Ultimate Tri-Tip ( Santa Maria Style)

6 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup oil

4 tsp. salt

½ tsp whole black peppercorns

1 (2 to 2 ½ pound) trip tip roast, with thin layer of fat

In a blender, grind the garlic, oil, salt and black peppercorns to a coarse paste.

Pat the tri tip dry with a paper towel and score the fat layer with a sharp knife, cutting through the fat, but not through the meat. Place the meat in a sealable plastic bag, scrape in the garlic paste, press out the air and seal tightly. Massage the meat with the garlic paste until it is evenly coated. Set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour. If you are going to marinate more than 2 hours, refrigerate the meat but remove it 1 hour before cooking to allow to come to room temperature. Pat the tri tip dry with a paper towel and score the fat layer with a sharp knife, cutting through the fat, but not through the meat. Place the meat in a sealable plastic bag, scrape in the garlic paste, press out the air and seal tightly. Massage the meat with the garlic paste until it is evenly coated. Set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour. If you are going to marinate more than 2 hours, refrigerate the meat but remove it 1 hour before cooking to allow to come to room temperature.

About 1 hour before serving, start the fire in your charcoal grill using one chimney full of briquettes. Soak ¼ pound of hickory chips in water (make sure you weight them to keep them submerged). When the flames are subsided and the coals are covered with white ash, dump the chimney mound on one side of the grill and scatter then across the top of the coals.

Sear the fat side of the tri tip, cooking directly over the flames with the grill lid off. This will take only 3 or 4 minutes. A little char is good. When the fat side is seared, turn the tri tip and sear the lean side as you did the fat side.

When the lean side is seared, move it to the cool side of the grill and replace the lid, with the vents open. Cook to the desired doneness, checking the temperature of the meat every 4 or 5 minutes. It will take 20 to 25 minutes for 125 degrees, which is on the rare side, 25 to 30 minutes for 135 degrees, on the medium side.

Remove the roast to a platter and set aside for 10 minutes to finish cooking and for the juices to settle. Carve the tri tip fairly thinly (at most ¼ inch thick) against the grain and with the knife held at an angle to give wide slices. Spoon the carving juices over the meat.

Each serving: 236 calories; 34 grams protein; 0 carbs; 0 fiber; 10 grams fat; 108 mg chol; 432 mg sodium

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