Our guidelines for cooking beef are simple: start with the best quality you can get your hands on, followed by simple seasoning. For whole steak cuts, we like to reverse sear to add a smoke element to the meat before searing. When marinating, we make sure to avoid too much time in the marinade so we can still taste the meaty flavor. When adding beef to a dish, like a lasagne, we add a simple smoke element to enhance the flavor versus overpowering the entire dish.
Portion size is also something to consider. One large steak may look exciting on a plate, but we typically allocate a one-half pound of beef per person. So, when considering purchasing your cuts, one steak may actually feed two people.
When it comes to finished cooking temperature, we like our steaks rare to medium rare. We mention this so you can modify your desired finished temperature to however you prefer your beef, whether it’s medium to well done.
Experiment with your local butcher, and don’t be afraid to ask for cuts you aren’t familiar with.
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TEMPERATURE |
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Rare |
120 to 130 |
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Medium rare |
130 to 135 |
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Medium |
135 to 145 |
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Medium well |
145 to 155 |
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Well Done |
155 degrees F and up |
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You might be noticing a theme around big steak cuts: adding a smoke flavor first, then finishing over high heat, which offers the best of both styles of cooking. Top with a compound butter and you have an amazing balance of butter, salt, savory, smoke, and beefy flavor. We serve the steaks sliced, so often we buy two large, thick steaks for four people.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
For the compound butter
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray
For the steaks
2 (1-pound) bone-in rib-eye steaks, at least 1½ inches thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Beef Rub (this page)
To make the compound butter, in a small bowl, add the butter, garlic, rosemary, and salt. Using your hands or a strong spatula, combine the ingredients. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and coat with cooking spray. Place the butter on the plastic wrap and form into your desired shape. We roll it into a log, wrap tightly, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To prepare the steaks, coat the rib eyes with the oil and Beef Rub. Cover and place them in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using oak or hickory, and remove the steaks from the refrigerator.
Smoke the steaks for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 112 degrees F.
As the steaks near the final smoke temperature, prepare the grill for direct cooking or heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat.
After removing the steaks from the smoker, place them on direct heat on the grill or in the skillet to sear for 3 minutes. Flip and sear another 3 minutes. We pull our steaks when the internal temperature is 125 degrees F in the center of the steak.
Remove the steaks and add 1 tablespoon of the compound butter over the top of each. The butter will start to melt immediately. Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
WINE PAIRING: The sweet kiss of smoke, the hearty, mouthwatering meat, and the flavorful butter sauce are a match made in heaven for a cabernet sauvignon or syrah.
Brisket is one of those BBQ cuts that can intimidate a lot of people. It’s expensive, and no two ever cook the same. But when you get it right, the flavor and the texture make every hour you spent preparing worth it. With brisket, the technique in how you prepare and the milestones you keep an eye out for while it goes through its cook are the most important parts of understanding how to perfect your brisket.
MAKES 16 TO 20 SERVINGS
1 (12- to 14-pound) packer (whole) brisket
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup Beef Rub (this page)
Merlot Wine Spritz (this page)
The night before cooking, trim the excess fat off the brisket (see this page). Coat brisket with the oil and liberally apply the Beef Rub. Depending on the size of your brisket, you may or may not use all the rub. Be sure to apply the rub on the sides and into any pockets. Wrap the brisket in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove the brisket from refrigerator and unwrap. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. We use fruitwood, such as apple or cherry.
Place the brisket on the smoker and insert your two-zone meat probes. One is for the meat inserted into the flat, and one is to monitor the ambient temperature of the cooking chamber and is not inserted into the meat.
After 2 hours, begin spritzing the brisket with the Merlot Wine Spritz. Spritz every 30 minutes until you wrap. The liquid you are spraying helps the smoke to adhere to the meat and create more flavor.
When the internal temperature of the brisket is 165 degrees F, the brisket is going into a process called the stall. This is the period in which the meat sweats internally; the moisture from the intramuscular fat is rendering and the meat is reacting to the temperature inside the cooking chamber, like sweat. So the rise in internal temperature slows down. This is the point where we wrap the brisket. See this page for photo instructions.
Carefully remove the brisket, to avoid disturbing the crust, or bark, that has formed, and place onto two pieces of pink butcher paper to wrap. You can also use aluminum foil. Remove the meat probe, tightly wrap the brisket, and then add the meat probe back into the same general area. Place the brisket back into the smoker. This can take 4 to 7 hours to reach 165 degrees F from the start of the cook.
Continue cooking at 250 degrees F wrapped for several more hours until the brisket approaches 195 degrees F. You know the stall is over when the internal temperature starts to rise quickly. At that point, use your instant-read thermometer to insert and probe the flat and the point for a smooth, buttery texture. The thermometer should ease in with no tension. The brisket may be done at anywhere from 195 to 205 degrees F. This is the time to be patient, as you will get temperatures across the range in various areas. The key is getting the proper texture and temperature at the center of the point and the flat consistently.
Remove the brisket from the smoker when the thermometer inserts smoothly, like a knife through butter. Leaving it wrapped, let it rest for 1 hour in a cooler (with no ice) to hold the temperature until ready to serve. The meat will stay warm for up to 4 hours with the right size cooler.
Slice against the grain and serve.
NOTE: One side of the brisket has a fat layer. Depending on your cooker, the fat side should face the hotter portion of your smoker. So, in the case of our Big Green Egg, we cook fat side down because it is hotter from the bottom of the smoker. For our offset smoker, we cook fat-side up. This fat layer will protect the meat from the heat for a more even cook.
WINE PAIRING: This is one of the holy grails of BBQ and time to let the meat get all the glory and be the star of the show. The meat is rich, smoky, and should be mouthwatering. Tempranillo goes with brisket, as well as Washington State syrah and Rhône-style blends. We’re not going to lie though; after a day of smoking this beast, we’ve been known to pop open a refreshing and fruity rosé to reward our efforts. It also livens up your palate from each bite of the buttery rich meat.
One of the first and important steps in brisket, besides meat quality, is trimming. A whole packer brisket is made up of two muscles from the breast of the cow. There is the point, a well-marbled angled part of the brisket that is often cut up for burnt ends, and the flat, the leaner cut of the brisket that runs underneath the point and creates the length. A thin layer of fat separates the point from the flat. We follow a few key steps to trim without taking forever to do it.
Start with the brisket flat side up. There will be some membrane and silverskin and a few pockets of fat you want to make sure are removed. Next, look at the two sides of the brisket. You’ll see some overlapping fat from the point on either side. We typically cut off about ¼ inch of meat on either side, which exposes the meat and marbling.
Flip the brisket and start to trim up the point. This is the area with the most amount of fat. First, you’ll see some bumpy, thick, and hard fat. That won’t render when cooking, so remove all of that. Typically, it’s on top of the point and on the front edges. Next, remove the fat from along the top of the brisket, leaving about ¼ inch of the fat layer.
Finally, there are pockets along the edges and into the point that require getting into and continuing to chip away at that thick dense fat that won’t render. Remember that a line of this fat separates the point from the flat, so you won’t remove all of it, but you can square up the edges and corners by slowly cutting into the meat and taking the hard fat out until you start seeing pockets of the beef.
1 Make sure the fat cap is facing up.
2 Trim fat off both edges, then remove the fat cap, leaving a fat layer of no more than a ¼ inch.
3 Flip the brisket to the flat side and remove excess silverskin.
4 Remove any excess fat, as shown in the upper right.
The dramatic look of a tomahawk is nothing short of jaw-dropping. This is something you have to try at least once. If anything, just think of the Instagram photos you’ll get out of it. The tomahawk is simply a long-bone version of the rib steak, or rib eye, trimmed and made for dramatic presentation. Because of the bone, you will find that tomahawks are at least two inches thick, are the perfect cut for a reverse sear, and are definitely fun to serve with company. The only problem is determining who gets to keep the bone.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 (3- to 4-pound) tomahawk steak (note that the bone will be at least 1 pound when determining portions)
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Beef Rub (see this page)
Brush the tomahawk with the oil and liberally apply the Beef Rub. It is recommended to do this 1 day in advance and refrigerate.
Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F using hickorywood or oakwood.
Smoke for 1 hour to 90 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 118 to 120 degrees F measured in the center of the cut.
Set your grill for direct heat as your steak approaches 118 to 120 degrees F. Remove the steak from the smoker, then add it to the direct heat for the final sear. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flip, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F for rare.
If you like your steak cooked to medium, smoke until the internal temperature is 125 degrees F, then sear until your desired doneness based on internal temperature. Remove the steak from the grill. Let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.
WINE PAIRING: The tomahawk is definitely going to steal the show here. But you’re more than welcome to partner it with your prizeworthy cabernet sauvignon or Bordeaux-style blend. The meat is rich with plenty of fat to smooth out any tannins from the wine.
Flatbread, to us, is a fancy way of saying pizza without the red sauce. It also is a lot of fun in the summer when we can all hang out outside and get friends and family to help make their own versions of this great treat. We don’t go overboard when it comes to toppings for our flatbreads, for ease of transferring them on and off the grill. The flavor of the beef after marinating is tasty enough to dress this flatbread. The rest of the toppings just enhance the experience.
MAKES ONE 10- TO 12-INCH FLATBREAD
For the marinade
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup lager beer
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
For the steak
1 pound skirt steak
1 tablespoon Beef Rub (this page)
For the flatbread
1 store-bought pizza dough
1 tablespoon cornmeal or all-purpose flour, for the peel
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup blue cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup Smoked Pickled Onions (recipe follows)
2 cups arugula
Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
1 teaspoon finishing salt
To make the marinade, mix all of the ingredients in a 1-gallon ziplock bag.
To prepare the steak, trim the steak of any excess fat, then place it in the bag with the marinade for up to 2 hours.
Prepare the grill for direct/indirect cooking.
Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry. Season with the Beef Rub.
Grill the steak over direct heat and cover, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip and grill, covered, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature is at least 125 degrees F. This is a thin cut, so it will grill fast and will continue to cook on the flatbread.
Remove the steak from the grill, let rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into thin slices.
Meanwhile, modify the grill with a pizza stone or steel, according to the manufacturer’s suggestion. Add more charcoal if needed.
When grilling pizza on a stone, it is best to have the stone over an indirect heat source or some type of plate that will deflect the direct heat from the stone. Do not place the stone directly over a flame. If using a kettle grill with no diffuser, we push the coals along two sides of the grill to accomplish the same task. The target temperature is 500 degrees F.
To prepare the flatbread, roll out the pizza dough on a smooth surface to 10 to 12 inches.
Dust a pizza peel with the cornmeal; this will help the flatbread to slide off the peel. Lay out the rolled dough on the peel, then top with the steak, tomatoes, blue cheese, Parmesan, and Smoked Pickled Onions.
Transfer the flatbread onto the pizza stone and cover. At 500 degrees F, the flatbread will cook in 6 to 8 minutes. Pull the flatbread when you see a nice crust form. Top with the arugula, drizzle with vinegar, and dust with the finishing salt.
WINE PAIRING: There are a lot of fun flavors going on here, from the savory meat to the pickled onions to the pungent cheese. If you want to keep it simple, opt for a fruity, bold-style rosé. For reds, malbec and fruity gamay work well.
These smoked pickled onions have become such a staple at our house that we always have a jar of them in our fridge. Use them to enhance everyday staples like tacos, burgers, wraps, salads, and more. We use them on so many things that we had to include them in this book. You’ll thank us later when you find yourself adding a few of these to your weeknight meals.
MAKES 2 CUPS
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cane sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups thinly sliced red onions
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using applewood.
In a 2-quart smoker-safe dish, add the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to mix and dissolve.
Add the onions to the pickling liquid and place on the smoker for 3 hours. Remove and strain the liquid. If not using right away, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Nothing says comfort food like a huge and hearty dish of lasagne. We love a lasagne jam-packed with meaty flavors and lots of sauce. This one combines ground beef, spicy Italian pork, and mushrooms for a meaty and smoky experience. When smoked, the three create an incredible trinity of flavors to use as a base for this symphony of a dish. Make sure you use a big enough casserole dish because there is nothing skimping on this lasagne. It’s meaty, saucy, cheesy, and ultradelicious.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
For the meat and portobello
1 pound ground beef, 80 percent lean/20 percent fat
1 pound hot Italian ground pork
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Beef Rub (this page)
1 large portobello mushroom
1½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes (if using whole, pulse in a blender)
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For the filling and assembly
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1½ cups Parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
1 (10-ounce) package no-boil lasagne noodles (12 sheets)
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F.
To prepare the meat and portobello, distribute the uncooked ground beef and pork on a baking sheet that will fit in your smoker. Season the beef and pork with 1 tablespoon of the Beef Rub.
Remove the stem of the portobello. Using a spoon, scrape off the gills from the cap and discard. Season the portobello with the oil and the remaining 1 teaspoon of the Beef Rub.
Place the baking sheet with the beef, pork, and portobello on the smoker and cook until the temperature of the meat is 160 degrees F, 45 minutes to 1 hour, and until the portobello is fork-tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the smoker, then cut up the portobello into small chunks and set aside.
To make the sauce, in a medium Dutch oven (or equivalent) over medium heat, add the oil and then the onions. Stir until softened, 4 to 5 minutes, then add the garlic and stir 1 minute, or until soft. Add the meat and portobello. Cook 3 minutes to get some browning into the pot, then add the wine. Turn up the heat to bring the wine to a simmer. After 2 minutes of simmering, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper.
Let the sauce simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.
To make the filling, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the Parmesan, and the egg. Stir until smooth.
Preheat the oven (or grill) to 375 degrees F.
To assemble the lasagne, use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Start by spreading 1½ cups of the sauce in the dish as the base. Arrange 3 noodles on top of the sauce. Add ⅔ cup of the filling and gently spread over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, filling, and mozzarella two more times. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and ½ cup of the Parmesan.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and turn up the temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden. Remove from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
WINE PAIRING: Go Italian with this dish. There’s just something about a hearty, saucy, cheesy pasta dish and a fruity barbera or high-acid Chianti to bring it all together. Branching outside of Italy, look for zinfandel or sangiovese from eastern Oregon.
When we were growing up, meatloaf was an easy weekday dinner. By adding smoked flavor with high-quality ground beef and a cherry glaze at the end, you suddenly take this traditional comfort food to a whole other level.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
For the glaze
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup fruity red wine such as malbec, merlot, or zinfandel
2 tablespoons cherry jam
For the meatloaf
1 cup diced onions
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound ground beef, 80 percent lean/20 percent fat
1 pound hot Italian bulk pork sausage
1 egg
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
To make the glaze, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the ketchup, wine, and jam until it starts to simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for 4 minutes (avoid boiling).
Let the glaze cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If it’s hot when you apply it to the meatloaf, it will run right off.
Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F using fruitwood (we like cherry).
To make the meatloaf, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions and oil and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not caramelized. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Turn off the heat, and mix in the chicken stock, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, sausage, onion mixture, egg, bread crumbs, and Parmesan. Mix with your hands to incorporate.
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet that will fit into your smoker. On the parchment, form the loaf into a rectangle; it should be roughly 9 inches long and 2 inches tall.
Smoke for 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 150 degrees F measured in the center of the loaf. Apply half of the glaze to the meatloaf, then continue smoking 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf is 165 degrees F. Remove and apply the remainder of the glaze while the meatloaf cools, about 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.
WINE PAIRING: Too sweet of a ketchup topping can kill some wine options. But not when wine is in the sauce to balance out the flavor! Sangiovese, Spanish garnacha (or grenache), Côtes du Rhône, a young Rioja, or a Washington State merlot will all work well with the juicy meat and flavorful topping.
Mary spent the better part of her twenties as a pseudo-vegetarian (OK, so she cheated occasionally!). It wasn’t until her meat epiphany at a restaurant in Honolulu, called Chef Mavro, that she switched back. It was a single cut of meat that worked its magic—a braised short ribs dish that was so tender it melted in her mouth like butter. She had never tasted anything like it in her life. It was life changing, and she promised that day if she could learn to cook meat this good that she’d convert back to the dark side. She hasn’t looked back. To this day, short ribs are Mary’s all-time favorite cut of beef, and this method is her kryptonite.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
For the short ribs
3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup Beef Rub (this page)
For the spritz
⅓ cup beef broth
⅓ cup dry red wine
⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
For the braising liquid
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Beef Rub (this page)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using fruitwood.
To prepare the short ribs, trim off the silverskin. Coat the short ribs with the oil and season liberally with the Beef Rub. (Depending on the size of your short ribs, you may or may not use all of the Beef Rub; just make sure it’s applied liberally.)
Place the short ribs on the smoker.
To prepare the spritz, in a medium bowl, mix the broth, wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer it to a food-safe spray bottle.
After the short ribs have been cooking for 2 hours, begin spritzing them until just damp every 30 minutes for 1 to 2 additional hours. Look for the meat pulling back from the bone and a good mahogany color as indicators it is ready for the braise. When the internal temperature is roughly 165 degrees F (3 to 4 hours on smoke), transfer the short ribs to an aluminum pan.
To the pan, add the braising ingredients: the wine, broth, Beef Rub, and butter. Gently mix together. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place back into the smoker.
After 1 hour, use a meat thermometer to probe the short ribs. The short ribs are done when the thermometer inserts smoothly, like a knife through butter. There should not be much resistance; if it’s not like butter, it is not quite done so keep cooking until it is.
Once you have determined the short ribs are done (roughly 200 to 205 degrees F), remove from the smoker and let sit, covered, for 15 minutes.
Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid. Serve with a root vegetable puree, mashed potatoes, or creamy polenta to soak up all the intoxicating juices that will flow from the tender meat.
WINE PAIRING: For this dish, choose something full bodied but not overly intense. We like some acid to refresh the palate. A Sonoma Valley cabernet sauvignon is perfect for this, tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, as well as a Washington State syrah.
Street tacos are all about simple flavors that reflect authenticity. They feature marinated meats in a warm corn tortilla, lightly complemented with onion and a few extra ingredients. Keep it simple with this full-flavored preparation for your next Taco Tuesday.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
For the steak
1 pound skirt steak
½ cup freshly squeezed navel orange juice (2 large oranges)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 medium limes)
¼ cup roughly chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon Beef Rub (this page)
¾ cup diced fresh tomatoes
½ cup diced white onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño pepper
1½ teaspoons minced garlic
1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
8 to 12 corn tortillas
To prepare the skirt steak, trim off any excess fat or silverskin from both sides of the steak. If the steak is one long piece, consider cutting it into 8-inch lengths for marinating and grilling ease.
In a 1-gallon ziplock bag, mix the orange juice, lime juice, onion, jalapeño, garlic, black pepper, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Place the steak in the bag, let out as much air as possible, and lock the bag. Let the steak marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but no more than 6 hours.
Prepare the grill for direct cooking.
Remove the steak from bag and pat dry. Discard the marinade. Season the steak with the Beef Rub on both sides.
Place the steak on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 5 minutes, or until you have a nice sear. Flip the steak and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 125 to 130 degrees F.
Remove the steak from the grill and let sit for 10 minutes. While the steak is resting, prepare the pico de gallo.
To make the pico de gallo, combine the tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir and add more salt to taste.
For a good bite of steak in the taco, slice it thinly. The best method is to cut the steak into 4-inch squares. Then turn the steak so you can cut perpendicular to the muscle striations. Slice as thinly as possible at a 45-degree angle.
To prepare the tacos, fill each corn tortilla with steak and pico de gallo. Add any other favorite toppings. We love to add a squeeze of lime and some freshly chopped cilantro.
WINE PAIRING: On nine Taco Tuesdays out of ten, we’re sipping a fruity rosé. Other times we reach for a light-bodied, fresh, acidic red wine to balance out the flavors from the savory marinade and freshness of the pico de gallo. Gamay (or Beaujolais), a youthful Rioja (tempranillo), Spanish garnacha, and even carménère work well.
One of our all-time favorite cuts of beef, tri tip made its claim to fame in California, where this unique cut was singled out as a great alternative to more expensive primal (or most important or first) cuts. Santa Maria is the town where it was alleged to have been made famous. Today you will see a host of styles and seasonings that tie back to Santa Maria–style tri tip. Ours is really focusing on the meat, with some savory and herbal characteristics to balance out the heat. There’s a good reason this is the number one cut of beef we serve at events. Find out why.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tri tip (averages about 1½ pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Prepare the grill for direct/indirect cooking.
In a small bowl, mix the salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic, pepper flakes, oregano, and thyme.
Coat the tri tip with the oil and liberally apply the dry rub to all sides.
Place the tri tip over direct heat for 4 to 6 minutes, then flip for another 4 to 6 minutes. Once you have a nice seared look on both sides, move the tri tip to the indirect side. Cover and cook until the internal temperature is 127 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and let sit for 10 minutes.
When slicing tri tip, you will see that it has three directional striations to the muscle. You want to be sure to slice perpendicular to the muscle striations, cutting against the grain.
WINE PAIRING: This style of tri tip has its roots in the Santa Barbara wine region. To honor that, we’re going with a syrah from Santa Barbara County. Malbec or tempranillo would be a close second.
Go to any smokehouse or tavern and you may see a smoky burger. Our take is to actually smoke the patty (versus grilling it) and layer flavor through the toppings. Bacon is key, as is our Smoked Pickled Onions (this page). Finally, we use brioche for our bun. Buttery and fluffy, it just soaks up the juices. We really like a simple burger, as the beef flavor is most important. With the added smoke element, this burger typifies authentic backyard cooking with a family feel.
MAKES 4 BURGERS
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1¼ pounds ground beef, 80 percent lean/20 percent fat
1 tablespoon Beef Rub (this page)
1 egg, beaten
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 slices sharp cheddar cheese
4 brioche buns
1 bunch butter lettuce
½ cup Pinot Noir BBQ Sauce (this page) or your favorite Kansas City–style sauce
¼ cup Smoked Pickled Onions (this page)
Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F using applewood or oakwood. Put the bacon in the smoker as it will take up to 90 minutes to get crispy skin.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, Beef Rub, egg, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix with your hands and make 4 equal-size patties. Each will be a little over ¼ pound. Chef’s trick: using an oiled ramekin is a great way to form an even patty.
Place the burgers on the smoker and smoke for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the beef is 155 degrees F. Place a slice of cheese on each. We do this while the bacon is smoking.
Continue cooking another 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Remove from the smoker and construct the burgers.
On top of the base bun, place a leaf of the lettuce, then the burger. Add 1 tablespoon (or more if desired) of the Pinot Noir BBQ Sauce, then a few Smoked Pickled Onions and the bun top.
WINE PAIRING: The bold, rich, and smoky flavors here call for a bold wine. California zinfandel, GSM (grenache, syrah, mourvedre) blends from Washington State, petite sirah, tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, and even monastrell (mourvedre from Spain) are good choices.
Instead of using a sauce or relish for a steak topping, consider something that adds flavor, plus a little texture and extra wow factor. Here we are adding a savory component to a granola to use as a topping. We’ve served this at a number of public events and love the feedback when customers don’t know what to expect. The granola is slightly crunchy and sweet, with a finish of thyme and a savory mouthfeel from the duck fat.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS WITH GRANOLA LEFTOVER
For the granola
¼ cup duck fat (see note, this page)
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
2¼ cups rolled oats
¼ cup cane sugar
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the steaks
2 (1-pound) New York strip steaks, 1½ inches thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Beef Rub (this page)
Olive oil, for the pan
To make the granola, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the duck fat until melted. Add the shallots and stir. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the shallots are softened.
Reduce the heat to low and add the oats, sugar, thyme, and salt. Whisk until the oats are lightly toasted and the duck fat and caramelized sugar have been incorporated.
Remove from the heat. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread out the granola evenly. Bake for 1 hour, then stir to redistribute the granola. Bake for another 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven. The granola will look slightly toasted and the oats will be firm but not browned. You can make the granola in advance. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
To make the steaks, preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using oak or hickory.
Coat the steaks with the oil and Beef Rub. Place them on the smoker for up to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the steaks is 112 degrees F.
Remove the steaks from the smoker. Prepare the grill for direct cooking or heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Place the steaks on direct heat for 4 minutes, then flip. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the steaks is 124 degrees F. If using a skillet, add a little oil first and cook the steak for a total of 7 minutes, as above.
Remove the steaks from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the steaks. Cover each portion with 1 tablespoon of the granola and serve.
NOTE: Duck fat can be purchased at a specialty store. You can also make your own homemade duck fat by slowly rendering pieces of duck skin over the course of several hours.
WINE PAIRING: We’re looking for a red wine with enough structure and power to stand up to the bold flavors of this steak without overpowering the delicate flavors of the savory granola. Southern Rhône reds work great, as do tempranillo from Ribera del Duero.
