Million Dollar Roast Beef Tenderloin! (2024)

Make an impression with this Garlic Roast Beef Tenderloin Recipe. Super easy to prepare, yet tastes like a million bucks!

We love to make this special cut of meat for the holidays because it’s perfect for feeding a large amount of people and doesn’t require a ton of work. With just a little bit of prep, a good skillet and a probe meat thermometer, you’ll have a juicy cut of roast beef tenderloin that’ll make you close your eyes, do a little dance and smile with each bite.

What Is a Beef Tenderloin?

Beef tenderloin is the most tender cut of beef and it is located within the loin. This is where we get filet mignon, which is made from the very tip of the pointy end of the tenderloin. There is also very little fat within the tenderloin, making it a very lean cut. Because of all that, beef tenderloin is one of the most expensive cuts of beef.

When properly cooked, it will melt in your mouth. And let’s face it, when you’re paying a pretty penny for some meat, you’ll want to make sure you’re cooking it right.

How To Prepare Beef Tenderloin

• TRIM: Start by trimming your beef tenderloin if it is not already trimmed for you. I purchased mine from Costco and it came trimmed. To trim the beef tenderloin you’ll want to remove the “silverskin” that runs down the length of the tenderloin. Run your knife gently underneath while pulling it up with your other hand. Trim off any other excess fat around the outside and remove “the chain” which is just a fatty strip along the outside as well.
• TIE: A beef tenderloin is a long cut of beef that comes to a point at one end. In order to get the beef to cook evenly it’s important to tie it up and make it as uniform in shape as possible. Using butcher’s twine you can easily tie it up. Tuck the long pointed end up into the thicker part of the tenderloin creating a uniform cylinder shape.
• CHILL: To give your tenderloin a delicious crust on the outside, you can leave it in the fridge overnight unwrapped. This will dry out the surface, helping it to gain a gorgeous browned crust when seared. This step is optional, so if you don’t have time, don’t worry, you’ll still get great results.

How To Cook Roast Beef Tenderloin

• SEASON: Coat the outside with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for a couple of hours. This will help to cook the insides evenly.
• SEAR: Heat some olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet and sear the beef tenderloin on all sides for about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Since the beef tenderloin is a long piece of beef, I’ve cut it in two manageable roasts that can easily fit into my 12″ skillet.
• SLATHER: Create a simple garlic and herb butter and slather it all over the seared beef. Insert your probe thermometer.
• ROAST: Cook the beef tenderloin at 425 degrees F. until the desired internal temperature is reached. This will only take about 20 to 25 minutes!

What Temperature To Cook Beef Tenderloin?

We’re roasting our beef tenderloin at a high temperature of 425 degrees F after we’ve seared it in a skillet. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet yet, you can sear the beef tenderloin and then transfer it to an oven safe dish to finish cooking.

How Long To Cook Beef Tenderloin?

Searing the outside of the beef tenderloin should take about 12 to 15 minutes (about 3 to 5 minutes per side), followed by 20 to 25 minutes in the oven for a total of about 40 to 45 minutes. After it’s finished cooking, you’ll want to let it rest for about 15 minutes, where it’ll still rise in temperature but allow the juices inside to settle and redistribute.

What Temperature Should Beef Tenderloin Be?

The worst thing you can do is overcook a pricey cut of beef. Ideally you should cook it to a nice medium-rare or medium. The higher the internal temperature, the more tough the meat will become. My biggest suggestion is to use a digital probe thermometer for accurate cooking.

Here is a good chart to go by.

• RARE – 115°F – 120°F
• MEDIUM RARE – 120°F – 125°F
• MEDIUM – 130°F – 135°F

PRO TIP: Keep in mind that the internal temperature will continue to rise about 5 to 7 degrees after being removed from the oven.

What To Serve with Beef Tenderloin

• Creamy Horseradish Sauce
• Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
• Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Toss some fresh green beans and mushrooms in the same skillet that the beef tenderloin cooked in and sauté them over medium heat until tender – so good!

More Beef Recipes To Try

• Garlic Herb Prime Rib
• Parmesan Crusted Ribeye
• Best Steak Marinade
• Creamy Beef Stroganoff

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