Tri-Tip & Brie Sandwich – AKA: Gooey Beefy Goodness
Did you say steak? Yes, I did. I also said Brie. One may think of these two as something with which to start and then something with which to follow up as the main course at a fancy soiree in a crystal chandelier bedazzled ballroom. Nonsense! Why not sandwich these two together between some crusty bread, throw in some more delectable digestibles, and consume during even the most casual of affairs?
If you’re not familiar with Tri-Tip, it is essential to a style of barbeque from California’s Central Coast, called “Santa Maria Barbeque,” and I’ve been told that its availability wanes the further one travels from California. If it’s more rare (no pun intended) or too pricey, any cut of thinly sliced sirloin or even flank steak would work for this recipe as well.
Since I’m from Northern California and not from the Central Coast, I feel I need to add some local flare. While Brie is a French cheese, it has become synonymous with the “wine and cheese crowd” of the Bay Area. A nice triple cream brie will work the best here as it contains more milk and will melt very nicely for our needs. Let us begin!
Serving Size: 2…or 1 Me
Sandwich:
- Long Italian Bread
- 1/2 lb. of 1/4 in. sliced Tri-Tip Beef
- 1/4 lb. Triple Cream Brie (long wedge if you can)
- 2 Rounds of Large Red Onion
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish
- 1/2 cup Arugula
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Neutral Oil for Cooking
Lemon-Garlic Aioli:
- 6 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1.) First, we must prepare the Lemon-Garlic Aioli. For best results, like all sauces, we would want to prepare at least an hour before, but directly beforehand will work just fine. Measure and plop the mayo, oil, and lemon juice into a small mixing bowl. Mince the garlic and add to the bowl as well as the salt and pepper. Mix it all up and you’re done!
2.) Select your Tri-Tip. Ideally, you would select some beef with the nicest marbling that you can find, as this will be necessary for a softer texture and more flavor. For most recipes with sliced beef, I would usually cook a whole steak and THEN slice it, but for this one, FIRST slice it and then cook it, or buy already thinly sliced tri-tip. We’re going for a real quick sizzle in the skillet. Season your steaks on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3.) Preheat your pan to medium-high, add neutral oil, and then brown your steaks for only 30-45 seconds each side, or however long it ultimately takes to get the outer crust a little brown and to cook the inside to “rare” (120-130 F).
4.) Remove your beef, and in the same pan, add more neutral oil and begin cooking your onion slices on medium-low for…a while. Cooking them in the same pan as you did the beef will allow you to use all that nice beef juice to help flavor the onions. You COULD caramelize them, but that would take over an hour on low, so lets just set it to medium-low. I would venture to say this may take around 10 (up to 15) minutes, all the while mixing them every few minutes, depending on your stovetop, to soften and brown but not blacken them. When your red onions are purplish, they’re done.
5.) Preheat your oven or toaster-oven to 350 F. Now that you’ve got all of your ingredients prepared, measure out your bread to about 7 inches and cut, and then cut in half lengthwise. If you need a reference other than the photo, your average crusty sandwich roll will do. Spread your horseradish on one half and the aioli on the other.
6.) Slice your already thin slices of beef into even thinner slices of beef and then layer all of your ingredients. On the half you have deemed the bottom, first start with the beef, then the onions, then the arugula. Slice your brie lengthwise into as thin as you can while still maintaining a bit of rigidity and pile onto the top half. As carefully as you can, flip that top brie half onto the bottom beef half, and reeeaaalllly try not to eat it yet until you’ve toasted this beauty.
Now here’s how toasting the sandwich will add even more depth to this masterpiece. Not only will gravity aid in the brie melting down all over your full steakhouse dinner on bread (minus the tater), but the meat will resume cooking and should get to my personal favorite medium-rare (130 to 140 F). Place in your oven once pre-heated and let it do it’s thing for 8 minutes. Once done, take it out, take some photos and text them to your friend you had invited over but couldn’t make it because of his all-important pickleball match and gloat over what he’s missing. Use whatever leftover aioli there is to use as a dip and enjoy!
Leave a comment