The triangular cut from the bottom sirloin, a roast popular in California's Central Valley and on the Central Coast; in Sacramento it comes as a tri-tip dip and in tacos.

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.

Where to eat Tri-tip in Sacramento

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Make it at home

Serves 61 hrEasy

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.

Editor tip. 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.