Tri Tip MASTERPIECE with Cajun Butter
Cajun Butter Tri Tip…not too many words go together better!
Things to know:
What is Cajun butter?
Cajun butter is a rich, savory, and mildly spicy compound butter or sauce, perfect for seafood boils, steaks, or grilled vegetables. Made by blending butter with Cajun seasoning, garlic, parsley, and lemon, it creates a bold, buttery coating. It can be served as a melted dipping sauce or a chilled compound butter
Is cajun butter spicy?
Yes and no. Cajun butter is generally considered spicy, featuring a bold, savory, and zesty flavor profile. It is characterized by a “kick” from cayenne pepper, paprika, and other spices, rather than overwhelming heat, making it perfect for seafood, steak, and vegetables, but when you are making it, you control the heat. Depending on how much Cajun seasoning you add and whether or not you add additional cayenne pepper, it can be anywhere from mild and flavorful to hot as the pits of HELL.
What is a trip tip?
Tri-tip is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin, known for its rich, beefy flavor and tender texture when cooked properly, often associated with Santa Maria-style barbecue. It’s lean yet juicy and can be grilled, roasted, or smoked, but it’s crucial to slice it thinly against the grain after resting to ensure tenderness.
Is tri-tip a good cut of meat?
Yes, tri-tip steak is considered very good, offering a rich, beefy flavor and good tenderness, balancing lean steak with some marbling, making it great for grilling or smoking, especially when cooked to medium-rare and sliced against the grain for maximum flavor and texture.
How long do you let charcoal burn before cooking?
You should let charcoal burn for about 20-30 minutes before cooking (I do this in 2 steps). This ensures the coals are hot enough, have finished producing thick smoke and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and have had time to heat your grill.
Ingredients
1 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup whole-grain mustard (we used Zatarain’s Creole Mustard)
4 t cajun seasoning (We used Cattleman Grill’s Cajun Fusion)
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 t fresh thyme leaves
2 2 lb. tri-tip steak (or a very thick cut of sirloin)
4 T butter, cut into tabs
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
1. In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, bourbon, mustard, Cajun seasoning, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Pour out about ⅓ of mixture to use for glaze later.
2. Toss steak in mixture and let marinate for 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours. (If marinating for more than 20 minutes, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
3. Heat grill or grill pan to high. Remove steak from marinade and season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill until charred on bottom, about 10 minutes. Flip steak, then lower grill to medium-high and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. (A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat should register around 130°.)
4. Remove from grill and let rest on cutting board before slicing against the grain.
5. As your trip tip is grilling, make glaze: Pour reserved marinade into a small saucepan and bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until mixture has thickened slightly. Whisk in butter until melted. Remove from heat.
6. Brush glaze over steak and garnish with parsley, if using. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Dyna-Glo 32-in W Stainless Steel and Black Barrel Charcoal Grill
DISCLOSURE: When we link to products and services, those links may be customized affiliate links. If you click on any of those affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, We’ll earn a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers.
Here’s an example: If we link to our favorite vegetable peeler, and you click on that link and complete a purchase within the next 24 hours, we may receive a commission somewhere between 1 to 10 percent of your total order.
We are careful to link to products and retailers that we use ourselves and recommend. These affiliate programs use cookies to track visits for the purposes of assigning commission on these sales. Money earned keeps Galley of the Sun running and allows us to do what we love.
Thank you for your support.
SELECT AFFILIATE PROGRAM DETAILS: We are currently members of affiliate programs with Amazon and Dalstrong. We are eligible to earn from qualifying purchases.