Recipe Background
This Tri-Tip Roast is seasoned perfectly, impressively tender, and slices easily.
That first job as a young sous-chef felt like a whirlwind of excitement and nerves. Our head chef was a stickler for detail, and I remember being tasked with assembling the perfect roast one bustling Saturday night. Tri-tip was the star—a hefty cut meant to impress. A dash of kosher salt here, a sprinkle of rosemary there. I meticulously crafted a seasoning blend with garlic and onion powders, my hands moving quickly and carefully over each surface. Standing over the heat, a large cast-iron skillet crackled as I seared the meat to a satisfying, bronzed crust. The aroma was a confident embrace in an otherwise chaotic evening. To this day, letting the meat rest post-cooking is a ritual I uphold—ensuring it's juicy and tender when sliced.
Every time I prepare this dish now, it reminds me of that affirmation when our esteemed patrons gave complimentary nods as they savored the tri-tip roast. Butter melted luxuriously over the seared edges, a technique our chef swore by to add decadent richness and depth. A brief stint beneath a metal lid lends an extra tenderness, keeping the flavors locked inside. Each slice across the grain is a moment of reflection, a lesson learned the hard way through burned fingertips and knife slips. Somehow, mastering the balance between heat and patience transformed this recipe into my culinary badge of honor, marking a pivotal step in my career journey.
Ingredients
For the rub:
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black ground pepper
For the roast:
- 1 (2-3 pound) tri-trip roast
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the salt, the rosemary, the garlic powder, the onion powder, and the black pepper in a bowl and mix until well-combined.
- Season the roast on all sides with the spice rub.
- Heat a large, cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot, sear the roast on both long sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Turn off the stove-top heat.
- Pour the melted butter over the roast, placing a metal lid over the skillet for a few minutes if it becomes too smoky.
- Place the skillet, uncovered, into the oven until the roast reaches at least 145 degrees F, about 30 minutes for a medium-rare.
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut the roast against the grain into slices.
- Serve.
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