A Meal for Any Occasion

WHEN I first started grilling and barbecuing in earnest, everyone I met from the West Coast would reply to the statement that California has no barbecue with, “Yes, we do. We have the tri-tip.”

The first time I ever tasted a tri-tip steak, it was prepared in the simplest of ways. It had a darkly caramelized crust on the outside that was almost black, with a glistening fuchsia interior. And I'll admit it: I thought it was the most beautiful piece of grilled meat I’d ever seen.

Here, I’ve paired it with garlic bread and a whole cabbage, which is my favorite barbecue side. To round out the meal, dessert is a brownie topped with caramel, chocolate ganache, and toasted pecan halves.

is a