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Christmas: Roast Beef Tenderloin

Source of Recipe

From "All Time Best Holiday Entertaining" (Cook's Illustrated)


Recipe Introduction

"With its uniformly rosy, luxuriously tender meat beneath a deeply browned crust, it's hard to top beef tenderloin for a special occasion. Though this premium cut is easy to prepare, its meek flavor requires a little help. After salting the roast for thorough seasoning, we gently roasted it in a low oven and gave it a good sear at the end. To bring a little more richness to the table, we pulled together a simple but impactful flavored butter, rubbed it over the hot roast, and saved some extra for serving time. Ask your butcher to prepare a trimmed center-cut Châteaubriand from the whole tenderloin, as this cut is not usually available without special ordering. If you are cooking for a crowd, this recipe can be doubled to make two roasts. Sear the roasts one after the other, wiping out the pan and adding new oil after searing the first roast. Both pieces of meat can be roasted on the same rack."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 (2-pound) beef tenderloin center cut Châteaubriand, trimmed
â—¦ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
â—¦ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
â—¦ 1 recipe flavored butter (recipes follow)


Recipe

Using 12-inch lengths of kitchen twine, tie roast crosswise at 1 ½-inch intervals. Sprinkle roast evenly with salt, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

Pat roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle roast evenly with pepper and spread butter evenly over surface. Transfer roast to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Roast until center of roast registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 40 to 55 minutes, or 135 degrees (for medium), 55 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes, flipping roast halfway through cooking.

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place roast in skillet and sear until well browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer roast to carving board and spread 2 tablespoons flavored butter evenly over top of roast; let rest for 15 minutes. Remove twine and cut meat crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve, passing remaining flavored butter separately.

Serves 4 to 6



Shallot and Parsley Butter:

â—¦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
â—¦ 1 small shallot, minced
â—¦ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.

Makes about ½ cup



Chipotle and Garlic Butter with Lime and Cilantro:

â—¦ 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
â—¦ 1 medium chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced, with 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon honey
â—¦ 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.

Makes about ½ cup