When was the last time you ate amazing tri-tip barbecue? If you’re not from the Santa Maria Valley and the surrounding region — home of this flavorful cut of beef cooked over an oak fire — the answer is likely: What’s that? Well, here’s what you’re missing.
The tri-tip at Stein's in Paso Robles is a prime example of Santa Maria-style barbecue.
Some beefy history
When this chunk of California was growing in the Gold Rush era, it was cattle country. Part of the culture revolved around gathering for massive cookouts at the ranches throughout the region. Naturally, beef played a starring role on the menu.
The tradition of singling out tri-tip as a cut that works well when grilled is credited to a butcher named Bob Schutz. In the 1950s, he isolated the triangular cut of the bottom sirloin.
While there are plenty of restaurants that have staked a claim on serving the world’s greatest tri-tip — Jocko’s and The Hitching Post top the best-of lists — this under-the-radar cut is also a huge hit at community fundraisers. If you drive by a Santa Maria barbecue grill on the side of the road, be prepared to hit the brakes. Some pitmasters are known for offering a slice straight off the grill as a juicy preview.
Unlike Southern-style barbecue, which is cooked low and slow, Santa Maria tri-tip is typically simply seasoned and grilled quickly. Sandwiches are often slathered in a slightly sweet, tomato based barbecue sauce.
The oak-fired Santa Maria barbecue grill is a regular fixture in Paso Robles, Calif., where tri-tip ... [+]
A perfect partner for wine
In the classic chicken-and-the-egg guessing game about which came first, it’s clear that tri-tip had a solid hold on the hearts of residents in this agricultural-centric area for many decades before wine producers came along. Still, it just makes sense that the bold reds produced in and around Paso wine country are such a fitting accompaniment to the signature style of barbecue. We asked a few winemakers to name their favorite places for tri-tip.
Lone Madrone's Neil Collins enjoys the tri-tip sandwich at Jeffry's Wine Country BBQ in Paso Robles. ... [+]
Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ
Former chef Neil Collins has been in the wine industry in Paso Robles for decades, working from the start at the renowned Tablas Creek. In 1996, he and his sister, Jackie Meisinger, launched the Lone Madrone label featuring fruit grown on the rugged hillside vineyard that bears that name. Much of the fruit that goes into the wine is dry-farmed, which Collins said delivers a true expression of the land on which it’s grown. Let’s say it’s gets an A+ in the terrior department.
While the crisp, fruity Chenin blanc makes a good case for being poured alongside the stunningly succulent pork bahn mi at Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ, it’s the elegant Lone Madrone Zin that hits the mark when paired with tri-tip.
At Jeffrey’s, the culinary crew does tri-tip a little differently, cooking it in Traeger wood pellet grills. It’s a tribute to Texas-style barbecue, not an imitation, and it makes for some of the most tender, flavorful tri-tip. Yes, the sandwich is definitely worth trying, but it’s also offered as a topping for the popular spot’s mac-n-cheese.
The tri-tip sandwich at Firestone Grill is a favorite of winemaker Edgar Torres.
Firestone Grill
Edgar Torres grew up in Cambria, eating tri-tip sandwiches at this casual cafe and the distinctive sauce keeps drawing him back. It’s sweet and a little spicy, a welcome contrast to the stack of savory tri-tip. Firestone Grill has several locations.
The go-to red he likes to drink with that toothsome cut of meat is his Bodega de Edgar Priorato, a blend of mostly Rhone varietals: Carignan, Syrah, Grenacha and a little bit of Cab. It makes for a mineral-intense wine that’s balanced by dark fruit and coffee flavors.
At home, sous vide-style
Austin Hope has a soft spot for Jocko’s, but he mostly cooks tri-tip at home. He has played around with the technique of cooking the meat sous vide-style, sealed in a plastic bag in barely simmering water. “Then, I’ll finish it with a quick sear over an oak fire,” said the winemaker, who launched his signature label in 2000.
He serves that tri-tip sliced thicker than most, and advises pouring a glass of his Troublemaker when dining and wining. “It’s brawny and rich, extremely flavorful and definitely can stand up to the tri-tip,” he said.
Sounds good, and what time’s dinner?
Read more about Paso Robles wine country:
Take An Awesome Wine Tour On Adelaida Road
