Spicy Tri-tip Skewers for a #SummerGrilling party

The weather is getting warmer and we’ve taken to the patio once again. Chances are you’ll find us out there almost every weekend…relaxing, reading, napping, and of course, barbecuing. So I was more than happy to host a #SummerGrilling party for Cattleman’s Finest Grill it Up campaign with Smart & Final. The grill is fired up most weekends anyway…why not turn it into a party?

Mmm...meat.

We had a small, casual backyard gathering, for no reason other than to celebrate the warm weather and the weekend. You don’t need any other reason than that, do you?

All set up and ready for guests.

Grilling makes dinner for a crowd easy…all the food is prepped in advance, you can still be a part of the party, cleanup is a breeze, and it just tastes better! My menu was pretty simple…I wanted to focus on the flavor of the meat and enhance it with some spice, and then lighten things up a bit with some grilled fruit and vegetables. Skewers are the perfect party-food choice since they make the meat go a long way

After a quick trip to Smart & Final for my tri-tip, I was ready to start prepping. All I’d have to do was a little pre-party setup, throw the food on the grill, sit back and enjoy a cocktail! Who am I kidding?? All Andy would have to do is throw the food on the grill...it's hard to dispute photographic evidence of Andy working and me cocktail-ing. 

Grilling and laughing, and the final product.

Spicy Tri-tip Skewers with Pineapple and Red Onion

Marinade:

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons Sriracha hot chili sauce

1/3 cup dry red wine

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 1/2 pound tri-tip, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

Dipping sauce:

1/2 cup red wine

6 tablespoons pineapple juice

2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1-2 tablespoons Sriracha hot chili sauce (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Skewers:

pineapple chunks

red onion pieces

6 inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water

For marinade:

Mix first 8 ingredients together. Pour into a zip-top bag and add tri-tip. Place in refrigerator and let marinate for at least 24 hours.

For skewers:

When ready to cook, thread skewers with one chunk of pineapple, one piece of red onion, a cube of tri-tip, then another piece of onion and another chunk of pineapple. Repeat until all the meat is used up.

Heat the grill to about 375 degrees and place skewers over direct heat.

Grill for a few minutes per side, to desired doneness. (Beware: They cook fast!)

For dipping sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer and reduce for about 20 minutes, until thickened.

Serve skewers with dipping sauce on the side.

Dinner is served!

These skewers with a Hawaiian flair have some kick, but the pineapple and red onion complement the spice perfectly. Pair the tri-tip with skewers of grilled mini peppers, dressed simply with olive oil, salt and pepper. And don’t forget the cocktails! I made Strawberry-Watermelon Sangria for a refreshing party drink.  

For more, check out my Google+ album for my entire Smart & Final shopping experience. You can also follow Smart & Final on Twitter and Facebook.

The aftermath and the best way to end a night...champagne!

Purchase any Cattleman's Finest product between June 30th and July 4th, then enter the code on the receipt at http://www.smartandfinal.com/CFgrillitup/ for a chance to win a prize including a year supply of Cattleman's Beef!

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™. All opinions are my own. #CBias #SocialFabric