This easy recipe requires little work except for remembering to plan ahead so the meat can marinate for at least 8 hours. Paired with the rosemary and parmesan polenta recipe below and a big green salad or sautéed greens, it’s perfect for company. Serves 6-8.
INGREDIENTS
For the Tri-Tip:
- ½ cup red wine
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup grainy Dijon mustard (I use Grey Poupon Country Dijon)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 6 large cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 beef tri-tip, about 4 pounds
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Polenta:
- 1 cup polenta (dry, not prepared)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
DIRECTIONS:
Tri-Tip:
- Salt the meat and put into a large zip-close bag.
- For the marinade, place all remaining tri-tip ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse for a minute.
- Pour the marinade into the bag with the tri-tip, press out the air, and seal. Transfer to the refrigerator and marinate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Remove the tri-tip from the marinade and cook over medium heat, turning frequently and basting with marinade until medium rare, about 20-25 minutes.
- Transfer to a carving board and let the meat sit for 10 minutes. Carve against the grain into thin slices.
Polenta:
- Pour 1 cup polenta slowly into 4 cups boiling, generously salted water, whisking constantly until there are no lumps. Reduce heat to medium low and continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and continue to stir occasionally for about 20-25 mins (grains should be swollen and taste cooked, not raw).
- When nearly done (polenta should be a thick mush but soft enough to stir; you can add more water if needed to thin), fold in butter, parmesan, salt (adjust for taste), and dried rosemary.
Serve sliced tri-tip and polenta with sautéed greens or a fresh green salad.