Jamaican Tri-Tip and Gravy
This is an adaptation of the Jamaican Pot Roast my Mom made me as a kid. Hers is a delicious and mild recipe that I’ll probably cook properly in a future installment. But this was very much inspired by it, and it turned out flawlessly. The rub isn’t a true Jerk seasoning, but it’s a very tasty twist on it.
I spent a lot of time on the gravy. I kept tasting until it finally tasted “right”, because I had nothing more than a guess in mind when I started. It’s very pleasantly spicy, not a singing peppery hot. It poses the slow, poised heat which ginger yields when you’re not shooting for sweet.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lb beef tri-tip roast
Jamaican rub
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp ground chili de arbol
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
Gravy
6 small tomatoes*
fresno chilis*
serrano chilies*
1 onion, minced
3 tbsp roasted garlic
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
4 small limes, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
6 oz tomato paste
14 oz beef broth
1 tsp chili arbol
2 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp clove
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp worchestershire
1/2 tbsp black pepper
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
* These vegetables are “fire-roasted” on the grill.
It was a warm day, so I fired up the grill and cooked my peppers and tomatoes until they were soft, smoky, and partially blackened. I used about 4 fresno chilis and 2 serranos (though many more are pictured), because I’ll use those in something else and I won’t have to repeat the effort. You can do this in advance. If you don’t fire roast in advance, make sure to do it prior to tackling the tri-tip. You could omit this “firing” step, but it sure adds some flavor…
Preheat oven to Broil.
Mix the spices for your rub together well. Tri-tip has a “fat side” you’ll cook the roast “fat-side down”. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before applying your rub. In a shallow roasting pan, rub the top and sides of the meat with the Jamaican rub liberally. I had very little excess, so if you have a bigger roast you may need to mix a little more. At this point your tri-tip is rubbed and your fire-roasting is presumed to be done.
Place the meat in the oven, then cook 20-25 minutes. 20 minutes will bring you to rare/medium-rare. Since the roast is shaped unevenly, it will be more done towards the ends and less done in the middle. Try hard not to overcook it, it’s a bitter end for any good meat. The roast continues to cook once removed from the oven. While the meat cooks, move on to the gravy.
Time to make gravy. In a saute pan, heat olive oil then add garlic and onion. Once these begin to carmelize, add the other vegetables and saute. Add beef broth to reduce the heat and speed of cooking. Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add gravy to a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Allow the roast to rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. You can slice straight across the bottom and remove the layer of fat on it. Then for serving, slice thin, and across the grain. Generously serves 4. Serve your meat and gravy with some garlic mashers, and possibly a green.
If you didn’t pick up on the subtle part of how to pull this off simply and elegantly for guests, it’s advance preparation. Beef tri-tip is a very tender cut, and responds well to intense dry heat. If you take the time to prepare the gravy a few hours or even a day or two in advance (and fire-roasting if you’re up to it), then this easily becomes a “30 minute meal” on serving day.
