Melt In Your Mouth (MIYM) Roast Beef Tenderloin | BEST Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to sear beef tenderloin before roasting? ›

Should you sear beef tenderloin before cooking it? If roasting a tenderloin in the oven, you'll definitely want to sear it to get a golden brown crust. It doesn't take very long, and is so worth the effort.

Slow-roasting in a low oven cooks the tenderloin evenly from edge to center. Basting the tenderloin with browned butter flavored with thyme and shallots enhances browning and gives it more flavor.

Tenderloins have a narrow end and a thick end. To ensure consistency, roasts & steaks are typically cut from the thick end. Roasts can be made from the thin end by cutting the smallest portion off and trussing it to a thicker portion using butcher's twine. The thin end can also be sliced for beef medallions.

The food web and a great many cookbooks (very many of them highly reputable) recommend blasting a tenderloin in a hot oven, 450–500°F (232–260°C), for a relatively short time to cook it, followed by a counter rest.

Admittedly, searing isn't strictly necessary for the cooking process. Technically speaking. The meat will cook just fine without searing. (And any surface bacteria will die during cooking anyway.)

Low-heat roasting— 225°F to 300°F, or 200°F to 275°F in a convection oven—will produce a roast with rosy interior that's evenly cooked all the way through, but you won't get much in the way of a well-seared crust.

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Sear the tenderloin in a large skillet using the searing steps above. Place the tenderloin on a baking sheet and move it into the middle of the oven, cooking for 2-4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 125 degrees.

The tenderloin itself, once trimmed and cooked, serves about 2-3 people per pound as part of a larger meal, so often anywhere from 12-16 people for a whole one.

Since beef tenderloin is a relatively lean, boneless cut of beef and tends to be quite expensive, you can easily cut down that recommendation to 6 ounces of beef per person, especially if your dinner menu includes a few hearty sides. For feeding four to six guests, you'll want a roast between 1 1/2 to 2 pounds.

Why is beef tenderloin more expensive than filet mignon? ›

Beef tenderloin is where you'll find filet mignon. But because filet mignon is just a portion of the full tenderloin, it's more expensive per pound than the beef tenderloin itself.

Bake uncovered 40 to 50 minutes or until thermometer reads at least 140°F. Cover beef with tent of aluminum foil and let stand about 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 145°F. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°, and beef will be easier to carve.)

Velveting is a simple process of using baking soda or a mixture of egg whites, cornstarch and oil to marinate and tenderize economical cuts of steak, chicken and other meats before cooking. Velveting meat softens fibers to reduce toughness and enhance juiciness for maximum flavor and tenderness.

For roasts that are 2 to 3 pounds, roast at 425°F for 35 to 40 minutes for medium rare (135°F) and 45 to 50 minutes for medium (150°F) doneness. For roasts weighing 4 to 5 pounds, roast at 425°F for 50 to 60 minutes for medium rare (135°F) and 60 to 70 minutes for medium (150°F).

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the beef tenderloin on a rack in a roasting pan. (Tip: You don't need to sear beef tenderloin before roasting.) Insert an oven-going meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast.

Despite most recipes to the contrary, it is rarely necessary to sear meat before roasting. The idea that you “seal in the juices” is an old wives tale that has long been debunked. Your best bet is to cook it without searing and, if it isn't browning to your taste, sear it after roasting.

Pat the steak dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season generously all over with salt; sprinkle lightly with pepper. Place on the rack and bake until an instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part reads 120ºF for medium rare, 20 to 25 minutes (start checking after 15 minutes). Remove from the oven.

I love reverse sear as it results in very tender meat and a more consistent cook throughout (I cook to medium-rare). This technique can be used with steaks, or other thick cuts of meat (like roasted lamb) and the results are almost always perfect.