Beef Tenderloin

Beef tenderloin makes a fine entrée for your best sit-down dinner party; however, it can also be the star of the buffet menu for your holiday cocktail party. It's delicious whether served hot, at room temperature, or cold. Thinly sliced, it can serve a great many people. This recipe comes from an article about preparing fine cuts of beef for elegant entertaining.

Basic roasting instructions for beef tenderloin are fairly simple. You will need:

Ingredients:
  • 1 4-1/2 to 5-pound trimmed beef tenderloin, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Rub the tenderloin with the olive oil, and then rub in the salt and pepper. If using an ovenproof meat thermometer, insert it into thickest part.
  2. Roast the tenderloin on a rack in a shallow roasting pan until internal temperature reaches 140°F for medium-rare or 150°F for medium, approximately 40 to 50 minutes depending on the size of the cut.
  3. Cover loosely and allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
  4. NOTE: Beef tenderloin is an opportunity for culinary creativity. You can marinate it overnight, if you like. An especially nice marinade for this purpose is 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Or you can coat the tenderloin with your favorite dry rub (for a distinctly southwestern flavor, try a mixture of 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano) and roast as described above.

Complement your Beef Tenderloin perfectly with Creamy Horseradish Chive Sauce or Quick Peppercorn Sauce.

Kitchen tools you'll need for Beef Tenderloin:
Meat Thermometer, Roasting Pans

Ready in: 1 Hr 30 Min

Recipe editor Patricia Mitchell