Tri Tip

Santa Maria-Style BBQ Tri-Tip

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 beef tri-tip, preferably with some fat on one side (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2 cups red oak chips, soaked in water for at least 2 hours, such as Susy Q's Brand
• Santa Maria Pinquito Bean Relish, recipe follows
• Tomato Relish, recipe follows
• Grilled French Bread, recipe follows

Directions
In a small bowl, mix the granulated garlic, salt and pepper together and rub all over and into the meat. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature.

Prepare a charcoal grill for direct and indirect medium-high heat. Add the chips about 30 minutes before grilling the beef.

Setthe tri-tip over direct heat, fat-side up, and sear until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Flip over and sear other side.

Move the tri-tip over the indirect-heat area, cover and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130 degrees F, 20 to 30 minutes.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest at least 15 minutes. Slice the meat across the grain. Serve with Santa Maria Pinquito Bean Relish, Tomato Relish and Grilled French Bread.

Santa Maria Pinquito Bean Relish:

• 8 ounces slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 poblano chile, finely diced
• 1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced
• 2 cans pinquito or pinto beans, drained, rinsed and drained again
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add the poblano and onions to the bacon fat in the pan and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beans and bacon and cook until warmed through. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put into a serving bowl and top with cilantro or parsley leaves.

Tomato Relish:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste with some salt
• 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, finely diced
• 1/2 small red onion, finely diced

Preheat the grill for high direct heat.

Toss the tomatoes with the canola oil, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a grill basket. Grill, tossing once or twice, until charred on all sides. Remove the tomatoes to another bowl. Add the parsley or cilantro, olive oil, garlic paste, chiles and onions. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Grilled French Bread:

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 loaf French bread, split lengthwise
• Olive or canola oil, for brushing
• Handful fresh parsley leaves, for garnishing

Mash the butter, garlic and some salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle.

Brush the cut side of the bread lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the bread, cut-side down, until golden brown. Flip over and continue cooking for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the grill, slather with the garlic butter and cut each half into 4 pieces. Put the pieces on a platter and scatter parsley leaves over the top.

Tri-Tip Picanha Roast with Charred Cherry Tomatoes and Onions

Ingredients

• 5 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (2 to 3-pound) picanha tri-tip roast, fat trimmed and connective tissue removed
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen pearl onions, thawed
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place the garlic cloves on a cutting board. Slice the cloves in half lengthwise and then smash with the side of a chef's knife. Sprinkle the salt over the garlic and chop and smear the garlic against the cutting board until it makes a paste. (This can also be done using a mortar pestle; smash the garlic halves before placing them in the mortar.) Put the garlic paste in a small bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

Put the meat in a baking pan and prick it all over with a fork or metal skewer. Evenly rub the garlic paste on the meat. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scrape as much of the garlic paste off the meat as possible so it does not burn in the oven.

Heat a large oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Pour in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and sear the beef until browned on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook the roast for about 35 minutes for medium and up to 45 minutes for medium-well. (remember that the roast will continue to cook while resting outside of the oven, so it's best to remove the roast from the oven when it's slightly underdone). Check the color of the roast by making a small slit in the thickest part to check the color (remember that the meat on the edges of the roast will be more well done) or use a digital thermometer to check its temperature (128 to 129 degrees F for medium-rare). Remove the roast from the oven, cover with foil, and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

While the roast rests, preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Alternately thread the cherry tomatoes and pearl onions onto wood or metal skewers. (If using an outdoor grill, soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.) Brush the tomatoes and onions with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay the vegetable skewers on the grill pan and char on both sides. Serve on a platter alongside the sliced beef.

*Note: If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the roast fat side up to a roasting pan and follow the recipe instructions as described above.

6 Hour Tri-tip Marinade

Ingredients

• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup soybean oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup black pepper
• 1/2 cup garlic salt (recommended: Lawry's)
• 1/2 cup chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped dried onions
• 2 (4-pound) tri-tips, trimmed

Directions
To make the marinade, mix all of the ingredients except for the beef in a large mixing bowl. Place the trimmed tri-tips in a plastic container and pour the marinade over. Let stand in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
Heat grill to medium temperature.

Place tri-tips on grill at a 45 degree angle to establish grill marks and cook about 35 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness. Remove the tri-tips from the grill and let rest about 2 to 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with your favorite side dishes