Santa Maria Tri (it) Tip

We love our Traeger Smoker.  We’ve had it for over 10 years and I’ve posted previous recipes using the Traeger as our cooking method of preference.  The smoker is wonderful, but it does require a lot of time to get that smoky ring and flavor in your dish.  Guess what though?  All we have these days is time, so it is a perfect opportunity to use the Traeger.  (thanks a lot Covid-19!).

This is literally one of the easiest meals to make because the only prep is the rub.  The Traeger and oven do the rest of the work for you!

Ingredients:

2-3 lb. tri tip (Butcher Box of course)

2 tablespoons of espresso grounds

1 ½ tablespoons of salt

1 teaspoon of fresh garlic minced

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon of cinnamon

½ teaspoon of chili powder

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and rub mixture all over the tri tip.  Place on smoker for about 5 to 8 hours, finish up in the oven for 1 to 1.5 hours at 375 degrees.   If you don’t have a smoker, you can cook this in the oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 145-165 degrees. 

Wine to pair?

I paired this hearty meal with a big, bold Syrah as it is one of my favorite “hefty” wines. My new go to is the Kieu Hoang Syrah California 2012.  However, a Cabernet Sauvignon or even a Zinfandel would pair well.  Again, Covid-19, so go with what you can get, as long as it’s bigger than my beloved Pinot Noir.  Cheers friends.  Stay safe, be well!