Okay, folks, let me tell you about the time I tried cooking a tri-tip on the stove. I’m no chef, but I do like a good piece of meat, and I’d heard good things about tri-tip. Plus, I didn’t feel like firing up the grill, so stove-top it was.
First things first, I grabbed my tri-tip from the fridge. It was a nice little piece, about 2 pounds or so. I patted it dry with some paper towels because, you know, you gotta get that moisture off if you want a good sear.
Then came the seasoning. I’m a simple guy, so I just used some olive oil, salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder. I rubbed that tri-tip all over with the oil and sprinkled on the seasonings. You don’t need anything fancy here, trust me.
Next, I heated up a big skillet on the stove. Cast iron is great if you have it, but any heavy-bottomed pan will do. I added a bit more olive oil to the pan and waited until it was good and hot. You want that sizzle when the meat hits the pan.
Sear It Good
- I placed the tri-tip in the hot skillet and seared it for about 3-4 minutes per side.
- The goal here is to get a nice brown crust. Don’t be afraid of a little smoke, but don’t burn the house down either!
After searing, I reduced the heat to medium-low and added a splash of beef broth to the pan. I covered it with a lid and let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes, until it reached my desired doneness. I like my steak medium-rare, so I used a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Around 130-135°F is what I was aiming for.
Once it was cooked, I took the tri-tip out of the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes. This is important, folks! Resting allows the juices to redistribute, making for a more tender and flavorful steak.
Finally, I sliced the tri-tip against the grain and served it up. It was juicy, it was flavorful, and it was surprisingly easy to cook on the stove. Not bad for a regular guy like me, right?
So, there you have it. My adventure in stove-top tri-tip cooking. It’s definitely something I’ll be doing again. Give it a try sometime, and let me know how it goes!
