Recipe of the Week: Texas Toast Tri-Tip Sandwich

It's Father's Day weekend so why don't you treat the old man to an amazing BBQ sammy!

Tri-tip is a tender, lean cut of beef and is sometimes sold as a small triangular cut off the bottom sirloin cut.  It's an affordable piece of meat that has a great flavor and is easily roasted in the oven or slow grilled.

The late Jack Ubaldi of Manhattan's Florence Prime Meat Market claims to be the first to cut the bottom sirloins in the late 1940's as he pulled out a muscle that he called the triangle.  He started cutting what he dubbed Newport steaks from this piece because he said the shape was like the logo of a Newport cigarette ad he had seen.  

The popularity moved to the west coast in the 1950's and became a local specialty in Santa Maria, California which is why the cut is sometimes labeled the Santa Maria steak.

This recipe takes some time which is perfect because your Dad loves you and wants to spend time with you.  So crack open a cold one and spend the day with pops!

Enjoy and Happy Father's Day!

Stacy

Texas Toast Tri-Tip Sandwich

Ingredients:

Beef (dry rub)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

Beef (wet marinade)

1 beef tri-tip, about 3-5 pounds

2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 cup amber ale beer (Full sail Amber Ale or New Belgium Fat Tire); drink the rest

1 garlic clove, minced

Sandwich

8 slices of frozen Texas Toast (with cheesy garlic topping)

4 slices Swiss cheese

4 tablespoons prepared creamy cole slaw (yes, you could make your own)

BBQ Sauce, optional

Directions:

Combine the dry rub ingredients and set aside.

Place the trip tip in a large Ziploc bag with the Worcestershire, beer and garlic.  Marinate for at least 6-8 hours (I start my marinade in the morning, for grilling in the evening).

Remove tri-tip from wet marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.  Discard marinade.

Apply a coat of dry rub on the tri-tip and let rest 1 hour in the fridge.  Remove meat from fridge and let come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before placing on grill.

Grill using indirect heat at around 250-275 F until internal temperature reaches 110 F.  This should take around 45 minutes.  If you have some red oak chips or hickory and pecan, add them to the grill for a more smokey flavor.

Grill over direct heat to char (reverse sear) and remove the tri-tip from the grill once in internal temperature reaches 125 F.  This should take 10-15 minutes.  Rest the meat for 15 minutes under tented foil.

While the meat is resting, grill the frozen Texas toast until browned.  Move the toast over the hot coals/grill for about 20 seconds to get some nice grill marks on the bread

Cut the tri-tip into three pieces and then slice across the grain into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices.

Pile the tri-tip onto the Texas toast and top with Swiss cheese and a tablespoon of cole slaw.  Add BBQ sauce, if desired.