Table Talk
California dreaming...
I moved to Colorado from California 27 years ago. There is a lot to love about California: the beach, the year-round flora, the magnificent landscapes, the climate, the abundance, the interesting people. And, of course, the food. California has made a name for itself in the food world--the wonderful Mexican food in East Los Angeles, the sourdough from San Francisco, the focus on fresh, local, ingredients, and Tri-tip from San Luis Obispo county. Although I have vacationed in and driven through this college town several times, I haven't actually experienced the passion, the obsession, the reverence, that this area has bestowed upon the cut of beef known as the tri-tip. From what I understand, for many years, it was only available in San Luis Obispo County. Those of us in the Rockies and elsewhere could only wonder at the description of this "lowly" cut of beef, elevated to new heights in foodie articles and the descriptions of friends, who had been so lucky to experience the abundance and exquisite taste of barbecued tri-tip in the San Luis Obispo area. The picture it evokes, of a summers evening, the salty Pacific beside me, the sun setting over the ocean, the scent of grilled meat in the air. Fabulous? Oh, yes. Doesn't it make you want to go there?
So I have added this to my long list of places I want to eat (I really need a bigger travel budget). But in the meantime, in land-locked Colorado, I am left with trying to approximate a taste from far away.
Santa Maria Tri-Tip
2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
2 Tablespoons Fresh Ground Pepper, Course Grind
2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic, NOT Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Dried Rosemary, Crushed
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano, NOT Powdered
1 Tri-Tip (2-2 1/2 lbs. -- 2 1/2-3" Thick
Olive Oil Spray
Combine & mix the rub ingredients together in a small bowl
In a medium baking dish, cover all sides of the tri-tip with the spice rub. Press the mixture into the grain of the meat. Cover the meat in the baking dish and refrigerate for as long as it takes the grill to heat up. (10-30 minutes). Start your grill fire ad set up a two stage fire. (One zone at high-medium/high heat, and the other zone at a cooler medium heat). Remove the meat from the fridge and mist the meat with a quick spray of olive oil. (About 1 second per side). Place the meat over the "high heat" side of the fire until the outside is well seared. (About 1 minute) Turn the meat and do the same to the other side. (Again, about 1 minute.) Once both sides are seared, turn the meat once more and place it over the cooler "Medium Heat" part of the fire. Cover the grill and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. Then turn the meat one last time, keeping the meat over the cooler part of the fire. Cover and cook for about 10 more minutes. Cooking times are approximate and generally result in a medium-rare finish. Adjust times up or down to your desired doneness. Remove the meat from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes prior to slicing.
