Recipe: California tri-tip tacos

Chargers and Raiders fans are fired up for Thursday Night Football on FOX, so Dr. BBQ decided it was the perfect time to fire up the grill and create a dish that's fit for a fiesta.

If you don't see tri-tip in the meat section of your supermarket, Dr. BBQ says to ask the butcher; they usually will have it in the back.  If you still don't have any luck, the dry rub works great on just about any cut of steak.  

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole beef tri-tip, about 3½ pounds and trimmed to a ¼” fat cap 
Olive oil

20 medium corn tortillas
4 avocados, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Rub
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon granulated onion
½ teaspoon cayenne

Salsa
6 roma tomatoes, coarse chopped
1 yellow bell pepper
½ medium red onion, coarse chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and coarse chopped
Juice of 1 lime
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
Salt
Pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare the grill to cook direct over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients and mix well. Brush the tri-tip lightly with olive oil. Season liberally with the rub. Grill, turning often until well browned on all sides and cooked to an internal temp of 130. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest. 

Meanwhile add the salsa ingredients to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse repeatedly until chunky smooth consistency is achieved. Taste and add salt, pepper or lime juice if needed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Warm the tortillas quickly on a griddle or right on the grill. Stack them and set aside. 

Slice the tri-tip thinly across the grain. To make the tacos, add a few slices of meat to a tortilla. Top with a spoon of the salsa, then three slices of avocado. Top with a heavy sprinkle of cheese and a bit of cilantro. 

Makes about 20 tacos