Coffee-Crusted Tri-Tip with Scallion-Butter Corn

Bold coffee, brown sugar, and smoked paprika form a deeply savory crust on juicy grilled tri-tip, paired with charred summer corn slathered in melting scallion butter.

  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Servings:
  • Estimated total cost: $17–$19
  • Calories per serving:

Ingredients

  • Certified Angus Beef Tri Tip Steak (2 Steak per Pack)
    1 lb $12.99
  • Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob-Each
    2 ears $1.25
  • Earthbound Farm Green Onions
    2 green onions $1.50
  • Olive oil
    1 1/2 tablespoons
  • Kosher salt
    2 teaspoons
  • Black pepper
    3/4 teaspoon
  • Finely ground coffee
    1 tablespoon
  • Light brown sugar
    1 tablespoon
  • Smoked paprika
    1 tablespoon
  • Garlic powder
    1/2 teaspoon
  • Unsalted butter, softened
    1 tablespoon
  • Dusted Valley Vineyards Boomtown Syrah
    1 bottle $13.99

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat the grill to medium, about 400°F, for 10 minutes. Thinly slice 2 green onions and mash them into 1 tablespoon softened unsalted butter; set aside.

  2. 2.

    Pat 1 lb Certified Angus Beef Tri Tip Steak dry and coat it with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon finely ground coffee, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, then press the mixture firmly over every side of the 1 lb tri-tip.

  3. 3.

    Shuck 2 ears Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob, brush them with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, and season them with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

  4. 4.

    Place 1 lb seasoned tri-tip and 2 seasoned ears corn on the grill at the same time. Grill the 1 lb tri-tip for 5 to 7 minutes per side, moving it away from flare-ups, until its center reaches 130–135°F for medium-rare; turn the 2 ears corn every 2 to 3 minutes and remove them after 10 to 12 minutes, once tender and charred.

  5. 5.

    Transfer 1 lb grilled tri-tip to a board and rest it for 10 minutes. Slather 2 hot ears corn with the scallion butter made from 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 2 green onions.

  6. 6.

    Thinly slice 1 lb rested tri-tip against the grain, divide it between two plates, and serve each portion with 1 ear scallion-buttered corn.

Health: Approximately 700 calories and 50 grams of protein per serving, with sweet corn contributing fiber and B vitamins.

Drink pairing: A fruit-forward Syrah stands up to the smoky coffee crust while complementing the sweet corn.

Wine picks:

  • Dusted Valley Vineyards Boomtown Syrah $13.99 1 bottle
  • Waterbrook Syrah Washington Red Wine $13.99 1 bottle

Why it works: The coffee, smoked paprika, and brown-sugar crust call for a ripe, full-bodied Syrah with enough peppery depth for the grilled beef, while its fruitiness will echo the sweet charred corn. The more distinctive Boom Boom! bottling is a fitting upgrade for this bold preparation.