The center-cut tenderloin — often called chateaubriand — comes from the middle of the whole tenderloin, which sits beneath the spine of the cow and gets no exercise at all, making it the most tender piece of beef you can buy. We knew that a simple preparation would let the exceptional texture shine.
Tying the roast at intervals with kitchen twine made it more compact and helped give it an even shape, which promoted even cooking. To up the tenderloin’s mild flavor and help it hold on to its juices, we salted the roast before cooking. A smear of softened butter added before cooking also helped counteract the leanness and mildness of this cut with a minimum of fuss.
We then used a reverse-sear method, roasting the meat first and then finishing it by searing it in a skillet. Starting the roast in a fairly cool 300 F oven minimized the temperature differential between the exterior and interior, allowing for gentle, even cooking. This approach also dried out the surface of the meat so it then seared very quickly in the skillet — leaving no chance for it to overcook. We finished by slathering the roast with a flavored butter as it rested. As the savory butter melted it became an instant sauce.
ROAST BEEF TENDERLOIN
Servings: 4
Start to finish: 1 hour, 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes resting time)
For the beef:
1 (2-pound) center-cut beef tenderloin roast, trimmed, tail end tucked, and tied at 1 1/2-inch intervals
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the shallot and parsley butter:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Nutrition information per serving: 470 calories; 289 calories from fat; 32 g fat (10 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 136 mg cholesterol; 835 mg sodium; 2 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 43 g protein.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 43 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.