What is Beef Tenderloin?
Within the loin, it is a long, narrow, and lean muscle. This is the most tender cut of beef available. When cut, it is also referred to as a tenderloin steak or a filet mignon. It is typically a more expensive cut that is the ideal holiday indulgence. This beef cut is so delicious that it will melt in your mouth.
Whole Beef Tenderloin Ingredients
- Whole Beef Tenderloin, trimmed
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Dried thyme leaves
- Granulated garlic
- Olive oil
A hearty beef tenderloin is the perfect partner for this straightforward seasoning mixture, which also gives the dish a lovely crust. Serve it with Herb Garlic Butter for extra flavor.
How to Cook Beef Tenderloin
- Season your roast with sea salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and dried thyme at least 4 hours beforehand, then refrigerate it in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Pat down the spices so they stick well.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. Take your seasoned roast out of the refrigerator and arrange it on a rack in a small roasting pan or on a small baking sheet with sides while the oven is preheating. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the roast. Allow it to come to room temperature.
- Put your roast in the oven, and roast it for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven’s temperature to 325°F after 15 minutes.
- Depending on the size of your roast, cook for an additional hour at 325°F, or for a shorter or longer period of time (see chart below).
- Before carving, take the food out of the oven and tent it with foil for 15 minutes. Serve, and enjoy!.
Beef Tenderloin Recipes Tips
- Trim your roast: Before roasting, trim away any silver skin and extra fat. This will give you a more tender, flavorful roast.
- Tie your roast: Use kitchen string to tie your roast so that it will cook more evenly in the oven. The roast should be tucked under the tenderloin’s thin end.
- Use a rack: To roast tenderloin, use a roasting rack and a shallow baking pan or roasting pan. By using a rack, you can ensure that the beef is evenly heated.
- Prior to lowering the oven temperature, sear your roast at 450°F to achieve the prettiest crust.
How to Trim a Whole Beef Tenderloin
Trim the silver skin, a fibrous connective tissue that covers the entire beef tenderloin. Its shiny and easy to spot and cut away. You will also want to trim any excess fat.
Ask your butcher to trim your beef tenderloin if you don’t want to do it yourself, and while they’re at it, have them french or tie the roast. This will help it cook more evenly.
- Lay your tenderloin flat and use a knife to make a precise cut just beneath the silver skin. Keep the blade near the meat without removing an excessive amount of the actual meat. Cut away from yourself.
- For a clean cut, pull the tissue firmly against the blade with your free hand. Cut through the tissue until you trim it off completely. Do the same with any substantial white areas on the beef, which are extra fat.
How to Tie a Whole Beef Tenderloin
To tie your own roast, follow these instructions. This is optional. Its easy to do:
- Kitchen string should be wrapped around the tenderloin’s one end and knotted tightly.
- Pull the string loop over the tenderloin after wrapping it around your hand.
- Continue to create loops that are an inch apart, making sure that each one is snug against the beef.
- Finish fastening the roast by knotting the end.
Tenderloin information can be found in our article on the best beef cuts.
Beef Tenderloin Recipe FAQs
Use sea salt instead of regular salt, season the roast ahead of time, and sear it for 15 minutes at 450°F before lowering the temperature of your oven to achieve the ideal crust for your whole beef tenderloin recipe. Every time you follow these two easy steps, the crust will be perfect!
Cooking on a roasting rack enables the hot oven air to circulate over the entire tenderloin, resulting in more even cooking.
Typically, a perfect serving of roast is about half a pound per person. For a 6 lb. If you prepare a roast similar to the one we use in this recipe, you can feed 12–14 people. Due to my love of leftovers, I always like to add a little more!
- 3 lb. roast: 30 minutes
- 4 lb. roast: 40 minutes
- 5 lb. roast: 50 minutes
- 6 lb. roast: 1 hour
These cooking times will give you a medium-rare roast. Roast for an additional ten minutes or so to reach a more well-done temperature.
Always use a meat thermometer to check for the desired doneness for the best results.
| Beef Doneness | Internal Temperature |
|---|---|
| Rare beef temp | 125°F – bright red in the middle |
| Medium-rare roast | 135°F – warm red in the middle with slight pink around the edges |
| Medium roast | 145°F – warm pink throughout |
| Medium-well roast | 150°F – slightly pink at the center |
| Well-done roast | 160°F -fall-apart shredded beef |
I make it simple to understand with my Roast Beef Temperature Chart.
How to Reheat Beef Tenderloin
If frozen, thaw your whole beef tenderloin recipe first!
- To keep the tenderloin moist, wrap it in foil with any remaining cooking liquids, a sauce like au jus, or beef broth.
- Reheat the beef slowly at 225°F until a meat thermometer registers 150°F for it. Serve, and enjoy!.
Use one of my sauces for beef tenderloin with this dish!
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- 6 lb. whole beef tenderloin roast trimmed
- 2 Tablespoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 Tablespoon granulated garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Check out our Beef Temperature Chart for useful advice on how to cook any beef cut!
- Season your roast with sea salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and dried thyme at least 4 hours beforehand, then refrigerate it in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Pat down the spices so they stick well. Preheat your oven to 450°F. Take your seasoned roast out of the refrigerator and arrange it on a rack in a small roasting pan or on a small baking sheet with sides while the oven is preheating. Drizzle olive oil evenly over the roast. Allow it to come to room temperature.
- Put your roast in the oven, and roast it for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven’s temperature to 325°F after 15 minutes. Depending on the size of your roast, cook for an additional hour at 325°F, or for a shorter or longer period of time (see chart below). Before carving, take the food out of the oven and tent it with foil for 15 minutes. Serve, and enjoy! .
- Trim your roast: Before roasting, trim away any silver skin and extra fat. This will give you a more tender, flavorful roast.
- Tie your roast: Use kitchen string to tie your roast so that it will cook more evenly in the oven. The roast should be tucked under the tenderloin’s thin end.
- Use a rack: To roast tenderloin, use a roasting rack and a shallow baking pan or roasting pan. By using a rack, you can ensure that the beef is evenly heated.
- Prior to lowering the oven temperature, sear your roast at 450°F to achieve the prettiest crust.
How to Cook a Beef Tenderloin Roast
FAQ
How many hours per pound for beef tenderloin?
Roast should be lightly brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. For medium-rare, roast in a roasting pan for about 15 minutes per pound (a 3 45 minutes will be needed to cook a 5-pound roast, or until the desired internal temperature is reached.
What is the time chart for cooking beef tenderloin?
Roast meats weighing 2 to 3 pounds for 35 to 40 minutes at 425 °F for medium-rare (135 °F) and 45 to 50 minutes for medium-doneness (150 °F). For medium-rare (135°F) and medium (150°F) tenderloin roasts weighing 4 to 5 pounds, roast at 425°F for 50 to 60 minutes each.
What temperature do you cook beef tenderloin in the oven?
Roast a 2-1/2 pound beef tenderloin at 250°F for 20 minutes with the lid off. Then turn up the heat to 425°F. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest part of the meat reads 135°F. Remove from the oven.
How many people will a 6 lb beef tenderloin feed?
Depending on how it is sliced and what sides are served with it, a whole tenderloin that weighs between 5 and 8 pounds can feed six and twelve people.