Happy Fourth of July to all of my wonderful readers! Hopefully you’re not working on this Fourth of July and you’re celebrating our Nation’s birth. Dressed in my Brooks Brother’s shorts with little embroidered crabs, and my red white and blue gingham shirt, we just finished an awesome Dim Sum brunch at the Hong Kong Lounge II in Laurel Heights, and are now headed off to a friends BBQ in the Mission. Later this evening we’ll be manning the BBQ (grilling a beef loin tri tip that we massaged with a spice rub and in the fridge overnight) on the roof as we scout out the fireworks shows across the San Francisco Bay. We’ll keep our fingers crossed, legs too, and hope the fog stays out on the ocean and the skies are clear for a spectacular light show.

To see some other awesome recommendations for where to eat when your in our nationa’s capital, check out our DC Meals page

Beef Loin Tri Tip in a Garlic Spiced Rub

Ingredients

• 2 – 3 lbs beef loin tri-tip roasts
• 2 tblsp ground cumin
• 3 tblsp olive oil
• 2 tblsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tblsp light brown sugar
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper

Mix the oil, spices, and garlic in a small bowl until well combined and it forms a thick paste.

Pat the beef loin tri tip dry with a paper towel and rub the spicy garlic paste into the meat (use your hands and get messy) and really make sure to get it in everywhere. Place the loin tri tip in a gallon Ziploc bag and try to get as much air out as possible. Seal the bag, and massage the rub into the meat some more before putting it in the fridge overnight.

When you’re ready to grill, take the meat out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. While that’s happening, turn the BBQ on high. After about 10-15 minutes, the grill should be really hot. Remove any excess rub from the meat with a paper towel (any clumps really), and cook the beef loin tri tip with the fat side down first, searing the meat on the grill (about 3 minutes each side). Then turn the burners down to low and move the beef loin tri tip roast to the hanging grill (or a side of the grill above burners that are turned off) so it’s a little further away from any direct heat. Let it cook “low and slow” for another 35-45 minutes until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loin tri tip roast reads 140°-145° F (for medium or medium-rare).

Take the roast off the grill and loosely tent it with a piece of aluminum. The meat will continue to cook a little while it rests, but it will also suck back some of the juices it previously released. After the meat has rested for 10-15 minutes, you can start slicing it against the grain and enjoy!

We enjoyed our beef loin tri tips with this delicious grilled corn, jalapeño and green bell pepper salad with a few grilled baby zucchinis on the side.

Tid Bits:

• Try not to poke the meat with your meat thermometer too much, or you’ll give the juices a greater chance to drain the tri tip roast.