Dr Pepper Grilled Steak Tips

Back to the Tucson competition this weekend — the Tucson Smoke Classic, my third competition this year. I already qualified for state at Chandler, so this one is about practice, confidence, and seeing if my brisket can hold up against a different set of judges. Also about winning, because I am Marcus Rivera and I am competitive about literally everything including, last week, a game of Candyland with a two-year-old.

The drive to Tucson is ninety minutes of straight desert highway that gives you nothing to look at but saguaros and sky. I drove down Friday night with the smoker hitched to the Silverado, blasting my Smoke & Fire playlist — Zeppelin, Sabbath, Wu-Tang, a weird amount of Johnny Cash — and feeling that pre-competition electricity that I imagine athletes feel before a game. I used to feel this before high school football. The adrenaline is the same. The stakes are lower but somehow feel higher because this is mine. Football was a team. BBQ is just me and the pit.

I drew a good position — end of the row, near the water station, some shade from a mesquite tree. Set up by 10 PM, lit the fire at midnight, had the brisket on by 1 AM. Slept in the truck for two hours while the temperature held at 250. Woke at 4, checked the pit, added wood. The Tucson air at 4 AM is different from Phoenix — cooler, thinner, with a sharpness that I think comes from the mountains. Good air for smoking.

Turned in at noon. Results at 3 PM. I got — and I am trying to be calm about this — first place. FIRST. Out of thirty-two teams. First place in brisket. I held the trophy — a small, golden grill-shaped thing that is the most beautiful object I have ever held including my daughter, and I will deny saying this — and I called Jessica. She screamed. Then I called my dad. He said "how many teams?" I said "thirty-two." He said "okay, that's a real win." Then he said "come home, mijo. Your mother wants to see the trophy."

I drove back to Phoenix with the trophy in the passenger seat like a co-pilot. Showed up at my parents' house at 5 PM. My mom cried. My dad held the trophy and turned it over in his hands like it was made of gold instead of painted resin. Then he put it on the shelf in the living room, next to my fire academy graduation photo, and said "it looks good there." It does. It really does.

After my mom stopped crying and my dad finished turning that trophy over in his hands, she did what she always does when something worth celebrating happens in our family — she said, “mijo, go start the grill.” I wasn’t about to argue. I’d been in competition mode for thirty-six hours and what I needed was something fast, loud on flavor, and cooked in my own backyard with my people around me. These Dr Pepper Grilled Steak Tips are my off-competition answer to a comp-worthy cut — a marinade that’s sweet and deep like a good bark, a sear hot enough to satisfy the pitmaster in me, and done in under thirty minutes so the trophy doesn’t have to wait long for company.

Prep Time: 15 min (plus 2–4 hrs marinating) | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 4 hrs 27 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 lbs sirloin steak tips (or sirloin flap meat), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 can (12 oz) Dr Pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon neutral oil (for grill grates)
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the marinade. In a medium bowl or large zip-top bag, combine the Dr Pepper, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, onion powder, and cayenne. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Marinate the steak tips. Add the steak tip pieces to the marinade, making sure all pieces are coated. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor. Do not marinate overnight — the acidity will break down the texture.
Prep the grill. Remove steak tips from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling to take the chill off. Preheat your grill to high heat (450°F–500°F). Oil the grates with a folded paper towel dipped in neutral oil.
Pat and season. Remove steak tips from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels — this is key for a proper sear. Discard the used marinade. Season lightly with kosher salt on all sides.
Grill the steak tips. Place steak tips on the hot grill in a single layer with space between each piece. Grill for 4–5 minutes per side for medium (internal temp 135°F–140°F), or 5–6 minutes per side for medium-well. Do not move them around — let the grill do its work and develop that crust.
Rest before serving. Transfer steak tips to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Dr Pepper Grilled Steak Tips — The Backyard Celebration After the Trophy Came Home