The key to caramelizing onions is patience! Cook them slowly until they are browned (this takes about 25 minutes) then drizzle with balsamic reduction, sometimes called balsamic glaze.
The recipe: Serves 8
Pomegranate Barbecue Sauce: can be made a day or two ahead
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper powder (available in the spice aisle)
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup organic ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce,
if you avoid soy use Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke (available in supermarkets)
Heat olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, cumin, and chipotle chile powder; stir 1 minute. Add pom juice and simmer 2 minutes. Gently whisk in ketchup, soy sauce (or Bragg’s liquid aminos), and liquid smoke; simmer 2 minutes longer. Take off heat, stir in honey and apple cider vinegar. Refrigerate until use.
Caramelized Red Onions
3 tablespoons butter
4 med red onions, halved, thinly sliced
2 T Balsamic Glaze
2 pinches sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Melt butter in large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. The caramelizing process should take about 25-30 minutes. When onions are nice a brown, sprinkle with a couple pinches of sea salt and a few turns of fresh pepper. Remove from heat and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Stir. Place atop tri-tip.
Tri-tip
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 1 3/4 pound beef loin tri-tip roasts, trimmed of all but 1/4 inch of fat (preferably grass fed)
Pomegranate Barbecue Sauce (recipe above)
Caramelized Onions (recipe above)
Chives, chopped for garnish
For tri-tip: Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle tri-tip lightly with garlic-powder, salt and pepper. Grill tri-tips (lid closed) 5 minutes per side (no sauce) on medium high heat so you get those nice grill marks. Reduce heat to medium-low (375 degrees). Brush both sides of tri-tip with sauce and flip every 7-8 minutes till done, about 30 minutes for medium rare (If using grass fed beef take off about 7-9 minutes). Remember, the tri-tips will keep cooking after they are removed from the grill! So always take them off when they are rarer than what you want! Transfer tri-tips to work surface; cover and let stand 8 minutes (allows juices to redistribute). Slice and place on platter. Top with caramelized onions and chives, serve.
