Red Wine Tri Tip Roast: Cooking Meat is NOT Hard

The Story

Really not that difficult....

My friends always say that they can make pasta or vegetables or fish or whatever, but they don't know how to cook meat. But seriously, it's not hard. If you can turn on an oven and set a timer, you can cook meat. Just don't over cook it. And let it rest. 

Fool proof instructions below. But, if you just don't like touching raw meat (I really think that's a major issue for a lot of people), just get over it.  And turn on your oven.

The Food

STEP ONE: Marinate. In a measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup red wine (I used pinot noir), 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add whatever spices you're in the mood for (I used a bit of mustard powder, rosemary, and thyme), salt, pepper, and blend. Place roast (I used a 2.2 pound tri tip roast) in a large ziploc bag, and pour the marinade over the meat. Add in 3-4 cloves of diced garlic. 

Mmm, raw meat is sooooo appetizing.

Shake the bag up. Make sure everything is mixed up, and place the roast and bag on a plate, in case of leaks. Put the bag in the refrigerator, and let the roast marinate for 8-24 hours.

Yea.... My food photography skills leave something to be desired.

STEP TWO: Turn the roast. Remember to turn the roast occasionally, to ensure that all sides soak up some of the delicious flavors.

STEP THREE: Brown the roast and preheat the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Remove the roast from the marinade bag, shake off any excess, and brown both sides of the roast (about 5 minutes per side, but it depends on your stovetop).

Sort of pretty? At least it makes you hungry.

STEP FOUR: Roast the roast. Place roast in pan (I always line mine in foil to make gravy making and clean up easier). Bake at 350 degrees F. For a medium rare roast, cook for about 25 minutes per pound. For a medium well roast, cook about 30 minutes per pound. For a pretty rare roast, cook about 22 minutes per pound. Since I baked a 2.2 pounds tri tip roast and wanted it medium rare, I baked it for 55 minutes. 

STEP FIVE: Let the roast REST (and make some gravy). About five minutes before you remove the roast, start the gravy by bringing once cup of beef stock or one cup of water and once beef bouillon cube to a simmer. 

Remove roast from oven, and take roast out of pan. Put roast on plate, and let sit for at least ten minutes. 

Pour the juices remaining in the roast pan into the gravy pan with the stock, and cover the roast with foil. While the stock and pan juices are simmering, combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/4 cup water. Blend to combine into a smooth paste, then add some of the simmering stock to the flour-water mixture, to bring the temperature of the mixture closer to the stock temperature. Drizzle the flour-water-stock mixture into the simmering stock, stirring to combine and avoid lumps. Let the gravy come to a simmer while you slice the meat.

After the roast rests for ten minutes, slice it into pieces. Pour any juices that accumulate into the gravy mixture. 

Sitting prettier?

STEP SIX: Eat it. Serve. With gravy.

Pretty? Or at least appetizing? Medium rare tri-tip roast marinated in red wine. I really need some food photography classes.... Or to stop taking photos on my iPhone.