SMOKE-ROASTED TRI TIP “LONDON BROIL STYLE” WITH TABASCO ONIONS AND TEXAS TOAST

Here’s a spice-rubbed and smoke-roasted dish with a ton of rich, dark flavor, the kind of meal you want to serve up with a few bottles of big, bold red wine and the proverbial loaf of crusty bread. We call it “London broil style” because we slice the beef very thinly against the grain before serving it, which is really all that London broil means. To soak up the juices, we provide big slices of garlicky grilled bread.

There are a couple of good options for the cut of beef to use in this dish. In this recipe we recommend the tri-tip, a triangular roast taken from the bottom end of the bottom sirloin. This tender little roast has gained a lot of favor recently, particularly on the West Coast.

In a medium bowl, combine all the spice rub ingredients, and mix well. Rub the roast all over with this mixture, pressing down gently to be sure it adheres.

Start a fire well over to one side of a large kettle grill, using about enough coals to fill a shoebox. When the fire dies down and the coals are well lit, place the roast on the side of the grill away from the coals, being careful that none of the meat is directly over the coals. Put the lid on the grill with the vents one-quarter of the way open and cook until the meat is done the way you like it, about 30 to 40 minutes for medium-rare. To check for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the center of the roast and let it sit for 5 seconds, then read the temperature: 120 F is rare, 126 F is medium-rare, 134 F is medium, 150 F is medium-well, and 160 F is well-done. (We like to pull the roast at 147 F.) When the roast is done to your liking, remove it from the grill, cover it loosely with foil, and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

While the meat is cooking, combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the parsley, lime juice, and Tabasco sauce in a large bowl, mix well, and set aside. In a small bowl, mash together the butter and garlic. Spread some of this mixture on one side of each bread slice.

While the meat is resting, rub the onions with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper, then place them on the grill over the coals and cook until they are golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes per side. Add them to the lime-Tabasco dressing and toss until well coated. Grill the bread next to the onions, buttered side up, until well toasted, about 5 minutes.