Summer Grilling: Tri-Tip

Summer means the advent of Grilling Season, and we are eager to start firing up that beloved outdoor cooking mechanism. After all, everything is better on the grill, isn’t it? From hot dogs to burgers to shrimp to steak, everything is improved with the smoky, charred bite of the grill added to it. Which meant that when we were presented the opportunity to watch Leigh Barnhart Ochs of the Cooking School at Jungle Jim’s work her magic with a grill and a tender, fresh Tri-Tip steak, we ignored everything else on the docket and raced over, camera in one hand and notepad in the other.

Once a local specialty that was rarely found outside of California, Tri-Tip is a triangle-shaped steak cut from the bottom sirloin. This particular cut can only be cooked to medium-rare, otherwise it becomes too tough to consume. To ensure the easiest eating, make sure to cut Tri-Tip (and all steak) across the grain of the meat. This will shorten the fibers that make up the meat, making it easier to chew.

To Prepare:

• Rub a generous amount of olive oil onto both sides of the steak, and then follow that with your preferred seasoning, once again rubbing it into both sides of the meat.
• Grill the steak for 5 minutes on each side at 350 degrees.

• Remove the steak from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 – 10 minutes to ensure that the juices stay inside of the meat, keeping it tender, and not spilling across your cutting board.
• Slice and drizzle with your preferred barbecue sauce.
• Enjoy!

It’s a common misconception that good steak can only be found inside the hallowed halls of an upscale steak house, and only for an exorbitant sum of money. But with a little courage, you can make delicious steak in your own backyard. Happy grilling!

This steak was prepared by Leigh Barnhart Ochs of the Cooking School at Jungle Jim’s, who also provided her help in writing this post. For more from the Cooking School and Leigh, be sure to visit their blog and their site.