Crostini are a great way to pack a lot of flavor into just a few bites, which makes them the perfect appetizer or party food! It’s a really simple concept – grilled bread with toppings. That leaves all kinds of opportunity for experimentation. There aren’t many rules, but the thing I like to keep in mind is balance. Balance in texture, flavor, even temperature and color.
So, today, the star of the show is the smoke roasted strip loin. Big savory beef flavor! This one is a roast that weighed in at about two and a half pounds. To best suit the crostini, it’s sliced thin after coming off the smoker.
The grilled bread is the base. In this case, we used baguette.
Alright, remember the balance? This cream cheese is room temperature when served. It’s creamy texture is the perfect compliment to the toasted baguette. It’s both sweet and spicy. The only thing missing is a little tart/sour kick. That’s where the pickled onions come in.
Putting it all together is a beautiful thing!
Strip Loin Crostini
Ingredients
1 (2 1/2 lb) strip loin roast
Smoke on Wheels BBQ Marinade
Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup Holmes Made Cowboy Candy
1 baguette, sliced and toasted
quick pickled onions (recipe below)
For the quick pickled onions:
1 red onion, sliced thin
3/4 cup water, plus more for boiling
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp pickling salt
Instructions
To make the quick pickled onions, bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the sliced red onions in a heat proof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the onions. Let sit for one minute. Strain. Discard the water. Place the onions in a pint sized mason jar. Combine the 3/4 cup water, vinegar and pickling salt. Whisk to dissolve the salt. Pour over the onions in the jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The onions will be ready to eat after a couple of hours, but best overnight.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640 pellet grillto 325ºF. Trim the fat cap and silver skin from the outside of the strip loin roast. Slather with a layer of Smoke on Wheels BBQ Marinade, enough to cover all surfaces. Let rest in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove from the fridge and wipe off the excess marinade.
Season the loin with Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning. Roast at 325ºF until the internal temperature reaches 125ºF. Remove from the grill and rest 5 minutes. Slice very thin.
Mix together the cream cheese and Holmes Made Cowboy Candy. Spread a layer on the toasted baguette slice. Top with a slice of strip loin and then the pickled onions.
Recipe provided by All Things Barbecue
