Beef tenderloin first time

skihorn

For Father's Day I thought I would try some expensive cut of meat I had not yet tried - beef tenderloin. (When my wife asks what I want for FDay I always just say to cook on my Egg!)

Having never done one I have some dumb questions: Is a whole tenderloin about 12 lbs? If so, is it reasonable to ask the butcher to cut it in half for me? I assume he can still use the other half for fillets if he can't sell half a tenderloin.

What is best way to cook? The only recipes I saw in the recipe section were for stuffed tenderloin. For my first, I thought I would just keep it simple and not stuff. I was thinking I would cover in seasonings, sear it briefly on each side and then slow cook it until 125 internal. Does that make sense?

Thanks for any ideas!

Freddie
League City, TX

sharhamm

I'm sure you are going to get a few replies. I've never cooked a whole, only cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch filets and grilled over high heat. If you go to the search function there's over 14 pages of ideas. Happy cooking. Oh yes, you can always ask your butcher to cut it in half, but I would take the whole thing and cut it into half myself and freeze the rest for the next cook.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

you don't really get a long uniform chunk of tenderloin. they are thin at one end and thicker by far at the other. there's also a separate muscle that runs up along the side, which can be trimmed off.

when i prep a tenderloin, i usually use the thin end for tenderloin tips (chopped into 1.5"+ cubes), the chain (the long side muscle) for either the same thing, or a treat for the cook , the middle thicker portion becomes steaks for my wife and son, and the thick end (trimmed) becomes a 2 or 3 pound roast (a 'chateaubriand')

you could tie the thin end back on itself to make the whole thing more uniform i suppose.

i pan sear the roast and then roast it to finish. the steaks are, well, steaks, and get cooked either Trex or hot-tubbed or some other two-stage cook.

skihorn

Thanks Sharon!

thirdeye

Admittedly, they look pretty rough coming out of the cryo pack.... but if you buy the whole one you will get a good value and have a variety of cuts. These things are easier to trim and cut up than they are to cook. It won't take you 15 minutes. After they are trimmed and broken down into the major parts you have this, and some options.



Here is a full breakdown going all the way to steaks, some thinner ones I call chicken fry steaks and some trim meat you can use for a stir fry or whatever.



In your case you are going to keep a roast, so just pick out the length and you are there. Make steaks from the rest. Or keep a couple of roasts and use the chain for another recipe.



Tenderloins are very easy to cook, and you can do them many different ways. I like to cook indirect at 250° until the internal is 100°, then remove and rest while ramping up the cooker to 325° or so. Then I finish them off with a raised direct cook.

skihorn

Stripskike: Perhaps I will just buy a whole one. Thanks.

Freddie

skihorn

Thirdeye: A picture is worth a thousand words! You've given me a lot of reading to do.

Thanks,
Freddie

Car Wash Mike

Impressive display as usuall Wayne.

Mike

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

please try to be more specific in your answers, thirdeye :laugh:

civil eggineer

Personally, I find tenderloin devoid of taste although very tender. I have cooked them whole and fillets and prefer the fillets. You get a nice char on both sides and have the ability to marinate in soy sauce and beef broth/garlic prior to cooking to help add to their flavor. Mind you they are an extremely tender cut of meat and this is only my opinion. Tenderness deminishes with muscle usage but beefy flavor increases with muscle usage.

skihorn

Tim: I agree about the tradeoff between tenderness and flavor. I go back and forth as to whether I prefer ribeye (for their flavor) or fillets (for their tenderness). Of course, whatever is on sale usually makes my decision!

Freddie

Photo Egg

That was a great post.
Thank you,
D

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

grass fed tenderloin has a flavor different than that of grain fed/finished. nice, but mild like you say