Barbecued Tri-Tip Florentine Style

Hubby introduced me to the whole grilling up a Tri-Tip thing. Strange when you think about it because beautiful Santa Maria, California and not a small town in Wisconsin put Tri-Tip on the map in the first place. Or so it seems, depending upon which foodie folklore you subscribe to. Santa Maria, Oakland, Long Beach or Palm Springs. All these places claim to have put the grilled Tri-Tip on the culinary tongues of those who love barbecue. What do these places have in common? The golden state of California!

Santa Maria style Tri-Tip is so well known that even chefs such as Guy Fieri and Bobby Flay have their own take on the Santa Maria recipe. Guy’s centers around the cut of meat itself with plenty of garlic and a kiss of Achiote Oil. Bobby’s tri-tip is also rubbed with garlic for flavor, but his approach is filled with relishes and toasted breads.

The key to tri-tip is simple – get a nice blackened crust on the outside, while retaining a beautiful rosy-red interior. Medium-rare is best, retaining all the flavorful juices of this cut of beef. It’s all in the searing to seal in the flavor. Of all the big, brisket types of meats for grilling, Tri-Tip is our preferred choice. Once you’ve tasted the beefy goodness, I’m sure it will be a favorite in your house, too.

Tri-Tip Florentine Style
1 Beef Tri-Tip Roast, about 3 lbs
1 teaspoon fresh cracked Black Pepper
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
1/4 cup fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Lemons, zested
1/4 cup Olive Oil

Salt and pepper the tri-tip. Set aside.

Chop the rosemary and garlic, and zest the lemons. Combine on the cutting board with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and rough chop, creating a paste.

Rub this mixture all over the beef, and add the remaining olive oil to spread evenly over the roast.  Allow to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Build fire for direct and indirect cooking. Grill tri-tip over direct heat to sear about 6-8 minutes per side, and then move to the indirect portion of the grill. Cover and continue to grill. Start checking the internal temperature after 20 minutes. When tri-tip reaches 140 degrees F for medium rare, take it off and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Depending on the size of your roast this could take up to 45 minutes total cooking time.

Slice and serve with your favorite sides.