Okay, so I’ve been wanting to really nail down the perfect sides to go with tri-tip. It’s such a good cut of meat, and I wanted dishes that would, like, complement it, you know? Not overpower it.
The Experiment Begins!
First, I grabbed my tri-tip. I seasoned it pretty simply – salt, pepper, garlic powder. I wanted the sides to be the real stars of the show, flavor-wise.
The Side Dish Trials
I decided to try a few different things, to see what really clicked.
- Classic Roasted Potatoes: Can’t go wrong, right? I tossed some baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and some rosemary. Roasted them until they were crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.
- Garlic Green Beans: I blanched some green beans, then sautéed them quickly with a ton of minced garlic and a little butter. Simple, but always a winner.
- Creamy Corn Salad: Okay, this one was a bit of a wildcard. I grilled some corn on the cob, then cut the kernels off. Mixed it with some mayo, sour cream, a little lime juice, cilantro, and some crumbled cotija cheese.
I cooked the tri-tip on my grill to a perfect medium-rare. That part is so important!
The Verdict
Alright, so here’s what I thought after stuffing myself:
- The roasted potatoes were solid. I mean, it’s so hard. A good, safe choice. They didn’t clash with the tri-tip at all.
- The garlic green beans were awesome! The garlicky flavor was a great contrast to the meat, and the beans were still a little crisp, which I loved.
- The corn salad… okay, this one surprised me. It was really good. The sweetness of the corn, the creaminess, the little bit of tang from the lime – it all just worked so well with the smoky tri-tip.
Honestly, all three sides were pretty great, but if I had to pick a favorite, I think the corn salad edged out the others. It was just something a little different and unexpected. The green beans were a very close second, though. The potatoes, while good, were just a little…basic. Still good!
So, that’s my tri-tip side dish experiment! I’d for sure make any of these again, but I’m also thinking about trying some grilled asparagus next time, or maybe a nice, simple salad. Always gotta keep experimenting, right?
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