Santa Maria Tri-Tip

Tri-tip is an incredible cut of beef that seems somewhat underutilized. This style of BBQ apparently is popular at church gatherings in the Santa Maria Valley. It's very straightforward but the results are incredible. Pair it with pinquito beans.

Ingredients

• 2 tri-tips, about 5 lbs
• 1/4 C kosher salt
• 1/4 C fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 C granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp dried parsley

Preparation

Mix the spices together to make the rub. Apply the rub generously to all sides of the tri-tips. If you have some leftover that's fine, use it in the beans. Place the meat in the fridge, covered, for 2-4 hours. Remove it about an hour before you start cooking.

Smoke the meat at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 115°F (rare) to 125°F (medium rare), around 2-3 hours.

Rest the meat for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat up a grill or cast iron pan for searing the meat. Sear each side for a few minutes, then cut into slices against the grain.

Serve topped with pico de gallo.