With Memorial Day weekend around the corner I thought I would post this recipe for Santa Maria Grilled Tri-Tip I made some time ago.
Tri-Tip is cut from the bottom sirloin. If cooked properly ( black-on-the-outside, pink-on-the-inside), it produces a very flavorful and juicy piece of beef.
There are numerous recipes available in California, and particularly on the central coast. We learned quickly after moving here this is “tri-tip country”!
Just a half-hour south of us is the town of Santa Maria, home to this delicious barbecue specialty.
While waiting for our home to be completed, and still living in a rental without a grill available, I purchased my first tri-tip, and roasted it in the oven. It was actually really delicious served alongside sautéed mushrooms. You can see the recipe for that one here.
But now that we are “Californians” I decided it was high time for us to grill one. The recipe I chose includes a dry rub as well as a wonderful marinade.
It is very flavorful and juicy and simply perfect for grilling outdoors! So consider this fantastic cut of beef for your holiday weekend as we welcome summer!
Santa Maria Grilled Tri-Tip Beef (Chef John, allrecipes.com)
Ingredients
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 and ½ teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (2 and ½ pound) beef tr-tip roast
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Directions
1. Stir salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, rosemary, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Place beef in a glass baking dish and coat beef on all sides with spice mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
2. Combine vinegar, vegetable oil, crushed garlic, and Dijon mustard together in a sealable container. Cover the container and shake to blend ingredients.
3. Remove beef from refrigerator, uncover, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
5. Place the meat on preheated grill and brush with garlic-vinegar mixture. Cook meat for 4 minutes, flip, and baste. Repeat the flip and baste process every 4 minutes until beef starts to firm and is reddish-pink and juicy in the center, 25 to 30 minutes total.
An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 130 degrees F. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
If you are making for a crowd, Costco sells 2 to a package.