Sous vide is great for tenderizing the long muscle fibers of tri-tip. This sous vide tri tip steak recipe calls for cooking the tri-tip for a handful of hours at a low temperature.
4tbspghee (or butter) for a skillet finishor extra virgin olive oil for a grill finish
Instructions
Set the sous vide machine to 54°C / 130°F to preheat the water.
Season the tri tip generously with salt, pepper, garlic and thyme sprigs.
Add 4 tbsp butter to the tri tip steak inside the bag and seal the sous vide bag.
Put the bag in the sous vide container and let it cook for 4 hours.
When the tri tip is ready, take it out of the vacuum sealed bag. Pat dry the tri tip.
Put the pan on high heat and sear the tri tip on all sides with ghee, 1 to 2 minutes per side including edges (5-8 minutes total). Alternatively, for a more authentic Santa Maria style finish, sear the steak with olive oil over oak on a charcoal grill.
When ready to eat, finish with salt, slice the tri tip steak against the grain and enjoy!