Grilled Tri-Tip with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Pan Sauce

Although traditional pan sauces are finished with a dab of butter or splash of cream, I use a cornstarch slurry when I don't need the extra calories. The sauce won't have that decadent looking sheen. But the cornstarch will give the sauce body and sauce will have the same great flavor.

1 tri-tip roast, about 1-1/2 to 2-pounds
Salt and pepper to taste

Caramelized onions
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic pan sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoon onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pan drippings from tri-tip

Prepare a campfire or charcoal briquettes for grilling. Season the tri-tip with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Meanwhile, caramelize the onions.

To caramelize the onions, heat oil and butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and season with salt and pepper. Stir onions every 30 seconds during the first 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat and continue caramelizing onions until a rich golden brown color develops, about 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer onions into a bowl. Makes about 1 cup.

When the fire is medium-hot, grill roast to desire doneness. Remove roast when meat temperature reaches 135 degrees F. for medium rare and 150 F. degrees for medium. Place roast on a platter and tent with a sheet of aluminum foil. The temperature of the roast will rise 5 to 10 degrees F. while it stands. Reserve drippings.

Return skillet to medium heat to prepare sauce. Heat oil and add onions. Sweat onions until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and sweat for 1 minute. Pour vinegar over onions and garlic and reduce until the vinegar is almost completely evaporates. (Watch your nose--the vinegar bites!)

Add beef stock and reduce to about 1/2 cup, about 5 to 10 minutes. Mix slurry of cold water and cornstarch. Pour into sauce and stir. Cook until thickened. Strain sauce if desired.

Carve roast against the grain into thin slices. Spoon 2 tablespoons onions next to each portion of tri-tip. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons sauce over the meat. Serves 6 to 8.

Note: Two skillets also work for this recipe. Instead of grilling the roast over a cooking fire, sear the tri-tip in the first skillet, then make the sauce. Turn the onions into caramelized manna in the second skillet while the tri-tip cooks. Finish the roast in a

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