This post is sponsored by Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner on behalf of the Beef Checkoff. All opinions are our own.
JUMP TO RECIPEHoliday Menus are Memories
I tend to guard our holiday menus, they’re one of my favorite routines during this busy time of year. As the saying goes, “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” Plus, there’s something to be said for making the same menu year after year, your family and guests anticipate it, and you certainly get it down after years of practice. This Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin is one of my family’s favorite holiday traditions.
A celebratory main dish, I make this every year for our Christmas night dinner. It checks all the boxes: Festive, feeds a crowd, hands-off, quick to prep, and delicious. You can add a horseradish sauce on the side, roasted green beans (try the recipe in my new cookbook!), simple mashed potatoes or potato gratin, and popovers. Or keep it simple and serve this with a hearty kale or harvest salad and sliced crusty bread.
To make your life easier, order your Beef Tenderloin from your butcher or grocery store ahead of time. They will have it wrapped and ready for you. When you purchase a Beef Tenderloin, it often comes trimmed and tied, but you can ask the butcher to do this for you either when you order or pick it up. I add the herb butter right on top of the butcher twine before cooking, but I usually count the loops of twine and make a note, just so I don’t leave any behind when I slice the meat. After the meat cooks and rests, I use sharp kitchen shears to cut the twine and carefully remove it without pulling off the herb crust.
Are Beef Tenderloin and Filet Mignon the same thing?
Filet Mignon is just a part of the whole Beef Tenderloin. Filet Mignon comes from the end portion of the Tenderloin. The entire Tenderloin can be roasted to feed a crowd.
Should you sear Beef Tenderloin before roasting?
Many recipes for whole roasted Beef Tenderloin call for first searing the meat in a large skillet or griddle over high temperature, which creates a crust to seal in delicious juices. In this version, an herb compound butter is applied to the top of the meat which helps to seal in the juices and flavor the meat so that you can skip searing the meat.
Why is my Beef Tenderloin tough?
Tenderloin is a lean cut of meat. If you overcook the meat, it will get dry. If you are feeding guests who like their meat well done, consider cutting a whole Tenderloin into two pieces and cook one slightly longer. I usually take my beef tender out of the oven when it reaches 140 degrees F in the middle of the thickest part of the meat, and let it rest. The temperature will continue to rise a little as the meat rests.
Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 Beef Tenderloin 4-5 pounds
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh sage leaves about 25-30 leaves
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper 15-20 grindings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a heavy roasting pan or line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- In a food processor (I use a mini prep), combine the butter, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is creamy, the herbs are chopped, and the garlic is chopped and distributed throughout the butter. You can also chop the herbs by hand and mix them with butter. Note: If you’re dairy free, substitute 6 tablespoons olive oil.
- Place the Beef Tenderloin in the roasting pan and dry it with a clean paper towel. Spread the herb butter evenly over the top surface of the Tenderloin.
- Place the Tenderloin on the top rack of the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 140°F, about 40-45 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the Tenderloin to a carving board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let the Tenderloin rest for 15 minutes, then slice it into ½-inch slices.
Notes
- I don’t typically bake or roast on foil, I prefer to roast directly on the pan, but this is one instance where clean up ease during a busy time of year takes precedence.
- For the herbs, be sure to pull the rosemary and thyme leaves off the stem. A few sage stems are fine, and the tender stems of parsley are just as flavorful as the leaves.
- Pair this with my Lemon Horseradish Crème Fraiche.
- Leftovers are delicious sliced and served on soft rolls with extra horseradish sauce and coleslaw.
- Ask your butcher to tie the Tenderloin for you or use butcher twine to tie the roast in several places to help it keep its shape as it cooks.
- To determine the perfect doneness for a roast, insert an ovenproof meat thermometer prior to roasting (into the thickest part of the roast, not resting in fat or touching bone) and leave it in during the cooking process. Or insert an instant-read thermometer toward the end of cooking time (as described above) for about 15 seconds. Remove thermometer, continue cooking, if necessary. Temperature will continue to rise 5ºF to 15ºF after removing from oven, to reach desired doneness. Allow 15 to 20 minutes standing time.
This sounds fantastic! How do you prepare your lemon horseradish crème fraiche?