Tri Tip Sandwich
Thin sliced Santa Maria tri tip sandwiched between toasted bread with garlic aioli on both halves. Chimichurri over the meat and salted potato chips on the inside of the sandwich. Yeah, the chips are on the inside. That’s not a garnish. The chips are structural.
What Goes Into a Tri Tip Sandwich
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| Tri-tip | Cooked Santa Maria style and sliced very thin. |
| French bread or sourdough bread | Toasted. |
| Garlic aioli | Made with mayo, garlic, lemon, Dijon, olive oil, salt and pepper. |
| Chimichurri | Homemade or store bought. |
| Salted potato chips | Store bought, plain salted. |
| Parmesan | Optional, sprinkled on before you close it. |
Exact amounts for everything are in the recipe card below.
Cook the Tri-Tip
I trimmed off the ugly loose stuff, but left the fat cap on.
Seasoned it super simple with salt, pepper and garlic.
Cooked it Santa Maria style, fat cap down until it reached 100 degrees internal.
Flipped it and finished it at 135 for a perfect medium rare tri-tip.
Rested it, then sliced it VERY thin against the grain.
All the times and temps are in the recipe card below. If you want to know how high to build your fire, how high to raise the grill grate, how to manage the fire… all that good stuff. Check out my Santa Maria tri tip post.
Make the Garlic Aioli
While the tri-tip grilled I whisked mayo with minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Made the chimichurri too. Set both aside.
How I Built the Sandwich
- Toasted the bread first.
- Spread garlic aioli on the bottom half.
- Added the thin sliced tri-tip.
- Drizzled chimichurri over the meat.
- Put a layer of salted potato chips right on top of that.
- Spread more garlic aioli on the top half of the bread.
- Closed it up and cut it into three.
Put the Chips Inside
I put chips in the sandwich instead of next to it partly because it’s fun. But there’s a better reason.
Everything else in here is soft. Thin sliced tri-tip is soft, aioli is soft, chimichurri is obviously wet and toasted bread turns soft the second the aioli hits it. Without something crunchy in there the whole thing is just one texture and it’s going to eat flat no matter how amazing your meat is.
Chips fix that problem, and they really help when they’re on the inside of the sandwich where every bite gets some. Throw them on the side and they’re a snack. Throw them inside and they’re part of the structure.
Put them above the chimichurri sauce, not below it. Chips that sit under wet sauce are going to turn to paste in about 60 seconds. If they sit on top of it, all they’ve got on them is the top slice of bread and they’ll stay crisp long enough for you to eat.
Aioli on both halves of the bread is basically doing the same thing. It’s a moisture barrier on the top slice of bread and that’s what’s really keeping the bread from falling apart.
Author’s Notes
Everything Just Works Together
This is a fun way to use tri-tip on a sandwich. It’s just so rewarding, tastes so good.
Everything just works together, from the acidity from the chimichurri to the nice creamy taste from the garlic aioli.
Tri-tip was just perfectly cooked, nice and juicy and tender.
Miguel
Tips from Miguel
- Slice that meat thin. You aren’t serving these slices of meat on a plate with a side of potatoes. It’s a sandwich. Thick slices won’t stay inside when you bite it.
- Aioli on both sides of the bread. Don’t skimp and put it just on the bottom half.
- Chips above the chimichurri sauce, not below it. Trust me.
- Toast that bread first, then build on it while it’s still warm.
- Cut it into thirds. Easier to handle and encourages sharing.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Both the aioli and chimichurri keep for a few days in the fridge. Both are better if you make them ahead. The tri-tip can be cooked the day before, cooled in the fridge and sliced cold. I find you get super clean thin slices when it’s cold.
Build right before you eat it. There is not a version of this sandwich that can sit and stay awesome. Especially with chips in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to cook the tri-tip Santa Maria style?
No. Any grilled tri-tip would be great here. Leftover tri-tip is perfect for this sandwich. Cooking it Santa Maria style is just how I chose to grill mine.
What temperature should I pull the tri-tip?
Pulling mine at 135 gives me a perfect medium rare. The USDA recommends 145 for whole cuts of beef. I know how high my grill runs so I pull early with the knowledge it’s going to keep cooking while it rests. If you’re nervous cook it to where you’re comfortable.
What kind of chips should I use?
Plain salted chips. No crazy flavors because you already have chimichurri and aioli in there packing a lot of flavor. I used store bought.
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Tri Tip Sandwich with Garlic Aioli and Chimichurri
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Trim off any loose pieces from the tri-tip but leave the fat cap intact. Lightly coat with olive oil, then season all over with the kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
- Set your grill or smoker up for indirect cooking at 250°F to 275°F. Place the tri-tip fat cap side down and cook until the internal temperature reaches 100°F.
- Flip the tri-tip and continue cooking until it reaches 135°F internal for medium rare. Remove and rest 10 to 15 minutes, then slice very thin against the grain.
- While the tri-tip cooks, combine the mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Prepare your chimichurri and set it aside until you are ready to assemble.
- Slice the bread and toast it until lightly crisp. Build on it while it is still warm.
- Spread a generous layer of garlic aioli on the bottom half. Pile on the thinly sliced tri-tip, then drizzle chimichurri over the meat.
- Add a layer of salted potato chips directly on top of the chimichurri. Above the sauce, not below it, or they go soft.
- Spread more garlic aioli on the top half of the bread, add Parmesan if you want it, then close the sandwich and cut it into three. Serve right away.
