Smoked Tri-Tip Birria on the Traeger

A Bold Twist on a Traditional Classic

If you love birria and you love BBQ, this recipe brings the best of both worlds together. We’re talking smoked tri-tip, bold consommé, and tacos so good they’ll never make it off the griddle. Try this Smoked Tri-Tip Birria on the Traeger right away!

A Next-Level Birria Taco Experience

Let’s get one thing straight: birria tacos already slap. But when you bring a marbled, gorgeous Snake River Farms tri-tip into the mix and let it ride low and slow on a Traeger, what you get is something unforgettable. This is my take on birria — not exactly traditional, but packed with deep flavor, smoky heat, and the kind of pull-apart tenderness that’ll make your tacos go viral.

This recipe follows the essence of birria — the spice, the consommé, the slow braise — but adds a BBQ soul to the process. We start with a dry rub and cold smoke session, followed by a quick sear in beef tallow, and finally a slow braise in a chile-loaded sauce until the beef breaks down into smoky shreds of pure joy. After that? We take it to the Traeger Flat Rock and press it into some of the best cheesy tacos you’ll ever make.

This one’s a showstopper. Let’s dive in on how to make Smoked Tri-Tip Birria on the Traeger.

What Is Birria?

At its heart, birria is a slow-cooked meat stew or taco filling that originated in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Traditionally made with goat meat, it’s evolved over time — particularly in the U.S. — to feature beef, lamb, or even chicken in some variations.

Birria gets its rich flavor from a base of dried chiles, aromatic spices, and slow braising, usually served as a stew or spooned into tacos with a side of consommé (that’s the rich, beefy broth it’s cooked in) for dipping.

The reason birria has become so iconic? That combination of tender meat and ultra-flavorful broth is impossible to resist.

What Makes a Traditional Birria?

A traditional birria starts with dried chiles like guajillo, ancho, and sometimes pasilla. These are toasted, rehydrated, and blended into a sauce that’s often cooked with garlic, onion, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, and bay leaves. It’s the ultimate depth of flavor.

The meat is then simmered in this sauce for hours, breaking down slowly until it’s so tender you can pull it apart with your fingers. It’s spicy, rich, aromatic, and full of soul. Classic birria is usually served with tortillas, lime, cilantro, chopped onions, and of course, that beautiful consommé.

In this version, we respect the bones of birria — but we flex Traeger firepower to make it bigger, smokier, and built for the backyard crowd.

Why I Used a Tri-Tip

I went with a tri-tip because, well, I love breaking the rules — especially when it makes the end result even better. A Snake River Farms tri-tip was the perfect choice for this cook. The fat marbling, the unique grain structure, and the way it takes on smoke all play a role in turning this into one of the juiciest, most flavorful birria tacos you’ll ever have.

Most birria recipes use tougher cuts like chuck roast or shank that need a long braise to tenderize. Tri-tip doesn’t need as much time, but when you smoke it first and then let it braise low and slow in that rich chile bath, it behaves like brisket — shreddable, moist, and full of character.

Plus, that bark you get from the initial Traeger smoke? That’s flavor you don’t get in a Dutch oven.

How to Build a Killer Birria on the Traeger

The process starts with seasoning your tri-tip generously. I hit mine with a solid dose of Bear & Burton’s W Sauce, which is like a punchy, American-style Worcestershire with a little funk and depth. Then I layered on Title Town Griller’s Champ’s Choice, a birria-inspired dry rub with that perfect combo of smoke, salt, and chile heat.

Let that sit for a bit so the rub hydrates and really adheres. You want that crust to form when it hits the Traeger — we’re building bark just like you would with a brisket.

Then, fire up the Traeger and bring it to 225°F. Place the tri-tip right on the grate and let it ride for a couple hours until the internal temp hits 160–165°F. That’s where the magic of smoke infusion stops and the transition to braising begins.

Once your tri-tip has a deep mahogany color and that bark is set, it’s time for a quick sear. I used beef tallow on the Traeger Flatrock griddle, but any cast iron skillet will work. You just want that quick blast of heat to lock in juices and caramelize the outside.

After that, it’s bath time.

Building the Birria Sauce

While your tri-tip smokes, prep your sauce. Toast your chiles — I used guajillo and ancho for smokiness and depth, plus a couple chipotles in adobo for heat and that vinegar punch. Rehydrate those chiles in hot water, then blend with garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, clove, a bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, and beef broth. The smell alone will have you ready to dip a taco.

Simmer everything together in a Dutch oven or cast iron pan until the flavors meld and the sauce darkens in color.

Once the sauce is ready and your tri-tip is seared, add the meat into the pot. Make sure the consommé covers the meat — or mostly covers it — and get it back on the Traeger. One step closer to Smoked Tri-Tip Birria on the Traeger.

Braise the whole thing at 300°F for about 2–3 hours until the tri-tip hits 202°F internal and shreds like warm butter. Yes, 202°F is the magic number for this one — that’s when collagen melts and the meat basically pulls itself apart.

Shredding the Tri-Tip

Let your tri-tip rest for at least 10–15 minutes before shredding. It helps keep the moisture locked in and makes handling easier.

When it’s ready, shred it into long strands and toss it back in the consommé. Let those strands soak up all that chile and fat and broth. You’ll be tempted to eat it straight out of the pot. I did. No shame.

Let’s Make Birria Tacos

Now comes the fun part. Dip your corn tortillas into the consommé and place them on a hot griddle or skillet. Add cheese — I used Oaxaca, but mozzarella works great too — then pile on some of that shredded birria.

Fold it, press it, and cook until crispy and golden on both sides. The cheese should melt into the meat, and the consommé should caramelize into the tortilla for that signature birria crunch.

Top with chopped white onion, cilantro, and serve with more consommé on the side for dipping. If you’re not dunking, you’re not doing it right. You won’t ever look back after digging into Smoked Tri-Tip Birria on the Traeger.

Leftovers? You’re Set.

Birria leftovers might be even better the next day. The meat continues to soak up the consommé, and the flavors deepen overnight. I like to store the meat and broth separately — it makes reheating easier and keeps everything fresh.

Here are a few creative ideas I’m working on for future posts:

Birria grilled cheese with consommé dipping sauce
Birria quesadillas with crispy cheese skirts
Birria tortas with pickled red onions and jalapeños
Birria nachos loaded with cheese, crema, and cilantro
Birria ramen with consommé broth and a soft egg on top
Birria pizza– wait till you try it!

Stay tuned — these recipes are coming soon to the blog.

In the meantime… some other recipes to try

Before we get those new birria recipes up to share, here are some favorite tri tip and taco recipes to recommend:

• Reverse seared tri tip with bourbon sauce
• Pinot noir marinated tri tip
• Tri tip smoked like a brisket
• Tri tip cheesesteaks
• There’s also a great recipe for tri tip and santa maria style salsa in my cookbook, which you can get here

Using Your Traeger to Its Full Potential

This cook takes full advantage of everything the Traeger brings to the table. The smoke setting infuses the tri-tip with a deep wood-fired flavor, while the induction burner or Traeger FlatRock griddle is perfect for high-heat searing. And once everything’s in the pot, the consistent temps and airflow of the Traeger make it ideal for braising without ever turning on your kitchen oven.

From bark to broth, this is Traeger versatility at its finest.

Final Thoughts

Birria is already one of the most crave-worthy dishes out there, but putting your own spin on it — especially with tools like a Traeger and a cut like Snake River Farms tri-tip — takes it to the next level. This version is rich, smoky, spicy, and full of character.

Whether you’re making tacos, tortas, or just spooning it straight from the pot, this Smoked Tri-Tip Birria on the Traeger is the kind of recipe that gets people talking.

Bookmark it, cook it, share it — and tag us when you do.

Call to Action

Want more birria-inspired content? Subscribe to the newsletter and follow us on Instagram to stay updated with the latest smoked taco ideas, leftover recipes, and Flatrock griddle magic. Got questions or tweaks to share? Drop a comment below or DM me your version!