How to Roast a Beef Tenderloin

Tips, video and photography provided by Heinen’s partner, Chef Billy Parisi.

It can be intimidating to cook a big piece of meat to medium-rare or medium doneness. Has it been in the oven too long? Has it not cooked long enough? Is it overdone? Is it underdone?

Don’t let these questions affect the fun that you have in the kitchen at the holidays. Instead, follow my foolproof method for roasting a beef tenderloin. It will result in the perfect piece of meat every time, I promise.

Let’s get started!

How to Truss a Beef Tenderloin

Start by removing the beef tenderloin from the refrigerator. I used a 3 – 3 1/2 pound tenderloin from Heinen’s Meat Department.

To seal in the flavors and help the tenderloin hold its shape as it cooks, you will want to truss the meat. All you’ll need is about 2 yards of butcher’s twine.

Wrap the twine underneath and around one end of the beef tenderloin and tie a double knot. Once the end is tied, move your finger one inch above the first knot and wrap the long tail of the twine underneath and around the tenderloin. Once it is wrapped, take the long piece, wrap it underneath and pull to form a tight truss.

Continue this process until you reach the opposite end of the tenderloin.

Once you reach the end, flip the tenderloin over and wrap the remaining tail of twine under every other loop until you reach the end of the tenderloin where you first started the truss.

Double knot the two remaining tails of twine and trim any twine that remains.

How to Season a Beef Tenderloin

Season the tenderloin well on both sides with salt and pepper.

If you’re in the mood for a rub, now is the time to use it. From Southwestern to rustic to something as simple as finely-chopped herbs and garlic, the options are endless.

I prefer chimichurri sauce, but we’ll get to that a little bit later. Stay tuned!

How to Roast a Beef Tenderloin

Add olive oil to a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet and. Once it is smoking, add the beef tenderloin and cook for 3-4 minutes on each of the four sides.

This step is crucial because the oven will be cooler in temperature, so it’s important to brown the exterior.

At this point, I added my favorite chimichurri to the top of the tenderloin, but if you prefer olive oil and herbs, feel free to add that instead.

Now that the meat is browned and seasoned, place the pan in the oven at 275˚F for 20-25 minutes. This will give you the perfect medium to medium-rare internal temperature.

If you do not like your meat medium-rare, add an extra 10 minutes for medium, an additional 20 minutes for well or an additional 30 – 35 minutes for well done.

Regardless of the internal temperature you desire, you should always use a meat thermometer. Once the tenderloin reaches the 120˚F – 125˚F mark for medium-rare, remove it from the oven. It will continue to cook and rise a few degrees as it sits.

How to Cut and Serve a Beef Tenderloin

Once the beef is done cooking, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest on a cutting board for a few minutes.

While it is resting, remove the butcher’s twine with kitchen scissors or a knife.

Once the meat has rested, cut the tenderloin into slices and serve with baby potatoes, chimichurri, roasted garlic or any other side dish that you enjoy.

Get creative, have a good time and enjoy this perfectly cooked meaty meal!