Air fryer tri tip medium rare may be the best thing I have ever made in my Ninja Foodi or Cosori! Tender with a sweet and savory tri tip dry rub, you have to try this recipe!
I must say that this air fryer tri tip with our special seasonings may be our favorite dinner ever! A high protein easy air fryer recipe that will blow your minds. Pair this with vegetables or rice for a healthy dinner everyone will love. (affiliate links present)
2 Lb Tri Tip in an Air Fryer Recipe
What’s the secret to making this and our Instant Pot tri tip out of this world? It is a version of our dry rub recipe we shared with y’all a few months ago. This time we toned down the sugar so it wouldn’t burn too quickly and it worked like a charm. You can kick it up with more heat if you like or leave it as is as wonderful as it is.
in Ninja Foodi
As a Ninja Foodi recipe you can choose both methods and see which is your favorite. Using the lid that is attached you can follow the directions below. With the other you can follow the link above.
Ok so this is not a cut, like air fryer roast, you want to overdo meaning pink is key. Even if you typically like well done steaks (like me) you do NOT want to cook this too long.
Tips
First thing to remember is to take out sirloin tip roast about an hour earlier so it is closer to room temperature.
Stick to 1-2 pounds total, that is perfect. Like I said, this size will feed 4-5 people comfortably. It is always best once it rests. You can save leftovers but it is never the same as day 1 after it sits in the fridge and reheated.
Let’s talk about this dry rub. It’s a combination of savory flavors like garlic, paprika and chili powder combined with the sweetness of brown sugar. Normally I use 1/2 c. but this time used 1/4 cup instead. Adjust to your own tastebuds though before coating.
Remember though that the coating will caramelize quickly. I thought I needed to minimize the sugar to give the inside time to get to the correct internal meat temperature. If you’re cooking it another way, like dutch oven tri tip you wouldn’t need to worry about this aspect.
You want everyone to get some with their cuts of meat because that is where all the wonderful flavors are. Ready for the best air fryer beef recipes under 30 minute dinner your family will rave over, this is one of our faves.
How to Cook Air Fryer Tri Tip Medium Rare
You want to make sure you spray the inside with olive oil spray so it doesn’t stick. Preheat air fryer basket to 400 degrees F high heat before you add the meat so it is hot the whole time it is cooking. Rub in dry rub on the top and bottom well. Lift up and allow excess to fall off. Place meat inside with fat pad on top.
Air fry, then flip to the other side ideally for best results and cook the rest of the time. Then rest, do not open the drawer for 15 minutes when timing is up. This will give it time to rest as well as continue cooking in the hot heat.
What temp should I cook tri tip?
It is always best to check your cut of beef lifted up a bit so it isn’t still directly against the heat. If not your thermometer won’t give you a totally accurate read.
- 135 F = rare
- 140 F = medium rare
- 145 F = medium
Remember that beef should always rest for at least 10 minutes and in that time the internal temperature will increase almost 10 degrees higher.
There is a printable recipe at the bottom of this post but here is a quick step by step of getting this tender inside with a bit of crisp. Yes we loved our how to cook tri tip in oven too but the texture is different with every cooking method so you should try them all.
Serve with French fries, salad, and maybe some air fryer vegetables and you’re set. OH wait….don’t forget to slice against the grain!!
Air Fryer Tri Tip
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 1 Bowl to mix seasonings
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs tri tip
- 1/4 c brown sugar
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
Instructions
- Mix together dry rub ingredients in a bowl. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
- Lay tri tip on cutting board and rub in mixture on the top and bottom well. Lift up and allow excess to fall off.
- Spray inside of air fryer basket with non stick spray and place meat inside with fat pad on top.
- Cook for 8 minutes, flip and cook another 8. Then do not open the drawer for 10 minutes. This will yield a medium rare in the center result, ends will not really have any pink so you'll have a variety of doneness for everyone to choose from.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It doesn’t really matter where you buy it. When determining a cook time, first decide how you’re going to make it. In an air fryer it is about 7 minutes per pound, depending on how well done you want it.
