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Thinly sliced Santa Maria tri-tip arranged on a white platter, generously topped with fresh parsley and cilantro chimichurri

Santa Maria Tri Tip with Chimichurri

A whole tri-tip coated in a wet seasoning mud and cooked slow over charcoal and hickory on an adjustable grate, fat cap down for most of the cook. Pulled at 135°F, rested, sliced thin against the grain and finished with fresh chimichurri.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Rest Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, BBQ, Santa Maria BBQ
Calories: 531
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Tri-Tip
  • 1 whole tri-tip About 2.5 to 3.5 lbs. Trim loose pieces but leave the fat cap intact.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For turning the dry seasoning into a mud.
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano
Chimichurri
  • 0.5 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.5 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • Santa Maria grill Any grill or smoker that takes charcoal and wood will work.
  • Charcoal For the fire bed.
  • Hickory splits Red oak is the traditional wood for this style.
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Sharp Slicing Knife The thinner the slices the better.
  • Wire rack For resting.

Method
 

Prep and Season
  1. Pat the tri-tip dry and trim away any loose pieces of meat, hanging fat or uneven edges. Do not remove the fat cap. It protects the meat during the cook and renders down over the fire.
  2. Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and dried oregano. Add the olive oil a little at a time, mixing until you have a loose, slightly runny paste.
  3. Slather the seasoning mud generously over every side of the tri-tip.
Cook Santa Maria Style
  1. Set up your grill with charcoal and get a good fire going. Once the coals are ready, add a split of hickory for smoke.
  2. Place the tri-tip on the grill fat cap down and raise the grate so it sits well above the direct heat. Cook about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches approximately 100°F.
  3. Flip the tri-tip and cook another 20 to 25 minutes, adjusting the grate height as the fire changes, until the internal temperature reaches approximately 135°F for medium rare.
  4. Keep adding hickory splits down the sides of the fire throughout the cook. Keep the tri-tip elevated and never leave it sitting over an aggressive flame.
Chimichurri, Rest and Slice
  1. While the tri-tip cooks, finely chop the parsley, cilantro and garlic and combine with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
  2. Remove the tri-tip from the grill and rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.
  3. Slice very thin against the grain, changing direction when the grain does. Arrange on a platter and spoon the chilled chimichurri over the top.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 60gFat: 28g

Notes

Doneness: Miguel pulls this at 135°F for medium rare. The USDA recommends 145°F for whole cuts of beef. Cook to the temperature you are comfortable with, knowing the higher you go the less juicy it will be.
Honest caveat on the wood: Traditional Santa Maria style uses red oak, which is what gives the regional version its flavor. This was cooked over hickory, which is a heavier smoke. Traditional Santa Maria seasoning is also just salt, pepper and garlic, where this rub adds paprika, onion powder and oregano.
Fat cap down first: The rendering fat drips into the fire and comes back as smoke flavor, and the cap shields the meat from direct radiant heat. It is only flipped so the other side can crisp.
Grate height is your thermostat: No lid and no dial, just distance. Crank it up when the fire is ripping and drop it when the fire dies down.
Nutrition: Values are estimates and will vary. A fattier tri-tip will read higher, and trimming will bring it down.
Timing: Prep and total times are estimates and will vary with the size of your tri-tip and how your fire runs. The 1 hour 10 minutes to 100°F, the 20 to 25 minute finish, 135°F and the 10 minute rest are as given.

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