What to serve with beef tenderloin.
The Best Recipe For Beef Tenderloin
This beef tenderloin roast ticks all the boxes: easy to make, impressive to serve, melt-in-your-mouth delicious and no fancy carving skills needed. The horseradish sauce and garlic herb butter complement the tender beef, leaving room for the flavor to really shine through. We also love to serve it with any of our Compound Butters or our Creamy Mushroom Sauce. Our rack of lamb recipe is another great recipe for special occasion meals, and our mint sauce would be as delicious with this beef tenderloin as it is with rack of lamb.
Beef Tenderloin Ingredients.
Here’s what you’ll need for our favorite beef tenderloin recipe.
Center-cut beef tenderloin roast (also called a chateaubriand)
Kosher salt & pepper
Vegetable oil
Heavy whipping cream, sour cream & mayo
Horseradish sauce
Chives, fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage
Salted butter
Garlic
How to Cook Beef Tenderloin
The best way to cook beef tenderloin is a hard sear in the pan followed by a slow roast in the oven for a nicely browned crusty exterior and soft, fork-tender interior. Follow these step-by-step instructions:
Make the horseradish sauce! This creamy, punchy sauce makes for the perfect bite with the roast beef tenderloin. It’s super easy to make: simply whip the cream until soft peaks form, then fold in the remaining ingredients. Pop into the fridge until you’re ready to serve. The flavors will continue to marry all the while you’re finishing up the dish.
Make the garlic butter! Pro tip: soften the butter by placing a warm bowl face down over the stick! It’ll result in a soft, spreadable consistency. Once the butter is ready, add the remaining ingredients.
Roast! First, season with salt and pepper, then brown in a hot pan. Then, cover it with the garlic butter and pop it into the oven. The most precise way to measure the doneness of meat is with an instant-read thermometer. For beef, rare is 125°F; medium-rare is 135°F; medium is 145°F, medium-well is 150°F; and well is 160°F. Medium-rare is our preferred doneness for beef tenderloin.
Rest and garnish! Once it reaches your desired doneness, place it onto your cutting board and let it sit, tented with foil, for 15 minutes. The juices will reabsorb into the cut, making a buttery-smooth bite! When it’s rested, cut into 1-inch slices and drizzle it with horseradish sauce.
Is Beef Tenderloin The Same as Filet Mignon?
Don’t be confused; beef tenderloin is not the same as filet mignon. In fact, filet mignon is actually cut from a beef tenderloin. Both cuts are very tender and provide a silky, buttery bite without much fat. Whole beef tenderloin is typically uneven, with one side being leaner than the other, and can weigh anywhere from 3lbs-5lbs, which is why we suggest asking your local butcher for a center-cut piece – usually a bit more cylindrical. If you’re asking yourself, is beef tenderloin a good piece of meat, or is beef tenderloin expensive? While it’s definitely on the spendier side, it is so worth the splurge for a special occasion due to it being such a tasty cut of meat. We also like to save this recipe for when beef tenderloin goes on sale at our local market.
How to Store Leftovers + Tips
Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
We recommend reheating in the microwave. High heat for about 2 minutes should do the trick.
If you happen to have leftover horseradish sauce, may we suggest serving it with potatoes! Our favorites are Crispy Smashed Potatoes or Rosemary Roasted Potatoes.
Tools You’ll Need For Beef Tenderloin Roast
Make it Look Fancy (Without Too Much Hassle!)
When we’re looking for easy and elegant recipes, we turn to a simple protein that we can elevate. Some of our favorites are:
You Deserve A Delicious Roast!
Try this juicy, tender beef tenderloin for your next festive occasion, and let us know how it turns out! For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper. Happy cooking!
