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Apparently summer has arrived in Arizona, and I am celebrating with my favorite Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip!! If you do not live near California you may not have any idea what I am talking about, and worse, you might not be able to find this cut of beef in your local grocery store…I know this from first hand experience…..
I was devastated when I moved to Iowa and could not longer get my favorite Tri-Tip. It then became the first meal we would search for as soon as we crossed into the state of California on vacation, lol.
What is Tri-Tip?
“Tri-tip is a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin subprimal cut. It is a small triangular muscle, usually 1.5 to 2.5 pounds per side of beef.” The most famous version is the Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip, that was created on the Central Coast of Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara, California.
I first tried Tri-Tip when I moved to the central valley to go to college. All of my friends had grown up with this delicacy and I was more than happy to join in the fun! You can purchase pre-seasoned Tri-Tip roasts in just about every grocery store in Central California, or some of my friends would cheat and marinate their Tri-Tip in Italian dressing…which is just as delicious!
How to cook Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip:
Traditional Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip is grilled over coals of Red Oak, but I have a gas grill {and they don’t sell red oak here} so that is the first of many changes that I made. 😉
Mix seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside…..
The original recipe calls for pepper, salt, and garlic salt, but there are a million different variations. Some call for sage or oregano, but I chose to use tarragon and I love the results!
Place tri-tip roast on a foil lined baking sheet. Rub seasoning on all sides of tri-tip…..
Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for one hour.
Heat grill and lightly coat grate with olive oil. Place tri-tip on hot grill and sear both side, about 10 minutes each side…..
Continue cooking, keeping the temperature between 250 and 300 degrees, until cooked to desired doneness…..
Sometimes I get bored while waiting and take silly pictures. 🙂
Remove from grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving…..
The smoke coming off the grill smelled absolutely amazing! The tarragon adds a sweet, almost licorice aroma to the smoke that will have you drooling. 😉
Notes:
- Meat will continue cooking after you remove it from the grill…something that I keep forgetting.
- Rare – 120 degrees
- Medium-Rare – 130 degrees {that’s the one you want}
- Medium 140 degrees
This Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip was AMAZING!! Have I said that enough times yet? It took me back to those awesome summers from long ago that were filled with barbecues, boating on the lake, and the most delicious Tri-Tip Sandwiches…..
How to make Tri-Tip Sandwiches:
Sandwich rolls sliced in half.
Spread Garlic Aioli on the bottom of the roll.
Top with thinly sliced Tri-tip, slices of provolone cheese and your favorite barbecue sauce. Bourbon and Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce is my favorite!
perfect side dish recipes to serve with Tri-Tip:
Baked Parmesan-Garlic Bacon Potato Wedges
Instant Pot Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
Have you ever tried Tri-Tip? Have you ever heard of it?
Enjoy!!
Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip
Ingredients
Santa Maria Style Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 1/2 pound tri-tip roast
Instructions
- Mix seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
- Place tri-tip roast on a foil lined baking sheet. Rub seasoning on all side of tri-tip.
- Cover with foil and allow to sit at room temperature for one hour.
- Heat grill {I use gas} and lightly coat grate with olive oil.
- Place tri-tip on hot grill Fat Side Up and sear both side, about 10 minutes each side.
- Continue cooking, keeping the temperature between 250 and 300 degrees, until cooked to desired doneness.
- Remove from grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Thinly slice Tri-Tip and serve with your favorite sides or in sandwiches.
Notes
- Meat will continue cooking after you remove it from the grill…something that I keep forgetting.
- Rare – 120 degrees
- Medium-Rare – 130 degrees {that’s the one you want}
- Medium 140 degrees
My husband grew up in that area of California. Icoming from the east coast I didn’t know what tri-tip was until his mother cooked it for dinner the first time I visited. I am not able to get that cut at the local grocery stores. However, I found a stand-alone meat market in the next town over owned by a butcher, originally from California, who cuts it for me. Thanks for your recipe and the reminder that we need to get back to the meat market!
I am so glad that you can find tri-tip, Terry! Thank so much for stopping by. 🙂
Our Santa Maria home has always enjoyed tri-tip best when sliced as thin as possible. It just melts in your mouth. And that comes in handy if you have a griller who has a tendency to overcook the meat.