Grilled Santa Maria Tri-Tip Recipe

The town of Santa Maria, California, is famous for its delicious grilled tri-tip. Tri-tip is a great piece of beef for the grill, and this West Coast barbecue favorite makes a nice change of pace from the more common Texas or Southern barbecue recipes.

Serves 6 Portions of Santa Maria Barbecue Tri-Tip

Prep Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

· 2 to 2 1/2 lb beef tri-tip roast

· 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper

· 2 teaspoons salt

· 1/2 tablespoon paprika

· 1 teaspoon garlic powder

· 1 teaspoon onion powder

· 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

· 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

· 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

· 1/3 cup red wine vinegar

· 1/3 cup vegetable oil

· 4 cloves crushed garlic

Preparation:

Combine the black pepper, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub on to all surfaces of the tri-tip. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove and let sit out for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Add the Dijon, vinegar, vegetable oil, and crushed garlic to a jar with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified.

Prepare your charcoal or gas barbecue grill. Place the tri-tip on the grill and brush with the oil and vinegar mixture. Turn every 3-4 minutes, basting generously each time. Grill for 25-30 minutes for medium-rare (internal temp of 135 degrees F.). The outside of the roast will get very dark and develop a charred crust, this is desired and one of the signature characteristics of this barbecue recipe.

Remove the tri-tip from the grill to a large platter. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing in 1/4" thick pieces across the grain. Serve as you would any barbecued beef, but in California this is often served with tortillas and salsa.