Okay, so the other day, I was craving a good steak, and I had this tri-tip sitting in my fridge. I’d heard that cooking it in a cast iron skillet is the way to go, so I thought, why not give it a shot? I’m no professional chef, but I figured I could handle it.
First things first, I took the tri-tip out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes. I wanted it to come up to room temperature, ’cause I heard that helps it cook more evenly. While that was happening, I seasoned the steak with some salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Nothing fancy, just your basic steak seasoning.
Next, I got my cast iron skillet nice and hot. I mean really hot. Like, smoking hot. I put a little bit of oil in there, just enough to coat the bottom. Once the oil was shimmering, I carefully placed the tri-tip in the skillet. You could hear that satisfying sizzle right away.
- Sear that steak! I let it sear on one side for about 4-5 minutes, without moving it. I wanted a nice crust to form. After that, I flipped it over and seared the other side for another 4-5 minutes.
- Into the oven! My oven was preheated to 400°F (200°C). So, I popped the whole skillet into the oven. I figured that would finish cooking the inside without burning the outside.
Now, here’s where I might’ve messed up a little. I didn’t have a meat thermometer at the time, so I was just kinda guessing when it was done. I think I left it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. I was aiming for medium-rare, but it’s hard to tell without a thermometer. The search results said I should use a thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare. But I don’t have one.
Once I thought it was cooked enough, I took the skillet out of the oven and transferred the tri-tip to a cutting board. It smelled amazing, by the way. I covered it loosely with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes. I read somewhere that this lets the juices redistribute, making for a more tender steak. I do as I read.
The Result
Finally, it was time to slice it up and see how I did. I sliced it against the grain, which I’ve been told is important for tri-tip. And you know what? It wasn’t half bad! It was definitely cooked more than I intended, probably closer to medium than medium-rare. But it was still juicy and had a good flavor. The crust was nice and crispy, thanks to that hot skillet.
All in all, it was a pretty successful experiment. I definitely learned a few things along the way. Next time, I’ll make sure to use a meat thermometer. And maybe I’ll try a different seasoning blend, just to mix things up. But for a first attempt, I was pretty happy with how it turned out. I’d say, if you’ve never cooked tri-tip in a cast iron skillet before, give it a go! It’s easier than you might think.
