Santa Maria Tri-Tip

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If you know how to cook it — and more importantly, slice it — properly, this relatively inexpensive cut of meat can be incredibly juicy and tender.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Inactive time2 20

Total Time2 50

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beef, Steak, Tri-Tip

Servings: people

Calories: 282kcal

Cost: $25

Ingredients

2.5 lbs tri-tip steak
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup pesto (optional)

Instructions

Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and garlic powder all over the tri-tip: top, bottom, and sides. Let rest in the refrigerator for one hour, then take out and let it come to room temperature for another hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. While it's preheating, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place it on a rack in the middle of the oven.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet until hot, then place the tri-tip in the skillet. Sear until browned, about 4 minutes on the first side. Use a hamburger press or pot lid to push the meat into the pan to get an even sear.
Lift the tri-tip out of the pan, swirl the oil and juices to coat the pan again, then flip the tri-tip and sear, pressing down as before, until browned, about 3 minutes.
Remove the tri-tip from the skillet and place on the prepared pan in the oven. Roast for about 6-8 minutes per side, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 125-130° for medium rare. Remove from the oven and wrap with foil to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Try to wait until the last minute to slice the tri-tip. If you're bringing it to a party, see if you'll be able to slice it there. You can keep the tri-tip warm, wrapped in its foil and stored with towels in a dry cooler, for an hour or so.
See the note and diagram above about slicing.
When you're ready to slice the meat, remove the tri-tip from the foil, reserving any juice. Find where the grain changes direction, somewhere near the middle, and cut the tri-tip apart at that point. Then cut 1/4" slices against the grain on each part, cutting on the bias (i.e., at a slight diagonal).
Plate the slices and drizzle the reserved juice over the slices. It's great just on its own, or you could also serve some pesto or another favorite sauce to go with it.

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