Holiday dinners and other special occasions call for something a little more elegant and this succulent roasted beef tenderloin with a garlic rosemary crust is a real showstopper. Even though it sounds fancy, it’s very easy to prepare which means you can enjoy serving something impressive all the while knowing that it didn’t take much effort in the kitchen. Don’t worry, it will be our little secret! Like prime rib, which is another great option for entertaining, beef tenderloin is roasted at a very low temperature, but instead of taking 3 hours like the prime rib, tenderloin cooks very quickly in about 30 minutes. Served alongside some mashed potatoes and horseradish sauce, this is a dish you will be proud to serve to your guests!
What is Beef Tenderloin?
When you’re looking for something a little fancier to serve for your main course, beef tenderloin is the way to go! You might have heard it referred to by a few different names: beef tenderloin, beef fillet, or filet mignon roast. Whatever you know it as, it is the most tender cut of beef available with a lovely mild flavor which makes it one of the most coveted cuts of meat. Because it’s considered a prime cut, it also comes with a bit of a heftier price tag, but it’s worth the splurge for special occasions! The tenderloin is a long cylinder shape and comes from lean muscle near the backbone of the cow. It is soft and buttery with very little marbling if any, so it cooks up very quickly and practically melts in your mouth. It’s also super easy to carve into individual slices. Usually, whole tenderloins are sold as either unpeeled with the fat and silverskin attached, peeled with the fat removed and the silverskin intact, or peeled with the silverskin removed and the chain left on or off. The chain is a fatty narrow strip of side muscle that is usually removed before cooking. If you’re buying your tenderloin from the butcher, they can peel it and remove the silverskin and chain for you. Some butchers will also tie it for you.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
key ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy and impressive meal. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Beef tenderloin: Look for a 3–4 lb center cut and trim it if necessary. I bought mine at Costco and it came peeled with the chain off. Flavor: I kept it simple using just salt and pepper for seasoning and fresh rosemary, crushed garlic, and olive oil for the crust.
How to Prepare Beef Tenderloin
How To Make Beef Tenderloin Roast
There’s not a lot of hands-on time when cooking beef tenderloin which leaves you plenty of time to prepare the rest of the meal!
Beef Tenderloin Temperatures
Tenderloin is a tender cut of meat, so you really don’t want to overcook it. For that reason, it is best served rare, medium-rare, or medium. Remember that your meat will continue to cook for a few minutes during the resting phase after you bring it out of the oven from the residual heat, so it’s always a good idea to bring it out about 5 degrees below your ideal temperature. Use your kitchen thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat to ensure it’s where you want it to be. Here are some temperature guidelines to follow:
Rare: Remove the meat from the oven once it reaches 110°F. The final temperature should be around 115°F after the resting period. Look for the center of the tenderloin to be bright red with some pink around the very edges of the meat. Medium-rare: Remove the meat from the oven at 120°F and allow the meat to rest for a few minutes. The final temperature should be around 125°F. Look for the very center of the meat to me red becoming pinker the closer it gets to the edges. Medium: Remove the meat from the oven at 130°F. The rested meat should reach 135°F and the center should be pink and feel warm to the touch. The outer ring should be brown the closer it gets to the edges.
You’ll find that the medium-rare cuts are towards the center of the tenderloin while the end cuts will be closer to medium.
Recipe Tips
Use a thin and flexible boning knife to remove the silver skin from the tenderloin. Tuck the tapered end of the tenderloin under itself so that the entire thing is the same thickness all the way around. This way everything will cook evenly. Remember that the beef tenderloin will continue to cook for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven, so remove it just before it reaches your desired doneness. Make sure to allow your meat to sit at room temperature for 1 hour after you season it. Salt draws out the moisture, so if you sear it right away, the moisture will evaporate, leaving you with a dry roast, rather than giving it a chance to settle back into the meat.
Storing Tips
Beef tenderloin roast is at its best when you eat it on the day it’s made, but if you have leftovers, you can store them to enjoy later in the week. Refrigerator: Let the tenderloin cool completely and then place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheating: You definitely don’t want to overcook this tender cut of beef, so be careful when reheating! Place slices of tenderloin in foil on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F/180°C oven or heat the slices for 1 minute in the microwave.
What To Serve With
With a classy main dish, you want to be sure to pair it with some jazzed up sides! First, don’t forget the Horseradish Sauce, it’s a must! Easy Roasted Root Veggies, Boursin Mashed Potatoes, or Roasted Broccolini are a few of my favorites. You could also serve it with Parsnip Puree, Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions, or a Simple Tossed Green Salad. Your family and friends are going to love this impressive garlic rosemary roast beef tenderloin! Pin it for more people to try! © Little Sunny Kitchen
