Tri-tip
Photo: Eugene Kim from San Francisco, USA · CC BY 2.0

History

The tri-tip is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin, and the term is especially popular in California. It became a local specialty in Santa Maria in the late 1950s, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic and grilled over red oak, and sometimes labelled Santa Maria steak, the roast is popular in the Central Valley and on the Central Coast. In Sacramento, Selland's Market-Cafe serves a roasted tri-tip dip with caramelized onion, roasted garlic aioli and jus on a toasted hoagie roll, and Capitol Garage downtown makes tacos of slow-roasted pulled tri-tip.

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 25 minTotal 1 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg tri-tip roast
  • 30g coarse salt
  • 10g freshly ground black pepper
  • 15g smoked paprika
  • 10g ground coffee
  • 5g garlic powder
  • 5g dried oregano
  • 60ml olive oil
  • Bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1 small red chile, deseeded and minced
  • 60ml red wine vinegar
  • 120ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • Pinch sea salt

Method

  1. Combine salt, pepper, paprika, coffee, garlic powder and oregano. Rub the tri-tip on all sides. Drizzle with the 60ml olive oil. Rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
  2. Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high direct heat (red oak or hickory ideally). Sear the tri-tip 5 minutes per side over the coals.
  3. Move the tri-tip to indirect heat. Cover and cook until internal temperature reads 52C, about 20 to 25 minutes for medium-rare.
  4. Meanwhile, make chimichurri: combine parsley, garlic, shallot, chile, red wine vinegar and 120ml olive oil in a bowl. Salt to taste.
  5. Rest the tri-tip 10 minutes, tented in foil.
  6. Slice across the grain (the grain changes direction halfway through the cut) into 1cm slices. Serve with chimichurri spooned over.

Tip from the editors. The tri-tip grain changes direction at the wide end of the cut. Slice into the cut to find the grain, then turn the knife to keep cutting across the grain throughout.

Where to eat tri-tip

Tri-tip in Sacramento

Selland's Market-Cafe Broadway ★ 4.2

AmericanLand Park

Selland's on Broadway is a locally owned cafe and bar in the Broadway District serving California comfort food, fresh-baked desserts and cocktails.

OrderThe deli salad trio, any three from the case such as roasted beet, or the roasted tri-tip dip.

TipCome for lunch, dinner or happy hour in the Broadway District, or order online for pickup and delivery.

Directions

Selland's Market-Cafe East Sacramento ★ 4.3

CalifornianEast Sacramento

Selland's on H Street in East Sacramento is a locally owned cafe and bar serving California comfort food, fresh-baked desserts and craft cocktails.

OrderThe combination plate, any hot entree with two sides, or the Sellands Margherita wood-fired pizza.

TipLunch, dinner and happy hour are served here, or you can order online for pickup and delivery.

Directions

Capitol Garage ★ 4.1

Cocktail barAmerican restaurantDowntown

Capitol Garage at 1500 K Street has celebrated over 30 years in Downtown Sacramento, with a weekday happy hour of food and drinks and catering for events.

DrinkThe house margarita, $8 at happy hour.

FoodBurgers, steak tacos and Irish beef stew

Directions

All Sacramento signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want tri-tip covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →