Description
A crusty, garlicky, juicy steak. What more could you ask for? Pair this with my pinquito beans and salsa recipes for an authentic Santa Maria barbecue experience.
Ingredients
- 1 beef tri-tip roast (about 2 pounds)
- Garlic salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Generously season the tri-tip with garlic salt and black pepper. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. If in a pinch, you can just season the tri-tip before grilling, but try to do so as far in advance as possible.
- Prepare your grill for medium heat. Ideally, you’ll be using wood chunks or logs, but you can use a mix of lump charcoal and wood chunks if that is easier for your setup. Once the wood has burned down to red-hot coals, you are ready to cook (see notes for a gas grill setup).
- Grill the tri-tip, flipping every couple of minutes or so until the thickest part of the meat registers 125°F for medium rare, about 20 minutes. The tri-tip should start to develop a beautiful deep brown crust all over. Remove the tri-tip to a wire rack set in a sheet pan, tent lightly with foil, and let rest for 5-10 minutes. The tri-tip should inch up into the perfect medium rare range (130-135°F) while resting.
- Thinly slice the tri-tip against the grain on a slight bias. This can be tricky because the grain in this cut changes in the middle. You might find it easier to cut the tri-tip in half at its elbow (i.e., where it hinges) and then slice thinly against the grain.
- Lay the slices on a heated platter and let your guests help themselves to that beautiful beef you just cooked. I highly recommend pairing with the pinquito beans and salsa.
Notes
- Don’t fret if you only have a gas grill. Set up your grill for medium heat as usual. Then, take a handful of wood chips and wrap inside a foil packet. Punch a bunch of holes in the packet and set over a burner underneath the grill grate. This isn’t quite the same as cooking over live wood coals, but it will give you a bit of that smoky flavor you are looking for. Be sure to set the packet on the grill 10 minutes or so before you start grilling to give them a chance to start smoking.
Keywords: tri-tip, Santa Maria, barbecue, bbq, grilled