1In a medium mixing bowl, combine three tablespoons of soy sauce, two tablespoons of fish sauce, and two tablespoons of oyster sauce.
2Add one tablespoon of brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves completely into the liquid.
3Add one tablespoon of fresh lime juice, one tablespoon of neutral oil (canola or avocado), one tablespoon of minced fresh garlic, and one teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper.
4Whisk everything together until well combined into a uniform marinade.
5Place both tri-tips in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish large enough to hold them in a relatively single layer.
6Pour the marinade over the tri-tips, using your hands to massage it into all surfaces of the meat.
7If using a bag, squeeze out excess air and seal it tightly.
8If using a dish, turn the tri-tips several times to ensure even coating, then cover tightly with plastic wrap.
9Refrigerate for at minimum thirty minutes, but overnight is preferred for deeper flavor penetration.
10Turn the tri-tips once or twice during marination to ensure even exposure to the marinade.
11Remove the tri-tips from the refrigerator thirty minutes before cooking to take the chill off.
12Preheat your grill to high heat (450-500°F) with all burners on if using gas, or with a full chimney of hot coals spread evenly if using charcoal.
13Clean the grill grates thoroughly with a wire brush and oil them well using a paper towel dipped in high-heat oil and held with tongs.
14Remove the tri-tips from the marinade, letting excess drip off but don’t wipe them completely dry.
15Place both tri-tips directly over the hottest part of the grill.
16Close the lid and sear for three to four minutes without moving them.
17Use tongs to flip the tri-tips to the next side and sear for another three to four minutes.
18Continue rotating to sear all surfaces – including the ends – until every side has developed dark, caramelized crust.
19Move both tri-tips to the indirect heat side of your grill.
20If using a gas grill, turn off the burners on one side and place the tri-tips there.
21If using charcoal, push the coals to one side and place the tri-tips on the cool side.
22Close the lid and adjust vents or burners to maintain a temperature of 250-275°F inside the grill.
23Cook over indirect heat, monitoring the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each tri-tip.
24When they reach your target temperature, transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
25Let rest for ten to fifteen minutes before slicing.
26While the tri-tips rest, prepare the crying tiger sauce.
27In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of fish sauce with two tablespoons of fresh lime juice.
28Add one tablespoon of tamarind paste – if using concentrated tamarind, use only one teaspoon as it’s much more potent.
29Stir vigorously to dissolve the tamarind paste into the liquid.
30Add one tablespoon of palm sugar or brown sugar and stir until dissolved.
31Add one to two teaspoons of Thai chili flakes depending on your heat tolerance – start with one teaspoon, taste, and add more if desired.
32If using toasted rice powder, add two tablespoons now and stir to incorporate.
33Add one tablespoon of finely chopped shallot and one tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro, stirring to combine everything.
34Taste the sauce carefully – it should be intensely flavored with balanced sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes.
35Let the sauce sit at room temperature while the tri-tips rest, which allows the flavors to meld and the toasted rice powder to soften slightly.
36After the ten to fifteen minute rest, unwrap the tri-tips and place them on a clean cutting board.
37Identify the grain direction – the lines running through the meat that indicate muscle fiber direction.
38Start slicing at one end, cutting perpendicular to the grain in thin slices approximately quarter-inch thick or slightly thinner.
39When you reach the point where the grain changes direction, rotate your cutting angle to continue slicing perpendicular to the new grain direction.
40Arrange the sliced tri-tip on a platter and cover loosely to keep warm while you assemble the sandwiches.
41Slice the large French loaf lengthwise through the middle, creating a top and bottom half.
42Spread a generous layer of mayonnaise on both the top and bottom interior surfaces of the bread.
43Pile the sliced tri-tip generously onto the bottom half of the bread, overlapping the slices and using all the meat.
44Drizzle the crying tiger sauce liberally over the tri-tip.
45Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese generously over the sauced beef.
46Place the top half of the bread over the filled bottom, pressing down gently to compress everything slightly.
47Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the long sub into individual portions – six to eight pieces depending on how large you want each serving.
48Wipe the knife blade between cuts if sauce or cheese builds up.
49Serve immediately while the tri-tip is still warm and the bread is fresh and soft.
Ingredients
2 tri-tips
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp neutral oil (canola or avocado)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
1 tsp Thai chili flakes
2 tbsp toasted rice powder
1 tbsp finely chopped shallot
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 large soft French loaf
Mayonnaise
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Equipment
grillwire brushtongscutting boardaluminum foilsmall bowlinstant-read thermometersharp slicing knife or chef’s knifesharp serrated knifelarge resealable plastic bag or shallow dish
Tips
The longer marination allows the soy sauce, fish sauce, and garlic to work their way into the meat.
Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each tri-tip. For medium-rare, remove at 130-135°F internal temperature. For medium, remove at 140-145°F.
The tri-tips will continue cooking slightly through carryover heat after removal, potentially rising another five degrees.
Slicing with the grain instead of across it would create tough, stringy texture.
The mayo provides creamy richness that balances the sauce’s intensity while creating a slight moisture barrier that prevents the bread from getting soggy.
Have extra crying tiger sauce on the side for those who want more heat and intensity.