A born-and-bred California native, Chef Josh Holt is passionate about cooking over an open fire, doing barbecue the right way, and sharing his love of good food. This includes American Wagyu tri-tip Santa Maria-style.
Unlike the low-and-slow style associated with smoking, Santa Maria-style barbecue is much more fast-paced. The meat gets grilled over an open-pit coal bed, typically loaded with red oak, and the cooking grate can move up or down, changing the distance between the meat and the heat.
The unfamiliar style, combined with the prospect of working with American Wagyu for the first time, might sound intimidating to the uninitiated. But stay with us as you heed Josh’s first piece of advice: “Just go for it.”
Remember, it’s not difficult. Just different.
Get to Know Josh
After spending most of his career working in hotels and fine dining, Josh went on to start The Pit Barbecue in Murrieta, Riverside County. Here, he joins the creativity and precision from his fine dining background with the robust, honest flavors and techniques of traditional barbecue.
“What I want people to feel when they experience my food is just overall joy,” Josh says. “We love bringing people together and putting smiles on their faces and just saying, ‘Man, that’s an incredible piece of meat!’ And they can feel the love and passion we put into it here.”
The Meat of the Matter: Santa Maria-Style Wagyu Tri-Tip
On his choice of barbecue style, protein, and grill, Josh explains, “It’s just true to California tri-tip, right? The American Wagyu also, I feel, showcases better on a Santa Maria grill, as opposed to a smoker.”
Enjoy the same succulent results as Josh, that honor both the barbecue style and the meat’s legacy, by doing these three things:
That’s all you need. The rich marbling provides plenty of flavor without requiring heavy rubs or marinades. Just be sure to pat your ribeye dry thoroughly with paper towels before seasoning to remove surface moisture that prevents the all-important Maillard reaction from forming a crust.
1. Keep It Simple
Faithful to the Santa Maria-style, which favors a less-is-more approach to seasoning regardless of the cut, Josh believes quality protein doesn’t need covering up.
“When I get the opportunity to work with Imperial American Wagyu, I really want the meat to show for itself, right? So, not overdeveloping it, but just letting simple ingredients like salt and pepper, and obviously the smoke, really just draw out the true flavor of the meat.”
In other words, restraint is rewarded.
2. Keep It Hot
Because of Wagyu’s richness, Josh changes how he approaches preparation, compared to standard beef. “The meat definitely tends to lean toward allowing most of that fat and that marbling to stay in the meat. So, the tri-tip, you want to serve it medium-rare. If you overcook that, you’re going to lose all that delicious goodness.”
Josh recommends grilling your tri-tip over high heat, letting the meat caramelize until it’s nearly medium-rare. Then, pull it from the grill and let it rest. Do that and, in his words, “You’re going to end up with a nice, perfectly cooked Wagyu.”
3. Keep It Coming
When it’s time to serve, Josh sticks to a simple platter that keeps the Wagyu tri-tip’s incredible flavors as the star of the show. The sliced meat with a little bit of sauce and house-pickled onions on the side is all you need for a fine meal – anything else is stage dressing.
Josh wants people to appreciate the meat’s overall buttery, silky texture when they take that first bite: “It’s going to coat their mouth and be absolutely delicious. That’s what you want.”
Preparing Wagyu Tri-Tip at Home – A Recap
Josh’s advice about grilling your own Santa Maria-style Wagyu tri-tip can be summarized briefly as follows:
- Keep the seasoning simple. Salt and pepper will do. You don’t want to overpower the meat’s natural flavors.
- Grill over hot coals for that beautiful caramelized finish.
- Pull the meat from the grill just before reaching medium-rare. Carryover cooking will ensure it’s done to perfection once rested.
Make Your Masterpiece
Josh proves that simple cooking, done properly, often leads to the most satisfying results.
Find Imperial American Wagyu near you to Make Your Masterpiece. And if you need inspiration, head over to our recipe hub for fresh ideas.
