Weekend Barbecue: Try Tri-Tip
Got a weekend barbecue coming up? May I suggest you grill a tri-tip or two.
I was introduced to this versatile cut of beef when I moved to Bakersfield, California in 1986. I decided to try grilling it after marinating it because the butcher told me it can be tough or chewy if you don’t marinate it or smoke it low and slow. I couldn’t afford the time or expense of a smoker at the time, so I marinated it in Worcestershire Sauce and some other seasonings. To my surprise, it ended up being tender and very tasty.
Ever since then, whenever we host a backyard barbecue, radio station party, pool party, or during our team’s hockey tournament weekends, tri-tip is always on the menu.
Here’s my recipe for marinated and grilled tri-tip:
1 lg bottle of Worcestershire Sauce per tri-tip. If you have 4 tri-tip, get at least 4 bottles. If you want to make extra marinade for dousing the tri-tip while cooking, or for mixing with the sliced beef, get more, and increase all of the amounts listed below in a similar proportion.
1/2 cup of good red wine or sangria per tri-tip
2 tablespoons of Frank’s Red Hot per tri-tip
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar per tri-tip
1 teaspoon lemon juice per tri-tip
1 pinch of red pepper flakes per tri-tip
1/4 tsp of seasoning salt or garlic salt per tri-tip
At this point, the marinade will taste spicy and acidic. I usually then add sugar to make it taste a little more palatable. Add to your liking, but I would estimate about an 1/8 cup per tri-tip. Four 4 tri-tip, maybe 1/2 a cup or so. Maybe start with half a cup, then add more if necessary. You don’t want it to be too sweet.
Trim as much excess fat and silver skin off of each tri-tip as you desire. Place the tri-tips in jumbo plastic bags or a plastic container and cover liberally with the liquid marinade. Refrigerate in marinade for 24-48 hours for best results. I’ve left it in the marinade longer than that and it has come out just fine. Make sure to rotate the meat in the marinade so all surfaces are covered for equal amounts of time.
I use a hot grill to get a good char on the outside of the tri-tips. After each side of the meat has been seared, it is ok to douse the meat in EXTRA (non-contaminated) marinade to keep meat moist while cooking.
Four tri-tip grilling.
I usually cook to just under medium rare, then put in a covered aluminum roasting pan, on a grate so the meat doesn’t sit in its own juices. Sprinkle your favorite “Cajun Seasoning” onto both sides of the tri-tips.
Let the meat rest like this for at least 15 minutes, even longer is better. Always slice meat against the grain. Return the sliced meat to the roasting pan and mix with drippings. Add extra (non-contaminated) marinade if you like, although that’s not necessary.
Four grilled tri-tip, with cajun seasoning, resting.
Enjoy!
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Larry Martino is the long-time Afternoon Drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ – Las Vegas. After programming top-rated radio stations in cities like Bakersfield, CA, Nashville, TN, and Riverside / San Bernardino, CA, he and his family decided to plant roots here in Las Vegas in 1994. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.
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