Slow Roasted Tri Tip

This is pretty easy, but we'll see how good it is tonight when I get home.

Tri Tip
2 1/2lbs tri tip, untrimmed
3 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper 
1 medium yellow onion
1/2 cup water

Spice Rub
1 tbsp coriander seed
1 tbsp cumin seed
1 tbsp Mexican oregano, dried
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Spice Rub Directions

Heat a dry skillet over medium high heat.  Swirl and toast the coriander seeds in the pan until they are fragrant and darkened.  Poor the seeds into a bowl or large mortar.  Add the cumin seeds to the pan and toast them next.  With about 30 seconds left on the cumin seeds, add the oregano to the pan.  It will get fragrant fast (30 seconds, remember?), so before it burns,  pour it into the mortar or bowl.

Grind the spices in the mortar, or transfer the spices to the spice grinder.  Return the powder to the bowl, stir in the salt.  Add the olive oil and stir to make a semi-dry paste.


Slow Roasted Tri Tip Directions

An untrimmed tri tip will have a layer of fat on one side.  You're going to leave that on. 

Lightly crush and remove the garlic peel.  Using a sharp knife, make three slits in the meat side of the roast and insert the garlic deep within the slits.

Rub the meat side of the roast with the rub.  Place in a large covered bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour, but as long as overnight.

Seed and chop the pepper.  Peel and chop the onion.

Place the pepper and onion on the bottom of the slow cooker, adding the water.  Lay the tri tip, fat side up, on top of the peppers and onions.  I tucked a few small red skinned potatoes alongside the roast, but this was just a random way to use up the last two that I had.

Turn slow cooker to the low cook setting for 8-10 hours or the high cook setting for 5-6 hours.  I'm using a West Bend metal slow cooker, rather than a "crock pot."  I've got settings of 1-5 to work with, and set it to 2.  I can hear it bubbling in there.  Off to work...


Last night, I got home after work and had a big bowl of the meat, veggies, and potatoes.  Damn good.  The meat was tender enough to shred, but I chopped it up and had it like stew.  The broth wasn't thick, but I loved it anyway.  Drank up what was left.

Tonight, I had it stirred into a bowl of rice, with some artichoke hearts.  Noodles, I think, tomorrow.

This is one of the best roasts I've ever made.  Delicious. It's so good that I'd be kicking myself if I hadn't written it down.  You should make it.