Okay, so yesterday I tried cooking tri-tip on my charcoal grill for the first time. I’ve grilled a bunch of stuff before, but this was new territory for me. I did a bit of reading beforehand, grabbed a nice-looking piece of meat from the butcher, and made sure I had enough charcoal. I decided to go with a simple salt and pepper seasoning, nothing too fancy. I also made a basic marinade, which I let the meat soak in for a few hours in the fridge.
When it was time to start, I lit up the charcoal and waited until it was all white and ashy, you know, nice and hot. I spread the coals out on one side of the grill, so I had a hot side and a cooler side. I took the tri-tip out of the fridge, patted it dry, and seasoned it again.
- Seasoning: I rubbed some olive oil all over the tri-tip and sprinkled salt and pepper generously on both sides.
- Marinade: The tri-tip soaked up some good flavor for about 3 hours.
- Grilling: I placed it on the hot side first to get a good sear, about 4-5 minutes on each side. I flipped it with my trusty tongs, making sure not to poke any holes in it. The fire was going strong, and I could hear that satisfying sizzle as the meat cooked.
- After searing, I moved it to the cooler side to cook through, about 10 minutes per pound as I read, turning it occasionally.
I used my meat thermometer to check the temperature, aiming for around 130-135°F for medium-rare. I was pretty happy with how it was going, so I pulled it off the grill and let it rest for about 10 minutes, tented with foil.
When it was time to slice it, I made sure to cut against the grain. It looked juicy and had a nice pink color in the middle. The first bite was pretty good – tender, flavorful, with a nice crusty exterior. The marinade and seasoning really came through, and the smoky flavor from the charcoal was awesome.
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Overall, it was a success! It wasn’t perfect, but definitely tasty. I learned a few things along the way, like how important it is to let the meat rest and how to manage the heat on the grill. I’m already thinking about what I’ll try differently next time, maybe a different marinade or some wood chips for extra flavor. Grilling tri-tip on charcoal is definitely something I’ll be doing again. I might even invite some friends over next time to show off my new skills!
