California BBQ
intro
Oak-smoked spice-rubbed tri-tip with charred summer veggies and tangy vinegar mop, the iconic sunny California backyard BBQ staple.
Ingredients
Steps
30 minutes before grilling, prepare the spice rub and mop sauce. In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1.5 teaspoons smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano until evenly combined. Pat the 900g tri-tip completely dry with paper towels, rub 2/3 of the spice mix evenly over all surfaces of the beef, and let it rest at room temperature (21°C / 70°F) for 20 minutes. While the meat rests, cut red bell peppers into 5cm wide planks, slice zucchini into 1cm thick lengthwise planks, and cut the onion into 2cm thick crosswise rings. In a second bowl, stir together 120ml red wine vinegar, 45ml olive oil, 10g minced fresh garlic, and the remaining 1/3 of the spice mix to make the tangy mop sauce.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill for two-zone cooking: heat one side to high direct heat (230°C / 450°F), and leave the opposite side unlit for indirect medium heat (175°C / 350°F). Scatter the 60g drained soaked red oak wood chips over hot coals (or place in a metal smoker box on gas grill grates) once the grill reaches temperature, close the lid, and wait 3 minutes until thin, pale wispy smoke escapes the grill vents.
Place the spiced tri-tip on the direct high-heat side of the grill, fat cap facing down. Sear for 4 minutes per side, using long-handled tongs to flip once per side, until a dark, crisp golden-brown char forms on all surfaces (12 minutes total searing time, rotating to char all thin edges). Baste the roast with 1/3 of the vinegar mop sauce immediately after each flip.
Move the seared tri-tip to the indirect heat side of the grill, positioning the thickest end of the roast closest to the heat source. Close the grill lid, adjust vents to hold a steady 175°C (350°F) internal grill temperature, and cook for 18 minutes, basting with remaining mop sauce every 6 minutes, until the roast reaches 60°C (140°F) internal temperature when tested with an instant-read thermometer (carryover cooking will raise it to 63°C / 145°F, perfect medium-rare, during resting).
During the last 12 minutes of the tri-tip’s indirect cook time, toss the prepped 300g red bell pepper planks, 250g zucchini planks, and 200g onion rings with 28g melted butter and a pinch of salt. Arrange the vegetables on the medium-heat edge of the grill, cook 6 minutes per side until tender with dark even grill marks, then transfer to a large serving platter.
Once the tri-tip reaches target temperature, transfer it to a clean cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and rest for 10 minutes to let juices redistribute. Slice the meat against the grain into 1cm thick slices, arrange on the platter alongside the charred vegetables, and serve immediately.
Tips
2.Do not soak wood chips for longer than 30 minutes before grilling: overly wet chips produce thick, bitter white smoke instead of the thin, mild pale blue smoke that gives California BBQ its signature gentle oak flavor.
3.Resist the urge to cut into the tri-tip immediately after grilling: the 10-minute tented rest allows muscle fibers to reabsorb juices, so every slice stays moist instead of leaking juice onto the cutting board.
OMG, made this for our Memorial Day backyard cookout and every single guest asked for the recipe! The pinquito beans and that red oak-infused tri-tip? Game changer, I thought I knew Santa Maria BBQ growing up down south but this rub ratio is perfect. My kids even ate seconds of the salsa that goes with it, no complaints about 'too much spice' for once!
Tried this last night for a random weeknight family dinner, was a little nervous about nailing the tri-tip doneness since I usually do ribs, but the cook time guide was spot on. SO good, the garlic bread side that’s mentioned in the pro tips? *Chef’s kiss* Only thing I did wrong was not make enough, my partner ate half the tri-tip before I even got the sides on the table 😂
Brought this to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and it was the first empty platter on the table! I prepped the rub the night before to let the flavors meld, which saved so much time day of. 10/10 will be adding this to my regular summer rotation.
Wait, hold up — is the Santa Maria salsa supposed to be that chunky? I followed the recipe to a T but mine came out way thicker than the stuff I had at a BBQ spot in Santa Maria last summer. Flavor was incredible though, no notes there, just texture question.
Made this for my husband’s birthday BBQ and he said it’s better than the Santa Maria BBQ we had on our central coast honeymoon 10 years ago! The only tweak I made was adding a little extra paprika to the rub because we love a smokier flavor. Will absolutely make this again.
Meal prepped this on Sunday for lunches all week, and it held up perfectly! Sliced the tri-tip thin, tossed it with a little extra salsa, and had it over rice for work lunches. Way better than my usual sad desk salad, coworkers kept stopping by to ask what smelled so good.
I’m a total beginner at grilling, so I was intimidated by the medium difficulty rating, but the step-by-step instructions made this so doable! I did overcook the very end of the tri-tip a little because my grill runs hot, but even the well-done bits were tasty. 10/10 for a beginner-friendly fancy BBQ dinner.
Has anyone tried making this with a gas grill instead of charcoal? Our charcoal grill bit the dust last month and I’m dying to make this for our 4th of July party, don’t want to drop money on a new charcoal grill right now.
I grew up going to Santa Maria BBQs with my grandparents, and this recipe is exactly the flavor I remember! The simple rub (no crazy fancy ingredients!) is what makes it so good, no need for all those overcomplicated BBQ rubs you see online. My grandma would be proud.
Never had Santa Maria style BBQ before trying this recipe, and wow, I’ve been missing out! The fresh salsa cuts through the rich tri-tip so perfectly, I already sent the recipe to my whole family group chat. Next time I’m having people over, this is on the menu for sure.
Made this for my weekly meal prep and it’s so versatile! I used the leftover tri-tip for tacos, salads, and even a quick breakfast hash with eggs and potatoes. The rub works so well with everything, I’m gonna start mixing up a big batch of it to keep in my pantry.
Pro tip for anyone making this: don’t skip the pinquito beans! I know they can be a little hard to find outside of California, but ordering a bag online is so worth it, they make the whole meal feel authentic. I’ve been making this style of BBQ for 20 years and this recipe is spot on.