Do you all get those Cattlemen Association television ads: "Beef, it's what's for dinner"? We get them in Colorado but that's feedlot country, so I don't know what the other states have for propaganda.

Both of these recipes are from Sunset Magazine. Headquartered in California, they are used to grilling outside year-round. We do it in Colorado, too regardless of how much snow is on the ground, but I can't speak for the rest of the country. If you don't want to grill outdoors, you can use the broiler in your oven.

Not that I remember, but back in the early 1980s when these recipes were published was probably before gas grills became so popular. We don't have a gas grill even now, and I like the flavor that comes from the charcoal.


Southwestern Carne Asada
1 can (12 oz) beer
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash garlic salt
About 3 pound boneless chuck roast, 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick

In a Ziploc bag combine the beer, salt, oregano, pepper, and garlic salt. Trim excess fat from the meat, then cut it into 2 by 3 inch pieces. Butterfly each piece by cutting it almost through lengthwise and then spreading the two halves where they join. Deeply slash but do not cut through the opened pieces of meat. Place in the marinade, put the bag on a pie pan and chill 2 to 4 hours. Turn the bag frequently to coat all sides.

Lift the meat from the marinade, drain briefly, and place on a barbecue grill about 6 inches above a solid bed of low glowing coals. Cook, turning as needed, and baste with the remaining marinade until the meat is done to your liking when slashed, about 15 minutes for rare.

Or broil, 3 to 4 inches below heat, until browned on both sides, 12 to 14 minutes total for rare. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

What would stop you from slicing some onions the long way and wrapping them loosely in foil with the top open to cook alongside the meat?

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Whole onions cook in their skins alongside a thick marinated steak. I wonder if you can could use a tri-tip for this, don't know why not. This sounds like a really good basic marinade recipe.

Grilled Steak and Onions

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup salad oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 green onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
About 3 pounds top round steak, cut 2 inches thick
8 small unpeeled onions, about 2 inches in diameter

Mix the marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Add the steak, seal, and chill on a pie plate for 8 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Lift the steak from the marinade and place on a greased grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of low-glowing coals. Arrange the onions on the grill around the steak. (Or place both on a rack in a broiler pan and broil 4 to 5 inches below the heat.) Turn the steak and onions every 5 minutes and baste steak with marinade. Cook onions until tender (40 to 50 minutes) and meat until done to your liking (35 to 40 minutes for rare). Let the meat stand 10 minutes, covered, after removing from the heat. To serve, cut the meat across the grain in thin, slanting slices. Serves 6 to 8.