Take 5 Friday----

Relax, just 5 ingredients, and you've got a great main course for dinner-and no it's not our buddy the squirrel for dinner---I don't live in the South! 

 

Tri-Tip is a cut of sirloin, sometimes called triangle sirloin that is delicious when rubbed with your favorite barbecue rub and then grilled over indirect heat.  You can also make it in the oven, but the crispy singed bits from the grill are my favorite.  If you can't get a tri-tip then any cut of sirloin will do, cut about 2 to 3-inches thick. 

 

 

 

 

You can make your own rub, or you can buy your favorite--we are very fond of Big Bob Gibson's Red Rub in our house!  I add a bit of brown sugar to Big Bob's and that gives the tri-tip a nice caramelized crust. 

 

Once the meat is rubbed, bag it in a zip-loc for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

 

If you have a gas grill, light all the burners to preheat, then turn off the two interior burners, and leave the two outside burners on high to medium high (all grills are different, so experiment a bit) 

Let the meat come to room temperature for about 30 to 45 minutes, and the place it over indirect heat on your barbecue grill for 30 to 45 minutes, until an instant read meat thermometer registers 135.

  

Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin slices. 



 

 

Tri-Tip on the Grill or in the Oven

Serves 4 to 6

One 2 1/2 to 3 pound tri-tip sirloin
3 tablespoons barbecue rub (see below)
3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

 

1. Combine the barbecue rub, and sugar, and rub the mixture into the meat. Store the meat in a zipper-top plastic bag in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours 
2. Allow the meat to come to room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. 
3. Preheat the gas grill for 10 minutes, or light a charcoal fire and let burn until the coals have white ash.  Separate the coals, and put a drip pan under the center of the grill, or turn off the middle burners of the grill, and leave the outer burners at high or medium high. 
4. Lay the meat fat side down in the center of the grill, and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 135 degrees. 
5. Remove from the grill and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin slices.  This meat should be cooked medium rare--or medium, any more and it will become tough.

 Cooks' Note:  If you would like to make this in the oven, preheat the oven to 300 degrees and cook until the meat thermometer registers 135 degrees. 

All-purpose Barbecue rub for beef, lamb or pork

Makes almost 1/3 cup

1 tablespoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon onion salt

Stir together all the ingredients, and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. 

 

 

Have a great weekend everyone!