Roast Beef Tenderloin

Roast Beef Tenderloin – melt in your mouth tender, juicy beef tenderloin + red wine au jus, all loaded with delicious flavor for the ultimate show-stopping holiday meal.

This is hands down the best Beef Tenderloin I’ve ever made. Simple, foolproof using minimal ingredients for amazing results. 

The beef is pan seared creating a delicious caramelized crust on the outside then oven roasted for the perfect temp inside and melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Roast beef is perfect for the holiday season from Christmas Day through New Year’s.

A new recipe and one of my favorites. I’m glad to be finally sharing it with you.

It’s a deliciously impressive meal for any dinner party.

With just a little bit of prep you’ll be rewarded with a juicy cut of roast beef tenderloin with the best flavor imagineable.

WHAT IS BEEF TENDERLOIN?

This beautiful beef tenderloin is the leanest and most tender cut of beef. It’s where filet mignon is from and is also one of the most expensive cuts of beef.

It’s a family tradition for Christmas dinner in my house. Not only is is absolutely irresistible but it isn’t much work to make.

I make a variety of sauces – creamy horseradish sauce, a blue cheese sauce and au jus but the beef is so flavorful it  really doesn’t require a sauce at all.

Don’t worry if it’s your first time making it – I’ll walk you through step by step for tender, juicy beef – perfect for any special occasion.

Perfectly cooked, it’s melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

BEST TIPS:

• Bring the beef to room temperature before cooking (leaving it on the counter 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
• Invest in a good, realiable instand-read thermometer. Click HERE for the one I use.
• Cut a whole tenderloin in half when you cook it. This will give you the most even cooking experience. You can even cook half and freeze the other half.
• Season with coarse sea salt (not table salt).
• Buy the roast from a good butcher and ask for it trimmed and tied so it’s ready to cook when you bring it home.
• I like to sear in an oven-safe skillet and transfer right to the oven to finish cooking. If you don’t have an oven safe skillet, transfer the meat to a baking sheet.
• Reserve any juices in the skillet to make the red wine au jus.
• Let the beef rest 15-20 minutes before slicing. This lets the juices reabsorb into the meat so it’s juicier.

WHERE TO BUY BEEF TENDERLOIN:

Any good meat market or butcher sells beef tenderloin. Call ahead to order it – especially around the holidays.

I shoot for about an 8 pound whole tenderloin and ask the butcher to trim and tie it. They’ll trim any excess fat, remove the silver skin and tie it with butchers twine. 

WHAT TEMPERATURE TO COOK BEEF TENDERLOIN:

• RARE – 120-130°F
• MEDIUM RARE – 130-135°F
• MEDIUM – 135-145°F

NOTE #1: the internal temp of the beef will continue to rise about 5° after it’s removed from the oven for the final serving temperature.

NOTE#2: For best results, I don’t recommend cooking this cut of beef any more than ‘medium’.

WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE ROAST BEEF TENDERLOIN?

This is the best beef tenderloin recipe you’ll find. Just a few simple ingredients bring out amazing flavor every time.

• whole beef tenderloin
• coarse salt
• black pepper
• vegetable oil
• fresh rosemary
• butter

1. Instant read meat thermometer
2. Large oven proof skillet OR baking sheet (if your skillet isn’t oven safe)

Au Jus/Red Wine Sauce:

• dry red wine
• McCormick Au Jus seasoning
• beef stock (or beef broth)
• salt and pepper to taste
• worcestershire sauce
• fresh rosemary
• butter

BEEF TENDERLOIN ROAST RECIPE:

Prep:

Bring the beef to room temperature on the counter for 1 to 1 1/2 hours so the meat cooks more evenly. 

Bring the butter to room temperature.

Roasting the Beef Tenderloin:

Preheat the oven to 425°. 

Using paper towels, pat the tenderloin dry really well, then season generously with salt and pepper on all sides and ends.

In a large skillet, warm the vegetable oil over medium-high heat (almost to the smoking point) then carefully place the seasoned tenderloin in the skillet.

Sear the meat on all sides and ends.

Slather the butter over the top of the roast, lay whole rosemary sprigs over it and transfer the skillet to the oven.

 

NOTE: If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, place the meat on a lightly oiled baking sheet. If you’re making the red wine sauce, don’t wash the skillet!

Roast 15-20 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center of the roast reaches about 5° below your desired temperature (see chart above). 

When the beef is finished roasting, transfer it to the grooved side of a cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, cut the roast into thick slices, 1/3-1/2″ each.

While the roast is resting, make the au jus/red wine sauce in the same skillet you seared and roasted the meat (see Beef Tenderloin Sides below for recipe).

BESt BEEF TENDERLOIN SIDES:

Red Wine Au Jus Recipe:

In the same skillet you seared the beef (don’t wash it!) slowly pour in the dry red wine over medium heat then bring to a boil scraping any brown bits off the bottom.

Simmer 2-3 minutes letting the wine reduce, then pour in the beef stock and whisk in the au jus seasoning until it’s completely combined.

Add Worcestershire sauce and rosemary, melt the butter into the sauce then taste and adjust for salt and pepper as you like.

Potato Side Dishes:

Au Gratin Potatoes – classic recipe – tender sliced potatoes blanketed in layers of creamy, cheesy sauce and a golden, slightly crispy top.

Muffin Tin Potato Stacks – buttery, cheesy thinly sliced stacked potatoes with crispy, golden edges baked in a muffin tin.

Gouda Mashed Potatoes – creamy, buttery mashed potatoes with smoked gouda cheese. Easy any night side dish.

Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes – crispy garlic butter smashed potatoes. Cooks completely in the air fryer – no pre- boiling.

LOOKING FOR MORE HOLIDAY RECIPES?

Cheesy Christmas Tree Bread

Cranberry Brie Pastry Braid

Christmas Margaritas

Festive Fruit Salad

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER BEEF:

This beef is delicious the next day and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigetor up to 3 days.

Turn this main dish into delicious leftover roast beef sandwiches, Beef Stew or Beef Stroganoff.

Happy holidays!

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If you made this Christmas Beef Tenderloin or any other recipe on the blog then I hope you’ll leave a comment and some stars!