Okay, so I’ve been seeing this “Brazilian tri-tip” thing pop up all over my food blogs and I finally decided to give it a shot. I mean, who doesn’t love a good piece of beef, right?
Getting Started
First things first, I had to find a tri-tip. Not as easy as you might think! My usual grocery store didn’t have it, so I went to a butcher shop a little further out. Score!
Next, the marinade. This is where the “Brazilian” part comes in, I guess. From what I gathered online, it’s all about a simple mix, heavy on the garlic and salt.
The Marinade
- I crushed, like, a whole head of garlic. Seriously, don’t be shy with it.
- Then, a good amount of coarse salt. I just eyeballed it, probably a couple of tablespoons.
- A little bit of black pepper.
- Some people added lime juice, but I skipped that this time.
- I also added some olive oil.
I mixed all that up into a paste and slathered it all over the tri-tip. Really worked it into every nook and cranny. Then, I tossed the whole thing in a Ziploc bag and stuck it in the fridge. The recipes I saw said to marinate it for at least 4 hours, but I went for a full 24. Patience is a virtue, or something like that.
The Cook
Okay, cooking time! I decided to use my charcoal grill, because, well, everything tastes better on charcoal. I got the coals going nice and hot, then set up a two-zone fire – hot side for searing, cooler side for indirect cooking.
I pulled the tri-tip out of the fridge about an hour before grilling, just to let it come up to room temperature a bit. Then, I patted it dry with some paper towels. This helps with getting a good sear.
I seared the tri-tip on the hot side of the grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, until it had a nice crust. Then, I moved it over to the cooler side, covered the grill, and let it cook until it reached an internal temperature of about 130-135°F for medium-rare. This took about 20-25 minutes, but I used a meat thermometer to be sure.
The Result
Once it was done, I took the tri-tip off the grill and let it rest for about 10 minutes, loosely tented with foil. This is important, don’t skip it! It lets the juices redistribute, so you don’t end up with a dry piece of meat.
Finally, I sliced the tri-tip against the grain. And wow. It was seriously good. Super flavorful, juicy, and tender. The garlic and salt really shined through. Definitely worth the effort, and I’ll be making this again for sure!
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