Beef tenderloin is always my go to for a dinner party. It is an expensive piece of meat, however you can feed a crowd easily with one tenderloin. For an appetizer buffet, I slice the tenderloin thinner, for a dinner buffet, I slice it thicker. The key is a meat thermometer. I have one with an attached probe- they are cheap, get one! You do not want to ruin an expensive piece of meat by overcooking it.
You can buy a tenderloin trimmed or untrimmed. Trimming is not hard, you are just removing the silver skin, and trimming the loose meat and any fat. The silver skin will pull off easily with a dry paper towel. I like to buy untrimmed because it is cheaper per pound and I like to chop the trimmings up and cook for breakfast the next day with fried eggs. If trimming intimidates you, buy the trimmed.
Last Saturday we invited some close friends to come over for what I like to call a “whoop-de-do”, or what others might call a nice dinner. I love to set the table and bring out the good wine. My house is not fancy and neither is my cooking, dishes or serving platters. I stick to the basic white platters, I find food looks the best on them and they look good in my black China cabinet. Just in case I run behind or guests come early, I always set my empty platters out and place a label on them so that others can help place things on the right platter if needed. It also helps me to remember what I am serving- yes, I have left things in the oven before!
Also- not everyone likes their meat medium rare. I keep a skillet on the stove so if anyone wants their meat cooked more, I can toss their slice in for a minute or two on medium heat.
Anytime I entertain, I channel my inner Ina Garten. I have all of her cookbooks and I am a huge fan. Ina’s food is not pretentious, it is simple food that people love and she has great entertaining advice. And of course, she loves a good cocktail and wine. Ina taught me how to make by first beef tenderloin using the “fast method”. Some time later she showcased a great “slow method”. I prefer the slow method, although you will be surprised how fast the slow method is. For time management purposes, give yourself an hour to cook and rest the meat.
Wine: A good red always pairs perfectly with red meat. This night we opened an Orin Swift wine, Mercury Head. It is one of our favorites and I try to always keep a bottle on hand for special dinners.
Trussing: it is up to you if you want to tie up your tenderloin. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. It does seem to cook more evenly when trussed.
Resting: Yes, always rest your meat. It allows the juices to redistribute evenly and makes for a much more tender and moist main course.
Note: A good piece of meat doesn’t need anything but salt and pepper. If you feel like you need to add something else, I have brushed melted butter over the outside of the tenderloin before baking. Because you can never go wrong with butter…
Beef Tenderloin
Description
Whole beef tenderloin for the win!
Ingredients
Instructions
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Remove tenderloin from the fridge AT LEAST 30 minutes prior to cooking.
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Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
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Remove packaging and pat dry.
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Rub with olive oil.
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Salt and Pepper on all sides.
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Place in oven until it reaches 130 degrees (medium rare).
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Remove from oven and lay foil over the top lightly, do not seal the foil over it.
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Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
