TravelTalkOnline Forums People Talk Recipes Beef Tenderloin Roast

I'd like to make a beef tenderloin roast for Christmas. Any recipes or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Just roast it pretty much as is...
Tie it up with butchers twine... (fold thin end under to make roast approx. same size all around)...
S&P on outside (to taste)...
maybe rub the outside first with some garlic...
I like to rub a little Kitchen Bouquet on it also...

425F oven til an internal temp of 130-135F (let rest for 20 minutes and temp will raise to 140-145F for med. rare)...
I like it rare, so I roast to an internal temp of 115-120F...

Use the pan drippings to make a sauce...
I like to make a port wine reduction for tenderloin similar to this one:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roast-Beef-Tenderloin-with-Port-Sauce-240690

If you like it well done...
Get another kind of roast (with a lot of fat), because a Tenderloin will be a dry tasteless piece of, well you know...

This is the one I do every year for Christmas- it has gotten RAVE reviews from everyone I've made it for including some of the foodiest foodies! It is THE best tenderloin!!

I don't make it well-done but I leave it a bit longer than medium rare.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby...cipe/index.html

Beef tenderloin is all about the accompanying sauce...

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Thank you both. I agree about the accompanining sauce. What are your thoughts about a horseradish sauce? In reading different recipes I found a horseradish sauce that I thought might be interesting. Thanks again.

I love horseradish so I serve the rum-sauced tenderloin with horseradish mashed potatoes... But I think a nice mild horseradish sauce would be yummy on a tenderloin.

I say "mild" because I've noticed that a lot of horseradish sauces tend to be quite pungent and overwhelming for the mild flavor of a tenderloin. A stronger sauce would be more suited to a more flavorful, fattier cut- maybe prime rib?

What are your thoughts on searing the meat before roasting? Seems to be evenly divided in recipes.

I always sear. Holds the juices in.

I saw an episode of Good Eats (Alton Brown, food nerd extrordinaire!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />), in which he scientifically 'proved' that searing has absolutely no effect on the amount of juices in meat. I still do it though, as I think it looks a lot better when you do..

Searing does not hold in the juices as once thought, but it can add some nice, deep caramelized flavor, so I usually do it.

Additionally, most "roasting" recipes aren't really roasting, they're baking, so the temps aren't hot enough to give you that caramelization. "Roasting" needs to be at least around 450 degrees or more with some fat, which will caramelize for you.

That's why I use Kitchen Bouquet...

Mom puts the roast in the oven at 500 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn it down to 350 for the remaining time till done.
She also uses Kitchen Bouquet as a basting before she puts it in the oven.
The outside sears nicely and no presearing in a pan is necessary.

Before roasting, I slather my trimmed and tied roast with a mixture of Dijon mustard, garlic, brown sugar and a bit of olive oil. Makes a great crust!

I don't tie mine... leaving it untied allows you to make the thicker part medium rare & have the more-cooked ends for people who prefer it more done.

And actually, if the skinny little tip gets burnt I like to cut it off & munch on it like one of those overcooked, brown potato chips... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I won't cook a tenderloin any way but rare to med. rare...
If anyone wants well done, I'm more than happy to let them use the microwave! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Gross. That's just mean. It's not the cook's job to impose his preferences on the diners... Would it make you feel justified if your guests just didn't eat your tenderloin at all because it was cooked to your preference instead of theirs? If so, that's pretty selfish.

When I cook for people I do it because I want to treat them to something they'll love, not educate them on how they "should" be eating or what they "should" like. Most people will try a sample of something different from what they're used to & maybe they'll like it better! But to say you won't make it a certain way? I hope the smilie at the end of your,post indicates that you're just being facetious & if so I sincerely apologize for coming down so hard.

All you have to do is ask people what they like. I'd be very hurt if someone invited me to a meal & then told me they didn't care what I liked or disliked. It's not as though you're having to make a separate meal in this case. Have a little empathy, man! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

WOW!I meant that as a lighthearted comment on cooking beef tenderloin to well done...
(hence the <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> at the end)...
sure never expected that reaction...

P.S. I don't know anyone who likes well done tenderloin...
and if I did, I would have something else for dinner (like a well marbled ribeye) when they were guests of mine...

Ok, again, my apologies.... I DID notice the smiley, but the microwave thing just seemed so extreme! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Tonguea.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> (note smilies) <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Most of my family likes rare...serious rare. One in the family will only eat well done....very well done. For a tenderloin I make it rare and nuke her portion. Even doing two tenderloins her portion is so small that it ruins the meat for everyone else. She just appreciates the attention to her tastes. Then covers it with my Bernaise Sauce. Goes quite well with asparagus and roasted red potatoes. Also a good Cabernet. Maybe some Chambord with vanilla ice cream for desert.

Yep, I've been in a similar situation where I had invited a couple over for dinner, and I was grilling a London broil. After they arrived they said they only ate their beef well done. The entire meal was ruined for my husband and me; they said it was good, although I can't imagine how it could have been; it was so tough you could hardly cut it. Since then I've been careful to choose a menu where well-done beef doesn't come into play.

My son comes in tonight from Rome, Italy and he never gets good beef there so that is on our menu tonight. He likes rare as does my husband and myself. The rest of the family like medium so will cut ours and put theirs back in while we dish out a ton of side dishes.

Peconic, I noticed in the recipe you linked, they salted the meat for 24hrs prior to roasting. I read the explanation, never heard that before. Have you tried that and did you notice a difference.

Anon, while I have never done the overnight salting with a Tenderloin, I have done that with a Prime Rib Roast...
It does make for a great "crust" on the outer edges of the meat...
it works well...

I actually hadn't heard of doing beef that way, although if I have the time, I always do my turkeys in a brine.

I never heard you can't get good beef in Rome. Ridiculous.
irina

Carol, brining any meat (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, veal) will always make the meat juicer and more tender...

when you lived in Rome where did you purchase PRIME beef????

Go to Scungili's butcher shop on the corner of Coliseo Dr and the Rigatoni highway. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chianina

One of the best steaks ever.
Cheers
irina

Well, I made the recipe I posted above & with the exception of one slice for each of the 3 dogs, the six of us ate the whole 9 lb. tenderloin!

Cut it in half to roast so we could do half rare & half medium and I tied them this time which did make them cook more evenly. They seemed to roast a lot faster than usual, not sure if that was because of the tying or if my oven is cooking hot (didn't check the temp)

We also made mashed horseradish potatoes (10 lbs!), asparagus, carrots, & cheesecake and all we have left is some potatoes & cheesecake! OMG!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I want to thank everyone for their help. My beef filet roast came out fantastic! I got so many compliments. I had the butcher trim and tie the meat. I coated the roast with some gravy master and some seasonings and let it come to room temperature before I cooked it. I roasted it for 30 minutes at 500, then finished it at 350. I took the roast out when the temp registered 130. I let it sit about 10 to 15 minutes before carving. The meat was very tender and juicy and the skin nice and crusty. I served the meat with a gravy made from the drippings as well as a mild horseradish sauce. It was really good. Thank you all. Anon Ellie

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Glad you liked LuSea's recipe.
Next time add some good dry red wine to the gravy made from pan drippings for an even more robust tasting gravy.

Mom

ps. we went to someone's house for Xmas Eve. They made a whole filet minoin on the grill. WAAAAAY overcooked. Looked (and tasted) like a dead pot roast. Was the Worst piece of beef we have ever eaten. Such a shame. They said the meat thermometer wasn't working correctly.....right. Took it out when it was way past 140 degrees. Duh!

But we did have a great standing rib roast on Christmas Day at another relatives house to make up for the loss.

I'll bet LuSea would have loved that overlooked tenderloin even if mom didn't! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

FYI: I ordered 2 whole trimmed tenderloins for Christmas which was way too much. I saved one to make yesterday for other company. Because it sat in the frig for a few days I decided to try the dry brining with salt. I left it in the refrigerator for about 32 hrs as instructed, then roasted as before. It came out as good as the first one. I don't know if that means the salting helped make it juicy or it really didn't matter. I suspect since it sat for a few days and wasn't as fresh as the first one, it did help. Both were excellent! thanks again. anon Ellie