🔴The Revolutionary Way To Prepare Inexpensive Tri-Tip Steak

When buying beef, there are roasts and there are steaks. And then there is tri-tip which looks like a roast, is priced like a roast, is often cooked like a roast, but tastes like a steak. So there in lies the beauty of the tri-tip cut. It’s not as expensive as your tomahawk, filet mignon, New York strip, ribeye or even top sirloin steaks, but it tastes just as good if not better when cooked properly.

I have cooked the tri-tip in many different ways. I’ve grilled it directly on the old BBQ, I’ve reverse seared it in the oven, used a thermometer to help determine its doneness, but my current favorite method is to sous vide the cut and then finish it with either the broiler or in this case, we’re going to use a cast iron skillet. The sous vide method will make sure the meat is to the correct doneness while the cast iron skillet will create the Maillard reaction (browning) on the meat for the extra flavor.

In terms of seasoning this wonderful cut of beef, I’ve marinated it overnight in red wine and Worcestershire sauce, used garlic salt, used salt, pepper and garlic mixture for the rub, used over the counter meat seasoning mixtures, but this time, I’m going to use our favorite BBQ rub that I usually use on my baby back ribs which I have also used on steaks. My family loves this seasoning so it’s the one I’m going with today. By all means, if you want to copy this dry rub that I do or you would rather use an over the counter seasoning that you like, the choice is up to you. The only bad choice is to not season the meat at all.

Below you will see recipes for a reverse sear as well as the sous vide so that you can follow along whether you have a sous vide machine or not.

In addition to the tri-tip, you will want to produce some sides. Here I have 4 sides and a steak sauce planned. I do not normally have 4 sides and a steak sauce planned for a tri-tip meal, but since I have 3 hours to kill on the live stream, might as well fill up that time with some awesome tried and true recipes for sides.

So in addition to the tri-tip, I will be making:

• Baked Potatoes
• Chimichurri
• A Salad
• Creamed Spinach
• Garlic Bread

Oddly enough, my family prefers the frozen Texas toast to my freshly made garlic bread from a loaf of bread, but since we have the time, we’ll make the garlic loaf instead.

So while I usually will just place the tri-tip in the sous vide bath and work on other things until it’s time to cook the sides, today I will be cooking the entire time so that we don’t just sit together in silence. But don’t worry, it’s still going to be story time while we wait and prepare the sides.

Sous Vide/Reverse Sear Tri-Tip

Ingredients:

• A 2-3 pound tri-tip roast
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation Sous Vide:

1. Add water to the Cosori pressure cooker and use the Cosori Sous Vide function to set the time to at least 3 hours and set the temperature that you like according to the chart below. Today, I’m using 134° F for medium rare.
2. Mix the seasonings together, generously rub over the tri-tip and vacuum seal it in a bag. Place the vacuum sealed tri-tip into the sous vide bath for a minimum of 2½ hours, but you could put it in for up to at least 4 hours.
   
   WARNING: Make sure not to submerge your hands into the warm bath. Though it will not burn you right away, it will begin to cook your skin. For days after the skin on my fingers was peeling after I dipped my hand in the sous vide bath to put the steaks in and to take them out.
3. Once the time is up, take out the tri-tip and cut open the bag
4. Important: you should pat the tri-tip dry, because the dryer it is the easier it will be to get the crust that you like.
5. Use a butane torch, a skillet, a broiler, or a BBQ to sear the steak. No need to cook it very long, you just want the outside to get a golden brown.
6. Cut and serve

Preparation – Reverse Sear

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Mix the seasonings together and generously rub over the tri-tip
3. Place tri-tip on a tray and into the oven for about 50 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to test to see when the middle of the tri-tip reaches the doneness that you like. Look at the chart below
4. Turn the oven to broil and brown the top, flip the tri-tip and brown the bottom.

Live Stream

Chimichurri

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano or basil
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (50g) sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender. You may try whole garlic cloves, but when I’ve done that in my blender, the garlic cloves do not get chopped well, so I mince them before hand
2. Blend until a wonderfully thick green sauce is formed.

Baked Potato

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.23
• 4 Potatoes $0.80
• 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt $0.06
• 1 tsp Pepper $0.14
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder $0.12
• Total $1.36

Preparation:

1. Scrub the potatoes clean with a good vegetable brush like the one from OXO
2. Let the potatoes dry – about 20-30 minutes
3. Preheat the oven to 350°
4. Poke the skins of the potatoes with a fork.
5. Rub the Oil over the potato skins.
6. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder (you may substitute your favorite spices)
7. Place in the oven and heat for about 1 hour
8. To test doneness, you can stick a fork in them. It should go in easily and come out cleanly when they are done.
9. Take them out of the oven and let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
10. Top with your favorite toppings like butter, chives, sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, chili, or whatever you like on your potato.

Creamed Spinach

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation:

1. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook spinach for 30 seconds. Drain and place in a bowl of ice water. When cool enough to handle, drain and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add and onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
3. Add milk, heavy cream, and cream cheese to skillet. Simmer until cream cheese is melted. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne.
4. Add spinach Parmesan and stir to combine.

Garlic Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 French Loaf $3.51
• 6 Tablespoons Butter, softened $0.69
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder $0.11
• 2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese $0.15
• 1 teaspoon dried Basil $0.54

Total:  $4.99

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Soften the butter
3. Combine the softened butter with the garlic and parmesan cheese. Mix well
4. Slice the loaf lengthwise
5. Spread the butter mixture on the bread.
6. Sprinkle the dried basil on the loaf
7. Bake the bread for 8 minutes
8. Turn the oven to broil and toast for up to 1 more minute
9. Slice into 1″ thick slices.

Doneness Chart

Kitchen Items used in these recipes

COSORI Electric Pressure Cooker	OXO Vegetable Brush	Meat Cleaver	SENZER Gravity Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set