olive oil and add the parsley, rosemary, oregano or basil, dill (if using), salt, and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat.

    Vegetable chunks tossed in oil in the slow cooker

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  6. Position the tri-tip roast in the center on top of the vegetables. Add the beef stock.

    Tri-tip roast placed on top of vegetables in the slow cooker

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  7. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for about 3 hours. 

  8. Move the meat to a cutting board and slice it thinly against the grain. Serve the meat with the vegetables and any of the braising liquids that accumulated in the slow cooker. 

    Thick slices of tri-tip roast served over vegetables on a deep dinner plate

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  9. Enjoy.

Tips

  • You can substitute the tri-tip with a​ pot roast, but it may take up to several hours longer to cook it to a fork-tender state.
  • The grain of the meat may change directions on opposite ends of this cut, so look carefully before you start to carve it.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
494 Calories
20g Fat
48g Carbs
31g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 494
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 436mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 18%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 31g
Vitamin C 21mg 105%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 5mg 26%
Potassium 1519mg 32%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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