Grilled Southwestern Tips

Author: Justin
Serves 2

~2/3 lb. sirloin tips -- kebabs are good	1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil	heaping tsp minced garlic
heaping tsp dark brown sugar	heaping tsp tomato paste
heaping tsp chili powder	rounded tsp cumin powder
pinch cayenne

Mix everything but the tips in a bowl; this is the marinade. Place the tips into a one-quart Ziploc. Pour in the marinade; squeeze out the air, and seal. Marinate in the fridge for about an hour, turning it over halfway through to make sure it marinates evenly.

Remove tips from marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat (high is too hot, at least on the hot burner) for several minutes, to get good and hot. Grill kebabs to a good sear on each side. Remove from heat, and let rest for several minutes on a plate with a loose tinfoil tent while you finish the rest of the dinner.

Notes and Variations

Very easy to make -- requires an hour for marination, but is otherwise only a few minutes of cooking time, and everything but the tips is a staple. Goes well with Portabello mushrooms, but they shouldn't be doused too deeply in the marinade; I tried that, and it overwhelmed the flavor of the mushrooms. Dipped lightly might work.

Sources

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated #62 (June 2003). This tweaks the proportions for a good two-person dinner, and reduces the cayenne, since Jane found it a little too strong. The same article includes an Asian marinade which we should also try.