Sunday, April 19, 2009

Spice-Rubbed Tri-Tip Sandwich


This sandwich was invented while I sat in church this morning. Sacred moment or not, I had food on my mind. Specifically, what could I have for lunch when I returned home?

As I mentally scanned my refrigerator, I came across the remains of a spice-rubbed tri-tip roast I had prepared for dinner last night. With one ear on the sermon (topic: Doubt), I decided for lunch, I would thinly slice the beef, toss the strips with some barbecue sauce and serve it on a toasted roll, along with some roasted peppers and onions. With that settled, I returned my attention to the service.

No doubt about it, this was a divine use of leftovers.

Spice-Rubbed Tri-Tip

This tri-tip should be sliced very thin, against the grain. Try it in warm tortillas with sour cream and salsa or on a toasted bulkie roll with melted cheddar cheese and horseradish mayo, or the roasted peppers and onions and a drizzle of barbecue sauce, like I did. It's especially easy to slice when cold, so save some unsliced for the next day.

1 T. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. kosher salt
1 beef tri-tip roast (1 1/2 - 2 lb.)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks or strips
1 sweet yellow onion, cut into 1" chunks or strips
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
Southwest Seasoning or salt and pepper
Optional:
Warm tortillas or rolls; shredded cheese; guacamole; barbecue sauce; etc.

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt, and rub onto all sides of the roast. Place the roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Toss the peppers and onions with the olive oil and seasonings. Spread out on a small sheet pan or ceramic ovenproof dish. Place both the roast and the vegetables in the oven, side by side if possible, and roast for 40 - 45 minutes. Stir the vegetables once or twice during cooking. After 40 - 45 minutes, use an instant-read thermometer to test the roast (135 degrees for medium-rare; 150 degrees for medium. The temperature will continue to rise as you remove it from the oven and will reach 145 for medium-rare and 160 for medium). When the roast and vegetables are done to your liking, remove from the oven.

Cover the roast loosely with aluminum foil and let rest at least 15 minutes. Carve thin, against the grain, and serve as desired.

Serves 6.

No comments: