The time has come for grillmasters to gear up

By Metro Creative

Grilling season has returned for the millions of people who live in regions where grilling is unlikely to happen during the winter months. While standard fare like hot dogs and hamburgers may suffice for backyard barbecues with lots of friends and family, when the party is smaller, grillmasters may want to up their games and try their hands at something new. Tri tip steak is cut from the bottom of the sirloin and is popular on the West Coast of the United States, but this cut, which is suited to marinating and rubbing, can be enjoyed anywhere.

Those who want to give tri tip steak a shot may find it sold as bottom sirloin roast in their local grocery store or butcher shop. But once you find the right cut, the following recipe for “Grilled Tri Tip With Black Olive Aioli” courtesy of Bill Niman and Janet Fletcher’s “The Niman Ranch Cookbook” (Wiley) is sure to please you and your guests the next time you fire up the grill.

Grilled Tri Tip With Black Olive Aioli

Serves 4 to 6

1 tri tip steak, 2½ pounds

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper

¼ cup finely chopped pitted oil-cured black olives

1 cup aioli (see below)

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

Cayenne pepper

Place the steak in a small, nonreactive baking dish. Combine the olive oil, rosemary and black pepper in a small bowl and stir well. Rub the mixture evenly over the tri tip. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24. hours.

Remove the tri tip from the refrigerator 1½ hours before cooking.

Prepare and light a charcoal grill for direct cooking.

Add the olives to the aioli and season with cayenne.

When the grill is at its hottest (when the coals are red and glowing and it’s too hot to hold your hand over the grill for more than a couple of seconds), remove the tri tip from the marinade, wipe off any excess marinade, and season on both sides with sea salt. Place the steak on the cooking grate directly over the coals, cover the grill, and cook, turning once, for about 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 130 F for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Cut the tri tip into thin slices across the grain and arrange on a platter. Serve with aioli.

Aioli

Makes about 1 cup

1 small clove garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 egg yolks

1 cup olive oil

To make by hand, chop the garlic and salt together on a cutting board until a paste forms. Transfer to a deep mixing bowl and wrap a damp towel around the base of the bowl to keep it from sliding around the counter as you work. Whisk in the mustard, lemon juice and egg yolks. While whisking continuously and vigorously, add the olive oil in a slow, thin, steady stream until all of it has been incorporated and the mixture is thick and completely emulsified.

To make the aioli in a food processor, place the garlic and salt in the work bowl and process to chop as finely as possible. Add the mustard and lemon juice and pulse to combine. Add the egg yolks and, with the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow, thin, steady stream until all of it has been incorporated and the mixture is thick and completely emulsified.

Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours until needed.