Grilled Tri-Tip with Roasted Cherry Tomato Salsa

“This is one of my favorite go to recipes for those summer evening BBQs with friends and family. The meat is delicious on its own, but the whole thing just comes together with the salsa and the parmesan. The richness of the meat helps cut through the tannin of the wine, while the sweetness from the roasted tomatoes, and pepperiness of the arugula really help the aromatics of the wine shine through. Of course the presentation looks pretty nice too.”
– Harry Wetzel IV, Owner & Assistant Winemaker

Ingredients for Marinade:
2-3 lbs. tri-tip, can use flat iron steak as well
½ cup Wine Club Reserve
½ cup soy sauce
6 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1″ piece ginger, peeled and sliced
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 ½ tsp. black pepper

Ingredients for Salsa:
1 ½ cup red cherry tomatoes
1 ½ cup yellow cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
1 Tbsp. finely chopped basil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 cups washed arugula
½ cup shaved Parmesan

Method of Preparation for Marinade:
Combine all marinade ingredients in a 1 gallon zip lock bag, and marinade meat for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Method of Preparation for Salsa:
This can be done up to 24 hours in advance. Preheat oven to 300°F. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, place in a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, minced garlic and chopped onion. Mix together. Spread the tomatoes evenly out onto a sheet pan, cut sides up, and roast in the oven for approximately 1 hour, shaking the pan every 20-30 minutes to prevent sticking. Remove pan from the oven and put the tomatoes back in the bowl. Add balsamic, salt and pepper and mix the salsa. Refrigerate.

Method of Preparation for Meat:
Grill the tri-tip or steak over direct heat for 6 minutes per side, then move to indirect heat, cover and continue cooking for 12 more minutes for medium rare. Allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes after removing from the heat. Mix arugula with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a dash of salt and pepper. Spread the arugula onto a platter, leaving the center of the platter empty and spreading the arugula towards the edges. Slice the tri-tip across the grain and spread slices down the empty, middle of platter. Mix the basil into the cooled salsa and spread on top of the sliced steak. Top all with the shaved Parmesan. Serve family style.