How to Make the Best Tri Tip Roast in a Crock Pot

A slow cooker tri-tip roast is an easy way to make a healthy meal. Season the meat and prepare it in the slow cooker for six to eight hours on low and serve with your favorite vegetables. Put it together in the morning before you leave for work and come home to dinner.

According to Texas A&M University, the tri-tip roast is a sirloin primal cut. Its name comes from the triangle shape. You may also hear this cut referred to as a bottom sirloin roast or a triangle roast. It is a lean cut of beef. It may be hard to find, depending on where you live. You can always ask the store's butcher to order one for you.

What makes this a wonderful choice is it is versatile enough to prepare on the grill, roast, broil, bake, smoke or even cook in a water bath known as sous vide.

The USDA says a 3-ounce serving cooked, lean only with visible fat trimmed contains 188 calories, 11 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 22 grams of protein, 1.4 milligrams of iron and 4.1 milligrams of zinc.

According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, adult women need only 8 milligrams of zinc per day and men need 11 milligrams per day, so this goes a long way toward meeting your daily requirements.

Read more: 8 Mistakes You're Making With Your Slow Cooker — and How to Avoid Them

Crock-Pot tri-tip can be done in a variety of ways to suit your tastes. For the best results, you should sear the roast in a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the roast until browned, or approximately five minutes on each side.

Season with salt, pepper and any other desired seasonings. If desired, you can marinate the meat in a mixture of your choice for a few hours to overnight before searing the meat and placing it in the slow cooker.

Add liquid, such as beef broth, into the Crock-Pot tri-tip roast and cook on high for four hours, or low for six to eight hours.

Check the roast at its thickest point with a meat thermometer. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the beef roast is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, or medium-rare. Remove the Crock-Pot tri-tip roast from the cooking vessel and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Read more: 8 Deliciously Simple (and Healthy!) Slow Cooker Recipes

If you'd rather slow cook the tri-tip roast in the oven, you can roast it with ease. Dry rub it with your choice of seasonings, such as olive oil, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin for a sweet and smoky flavor.

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Place the seasoned tri-tip pot roast in the oven in a shallow roasting pan. Roast the meat for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 145 F. Tent the meat with foil and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

When ready to serve, slice against the grain, to help tenderize the meat. As you slice against the grain, you will need to change directions before getting to the end of the roast, so it's a good idea to treat it as two separate pieces. Serve with your favorite vegetables for a well-balanced meal. Use leftovers to make steak tacos or our Chilly Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches or Protein Steak Salad.