Pan Grilled Tri-Tip with Salsa Verde

 

Pan Grilled Tri-Tip with Salsa Verde
Ingredients for Tri-Tip
  • 2-3 pound tri-tip roast
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. rosemary, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime or lemmon
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper
Ingredients for Salsa Verde
  • 1  bunch parsley, rough chopped
  • 1 tbsp. capers
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • zest of 1 lime or lemmon
  • Juice of 1 lime or lemmon
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper
Instructions
  1. For Tri-Tip, combine garlic, rosemary, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl and whisk.
  2. Trim off excessive fat from Tri-Tip, but leave a small bit on the exterior layer, which will help with cooking.  Apply salt and pepper to Tri-Tip and combine with marinade.  A zip-lock bag works very well for this, and let marinade for a few hours in the refrigerator.
  3. For the Pan Searing cooking option, set the oven at 250 and get a very hot searing pan with oil prepared.  Sear the Tri-Tip on all three sides for about 1-2 minutes per side to get the right color.  Place the Tri-Tip on an unheated cooking sheet or oven safe pan and put into the oven with an instant read thermometer inserted.
  4. For the Grilling option, prepare two zones on the grill, one very hot and the other on the lowest possible setting.  Sear the Tri-Tip on the hot side on all 3 sides for about 1-2 minutes each side, then move the Tri-Tip to the other zone and set up away from the fire, on the second rack or up on a grill safe tray.  Turn off the searing side of the oven, close the lid, insert the instant read thermometer and monitor the grill temperature so that it does not exceed 275.
  5. Cook until the instant read thermometer reads 120 for rare, 130 for medium-rare and 140 for medium.  Do not cook above 140.  The roast will get progressively tougher each 10 degrees.  Let set uncovered for 12-15 minutes.  Do not cut before this time as juices must have time to redistribute, else they will pour out onto the cutting board. Cut the Tri-Tip across the grain and make sure that you are following the grain, which changes part-way through the cutting.
  6. While cooking the roast, prepare the Salsa Verde (literally Green Sauce in Spanish).  Put all ingredients into a food processor except the oil and pulse until all chopped together.  Scrape down the sides, replace the lid and drizzle the oil into the processor while running again.