We were recently invited to the Bossom’s house in Montecito, California, and their version of a polo asado featured tri-tip. Nearby is a predominantly hispanic town called Santa Maria, which is known for it’s bbq (which is really probably more accurately described as an asado-type technique of cooking large pieces of meat over a wood fire.)
Wood-grilled tri-tip offers a rich, smoky flavor in this straightforward steak recipe, allowing the meat to become tender and succulent as it cooks over the coals. Santa Maria style barbecue centers on beef tri-tip, seasoned, before grilling over live coats of native coast live oak. Try adding some vine wood to your fire for added flavor, the way the French do with all kinds of grilled meats in wine country.
Seasoning Ingredients:
– 1 tablespoon black pepper
– 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
– 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
– 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
– 1 teaspoon ground celery seed
**Remaining Ingredients:**
– 2 (2-pound) tri-tip roasts, trimmed
– Santa Maria–Style Pinquito Beans, for serving
– Mild tomato salsa, for serving
**Directions**
1. **Make the Basting Liquid:**
– Crush garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and sprinkle with salt. Smash again to form a rough paste. Transfer to a small bowl, then whisk in oil and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 5 days.
2. **Prepare the Spice Rub:**
– Combine all spice rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. **Season and Cook the Tri-Tip:**
– Place tri-tips in a large metal bowl. Baste with 1/4 cup of the basting liquid, reserving the rest. Evenly coat the meat with one-third of the spice rub. (Store the remaining spice rub in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.) Refrigerate the tri-tips, uncovered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
4. **Grill the Tri-Tip:**
– Fully open the bottom vent of a charcoal grill. Light a chimney starter filled with briquettes. Once covered with gray ash, pour the briquettes onto the bottom grate of the grill, pushing them to one side. Adjust vents to maintain a temperature of 400°F to 450°F. Coat the top grate with oil and place it on the grill. (For a gas grill, preheat one side to medium-high [400°F to 450°F].) Alternatively, prepare an oak wood fire on a Santa Maria grill.
– Place tri-tips on the oiled grates over the side with coals (or the lit side of the gas grill). Grill uncovered until lightly charred on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Move the tri-tips to the side without coals (or the unlit side of the gas grill). Continue grilling uncovered until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 130°F, about 30 to 35 minutes. Flip and baste the meat with the reserved basting liquid every 5 minutes.
5. **Rest and Serve:**
– Remove tri-tips from the grill and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain and serve with tomato salsa and pinquito beans. Pinquito beans are an heirloom bean only grown commercially in California’s Santa Maria Valley and the surrounding Central Coast region.
Any leftovers can be sliced very thin. When time to serve again, heat on griddle and top with blue cheese to melt and caramelized onions. Serve on a baguette type bun.