Chile Ancho Marinated Filet of Beef (Tri Tip)

This chile ancho marinated filet of beef or tri tip is good enough for any special occasion! Or simply if you are looking to enjoy some delicious beef tacos! No special occasion required. Just come hungry!

 

One of the most used dried peppers in my kitchen is chile ancho. Chile ancho  are the dried version of those big, green, beautiful poblano peppers. I love both equally and it would be hard for me to choose which is my favorite. I was spoiled for a few years when one of the local markets was carrying big bags of chile ancho. I was well stocked and could prepare a batch of pork tamales on the spot! Lol! Ok, maybe in two days… if I had the pork already. Fortunate for me I have friends who live all over the United States and local friends who travel all over as well. On several occasions I have traded product with foodie friends who live in other states. I send them hard to find items that they cannot purchase in their area and they do the same for me.  And for the friends that live locally, I cook some special Mexican recipes that are not available in our area, such as Mom’s Pork Tamales, yeah baby! Ha, Ha, Ha! Everybody’s happy! For this recipes today, I used filet of beef (wet marinade) for the first recipe and beef tri tip(dry rub) in the second recipe. Chile ancho marinades , sauces and dry rubs pair well with any meat, especially pork and beef. This is a great way to use that cast iron pan sitting in your cupboard. It’s fast and easy! Don’t forget to have you meat thermometer on hand. This recipe takes longer to marinate than it does to actually cook it. We enjoyed the beef hot with roasted vegetables, sandwiches, and tacos for the next couple of days. It’s a great choice for entertaining as well. Serve it sliced as an appetizer on top of crostini slices and some fresh guacamole or pico de gallo or guacamole on top for your next dinner party.  

 

Chile Ancho Sauce -Marinade

8 to 10 chile ancho, stems and seeds removed and torn into smaller pieces
3 chile de arbol or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 cloves garlic

Olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon marjoram
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 filet of beef, 1 pound each more or less
1 to 2 tablespoons of grapeseed or canola oil works best for high temperature searing

 

Directions

1. Heat 1/3 olive oil to medium/low heat in a skillet. Add the torn pieces of chile ancho, chile de arbol and cloves of garlic. Cook in the oil for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently so that peppers don’t overcook or burn. You want then to become aromatic and slightly soft. The garlic should be golden.

2. Add the cumin seeds, oregano and marjoram to the chiles and oil and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Once cooled transfer all of the mixture to the blender. Add the vinegar, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Blend on high until smooth, set aside. Taste for salt. Transfer the beef filets to a heavy storage bag and pour in half of the chile ancho sauce. Reserve the other half. Marinate overnight.

4. Remove beef from refrigerator and from marinade 40 minutes before cooking it. When ready, preheat 2 tablespoons of grapeseed or canola oil in a cast iron pan to medium heat for 5 minutes. Also preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

5. Sear the beef for 3 minutes on all sides, making sure you turn them right side up before they go in the oven.  Also before going into the oven baste the remaining chile ancho sauce over beef. Finish cooking in oven for 15 to 22 minutes or until internal temperature reads 130 to 135 degrees for medium rare or 140 for medium. Remove from oven and tent with foil paper for 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with sauce from pan. Yields 8 servings.

 

Beef Trip Tip~ Chile Ancho Dry Rib

Chile Ancho Dry Rub
1/3 cup chile ancho powder
2 tablespoons Gebhardt chili powder
*Gebhardt is a bright red mild chili powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 tablespoon  fresh cracked pepper
Chile de arbol or chipotle powder, to taste
Salt to taste

 

To prepare the tri tip, follow instructions as above. Add dry rub, cover with plastic and marinate overnight. Let come to room temperature for 35 to 40 minutes before cooking. The tri tip took a few minutes less to cook to desired internal temperature of 130 degrees. Keep that thermometer close by!

 

Tri tip sliced thin. Garnished with a roasted tomato salsa, cilantro, onions and lime on a double layer of corn tortillas!