Active Time

　　15 min

　　Total Time

　　55 min

　　This cut of meat yields a juicy roast with no fuss. And the spicy parsley sauce is tasty enough to keep some on hand for chicken, fish, or pasta.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 to 6 main-course servings

　　

For roast

1 (2- to 2 1/4-lb) tri-tip beef roast (also called triangular roast; about 2 inches thick)

　　1 1/2 teaspoons salt

　　1/4 teaspoon black pepper

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　

For parsley cherry-tomato sauce

1 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes (5 cups)

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

　　1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　1 garlic clove, sliced

　　1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

　　

Special Equipment

a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet; an instant-read thermometer

　　

Make roast:

Step 1

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

　　

Step 2

Pat roast dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear roast until underside is browned, about 4 minutes. Turn meat over, then transfer skillet to upper rack of oven and roast until thermometer inserted 2 inches into center of meat registers 120°F, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 15 minutes. (Internal temperature of meat will rise to 130 to 135°F for medium-rare.)

　　

Make sauce while meat cooks:

Step 3

Toss together tomatoes, salt, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup oil in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish. Roast on lower rack until tomatoes burst and release their juices, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, pulse parsley and garlic with vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a food processor until chopped, then transfer to a bowl.

　　

Step 5

Stir tomatoes with their juices into parsley mixture. Slice roast across the grain and serve with sauce.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Leftover sauce keeps, covered and chilled, 5 days.