El Toro (deli Sliced Tri-tip) Recipe
Char-grilled and topped with BBQ sauce
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Ingredients
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Tri-Tip & Marinade
Char-Grill Finishing & Sauce
Method
Tri-Tip & Marinade
- 1
Trim and prepare
Trim any excessive silver skin or hard fat from the tri-tip roast. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Place the roast in a shallow pan or large resealable bag.
- 2
Make marinade/rub
In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, and kosher salt until combined.
- 3
Marinate
Pour the marinade over the tri-tip, massaging it into all surfaces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight (up to 24 hours) to allow flavors to penetrate.
- 4
Bring to room temperature
Remove the tri-tip from the refrigerator 45–60 minutes before cooking to bring it to near room temperature for even cooking. Reserve marinade for basting later if desired.
Char-Grill Finishing & Sauce
- 5
- 6
Sear the tri-tip
Place the tri-tip directly over the high-heat zone and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Rotate to sear edges as needed. Use tongs to avoid piercing the meat.
- 7
Finish over indirect heat
Move the seared tri-tip to the indirect (medium) side of the grill. Close the lid and cook until internal temperature reaches 125–130°F (52–54°C) for medium-rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium. This will take roughly 20–30 minutes depending on roast size and grill temperature. Use a probe thermometer for accuracy.
- 8
Rest the meat
Transfer the tri-tip to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 12–20 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute before slicing.
- 9
Make finishing BBQ sauce (optional mix)
While the tri-tip rests, combine ready-to-use BBQ sauce with apple cider vinegar and hot sauce (if using) in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until slightly thinned and glossy. Keep warm.
- 10
Slice deli-style
Using a sharp slicing knife, slice the tri-tip thinly across the grain into deli-style slices (about 1/8"–1/4" thick). For tri-tip, identify the grain direction—there are two grain directions; adjust slicing angle when you reach the seam where the grain changes.
- 11
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- 13