Marinated tri-tip offers up multiple meals
Growing up in Gilroy and working in Hollister now, I’ve tasted
quite a few good tri-tip sandwiches through the years. The Gilroy
Garlic Festival each July serves up pepper steaks covered in
sauteed bell peppers and onions. Then there is Mansmith’s at the
Hollister Farmer’s market (it reopens May 13 on Fifth Street) all
summer long and the Friday barbecue near Bertuccio’s year-round. In
the fall, there are tri-tip sandwiches sold by the booster clubs at
every football game.
It is so easy to get a good tri-tip sandwich around here anytime
of the year that we hardly ever cook one up at home. Recently,
though, when the cut was on sale at a local grocery store we
decided to pick up a couple and try cooking it at home.
Marinated tri-tip offers up multiple meals
Growing up in Gilroy and working in Hollister now, I’ve tasted quite a few good tri-tip sandwiches through the years. The Gilroy Garlic Festival each July serves up pepper steaks covered in sauteed bell peppers and onions. Then there is Mansmith’s at the Hollister Farmer’s market (it reopens May 13 on Fifth Street) all summer long and the Friday barbecue near Bertuccio’s year-round. In the fall, there are tri-tip sandwiches sold by the booster clubs at every football game.
It is so easy to get a good tri-tip sandwich around here anytime of the year that we hardly ever cook one up at home. Recently, though, when the cut was on sale at a local grocery store we decided to pick up a couple and try cooking it at home.
The first step to a good tri-tip is finding a good marinade. We found one featured on an episode of Bobby Flay, and even though it seemed like an odd mix of ingredients that incorporates sugar, tons of pepper, lemon juice and soy sauce with a few others ingredients, we decided to try it out. The second step to a good tri-tip is to cook it over medium heat and to cook it slowly so the outside doesn’t burn to a crisp while the inside is still undercooked. And last, always let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting it to keep all the juices from running out. We use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat is cooked to the desired doneness, which in my house is usually medium well or well done.
One of the great things about cooking up a couple of tri-tips is that there is plenty leftover for lunch the next day. We generally serve up a tri-tip with sweet corn and garlic bread, but mix it up by making sandwiches the next day with slices of tri-tip and grilled vegetables.
Below is the marinade that left the meat spicy and sweet, and most importantly kept it moist, and tips for grilling vegetables for the sandwiches.
Six-hour tri-tip marinade
Recipe courtesy of Deane Carr/Foodnetwork.com
1 c. lemon juice
1 c. soybean oil
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. black pepper
1/2 c. garlic salt (recommended: Lawry’s)
1/2 c. chopped garlic
1/2 c. chopped dried onions
2 (4-pound) tri-tips, trimmed
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.
Tri-tip sandwiches with grilled vegetables
2 to 3 tri-tip slices per sandwich
2 large carrots, sliced lengthwise at ¼ inch thick
2 bell peppers, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise at ¼-inch thick
1 summer squash, sliced lengthwise at ¼-inch thick
1 onion, cut into thick slices, with rings intact
4 slices Colby jack cheese
4 ciabatta rolls
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Mayonnaise and mustard
Slice vegetables and cut ciabatta rolls in half. Season vegetables with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and garlic powder. Let marinate for ½ an hour. Heat grill to medium heat. Place vegetables on grill. Cook squash, zucchini and bell peppers for two minutes per side and remove from heat. Cook carrots and onion for three minutes per side and remove. Toast ciabatta rolls on the grill.
Spread mayonnaise and mustard on the rolls and layer vegetables, tri-tip and cheese. Serve warm or cold for leftovers the next day.
