Alright, folks, let’s talk about something that’s been a total game-changer in my kitchen lately: cooking tri-tip in the air fryer. I’ve always been a fan of a good tri-tip, but let me tell you, this method takes it to a whole new level.
So, first things first, I grabbed a decent-sized tri-tip from the store. Nothing too fancy, just a regular cut that looked good. Then, I whipped up a simple marinade—you know, the usual suspects like olive oil, some herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Nothing groundbreaking, but it gets the job done.
I slathered that marinade all over the tri-tip and let it sit in the fridge. While it’s marinating, you can do other things. Ideally, the longer the better, but even 30 minutes works wonders. I’m all about that flavor soaking in.

While my tri-tip was getting all happy in the marinade, I preheated my air fryer. I set it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 200 Celsius for those using a different scale. You want that thing nice and hot.
Once the air fryer was ready, I took the tri-tip out of the fridge and placed it in the air fryer basket. No need to overcrowd it; just make sure it fits comfortably.
- Cook Time: About 15-20 minutes.
- Temperature: 400F (200C).
I popped the basket into the air fryer and let it do its thing for about 15 minutes. Then, I flipped the tri-tip over to make sure it cooked evenly on both sides. Another 5-10 minutes usually does the trick, depending on how thick your cut is and how done you like it.
Once it hit that sweet spot of medium-rare goodness, I pulled it out and let it rest for a few minutes. This is crucial, folks—don’t skip the resting! It lets those juices redistribute, making for a much more tender and flavorful bite.
Finally, I sliced into that beautiful piece of meat and served it up. And man, was it good. The air fryer gave it this amazing crust on the outside while keeping the inside all juicy and tender.
Seriously, if you haven’t tried cooking tri-tip in the air fryer yet, you’re missing out. It’s easy, it’s quick, and the results are phenomenal. Give it a shot and let me know how it turns out!