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Thinly sliced tri-tip sandwich with garlic aioli, chimichurri, and salted potato chips on a seeded baguette

Tri Tip Sandwich with Garlic Aioli and Chimichurri

Santa Maria style tri-tip sliced very thin and piled onto toasted bread with garlic aioli on both halves, chimichurri over the meat, and a layer of salted potato chips inside the sandwich for crunch.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Rest Time 12 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 2 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Lunch, Main Course, Sandwich
Cuisine: American, Santa Maria BBQ
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tri-Tip
  • 1 whole tri-tip About 2.5 to 3.5 lbs. Trim loose pieces, leave the fat cap on.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Garlic Aioli
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
Sandwich
  • 0.5 cup chimichurri Homemade or store bought.
  • 1 French baguette or sourdough loaf
  • Salted potato chips Store bought, plain salted. No flavored chips.
  • Parmesan cheese Optional, before you close the sandwich.

Equipment

  • Grill or Smoker Set up for indirect cooking.
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Sharp Slicing Knife The thinner the slices the better for a sandwich.
  • Mixing Bowl For the aioli.
  • Bread Knife

Method
 

Cook the Tri-Tip
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
Make the Aioli and Chimichurri
  1. 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.
  2. Prepare your chimichurri and set it aside until you are ready to assemble.
Build the Sandwich
  1. Slice the bread and toast it until lightly crisp. Build on it while it is still warm.
  2. Spread a generous layer of garlic aioli on the bottom half. Pile on the thinly sliced tri-tip, then drizzle chimichurri over the meat.
  3. Add a layer of salted potato chips directly on top of the chimichurri. Above the sauce, not below it, or they go soft.
  4. 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.

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, and remember it keeps climbing while it rests.
Chips above the sauce: Chips sitting under wet chimichurri turn to paste in about a minute. Above it they only have the top slice of bread on them and stay crisp.
Aioli on both halves: It is a moisture barrier on the top slice, which is what keeps the bread from going through.
Slice thin: Thick slices pull out of the sandwich when you bite it.
Full Santa Maria method: The fire management, grate height and wood choice are covered on the Santa Maria tri tip post.
Timing: Prep, cook and total times are estimates and vary with the size of your tri-tip. The 250°F to 275°F range came from the source recipe rather than the memo. The 100°F, 135°F and 10 to 15 minute rest are as given.

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