RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
December Pick: Dinner

Roasted Beef Tenderloin

A center-cut beef tenderloin seared, roasted with whole shallots and broccolini, and sliced under melting garlic-herb butter.

Why you'll love Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Beef tenderloin is the holiday roast that asks the least of you. It is the most tender muscle on the animal, it has no bone to carve around, and a center-cut piece is the same thickness end to end, so it cooks evenly and slices into neat rounds for a December table. Shallots roast beside it until soft and jammy, broccolini crisps in the drippings while the beef rests, and a spoonful of herb butter melts over every slice.

Searing first and roasting second gives you both things a roast should have. A hot skillet builds a deep brown crust in about 10 minutes, and the oven then brings the center up gently and evenly. Salting the roast ahead, even by an hour, lets the salt draw out a little moisture, dissolve in it, and soak back in, so the meat is seasoned all the way through instead of only on the surface.

Tenderloin has very little fat of its own, which is why a compound butter suits it so well. Butter mashed with parsley, chives, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, and Dijon melts into the warm meat, carrying the herbs into every bite, and it can be made days ahead.

Quick overview: This Roasted Beef Tenderloin takes 20 min of hands-on time and about 1 hr 25 min in all and makes 8 servings, each 2 thick slices with vegetables. You'll need a skillet and a sheet pan.

Jump to recipe

Sliced beef tenderloin with herb butter, shallots and broccolini
Prep 20 minCook 1 hr 5 minTotal 1 hr 25 minServes 8Serving 2 thick slices with vegetablesYou'll need Skillet, Sheet pan

Ingredients

  • one 3 lb center-cut beef tenderloin roast, trimmed of silver skin and tied every 1 1/2 inches
  • 2 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 6 tbsp butter, softened
  • 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
  • 1 tsp very finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard Label: mustard seed, vinegar, water, and salt
  • 12 small shallots (about 3/4 lb), peeled and halved through the root
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil, divided
  • 3 bunches broccolini (about 1 1/2 lb), ends trimmed

Instructions

  1. Salt ahead: Pat the tenderloin dry and season it all over with 2 teaspoons of the salt and the pepper. Set it on a plate and refrigerate it, uncovered, for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Take it out 30 minutes before searing so the outside comes up from refrigerator cold and browns faster.
  2. Make the herb butter: Mash the softened butter with the parsley, chives, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, and Dijon in a small bowl until evenly green. Keep it at room temperature if you are serving within a few hours, or roll it into a log in plastic wrap and refrigerate it.
  3. Start the shallots: Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the shallots with 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil and a pinch of the remaining salt on a large rimmed sheet pan and roast them for 10 minutes while you sear the beef. Shallots take longer to soften than the beef takes to roast, so they get a head start.
  4. Sear the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the tenderloin, turning it with tongs every 2 minutes, until it is deep brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes in all. Browning happens only on a hot, dry surface, so let each side sit untouched until it releases easily from the pan.
  5. Roast: Push the shallots to the sides of the sheet pan and set the beef in the middle. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, starting to check at 15 minutes, until a thermometer in the thickest part reads 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 130°F (54°C) for medium. Thickness decides the time more than weight does, so trust the thermometer over the clock.
  6. Rest the beef: Move the tenderloin to a cutting board, tent it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat, so they stay in the slices instead of running across the board, and the heat held in the outside carries the center up about 5 degrees, to 130°F (54°C) or 135°F (57°C).
  7. Roast the broccolini: While the beef rests, toss the broccolini with the remaining tablespoon of oil and the rest of the salt right on the sheet pan with the shallots and drippings. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until the stems are tender and the florets are crisp at the tips.
  8. Slice and serve: Snip off the string and slice the beef into 3/4-inch rounds. Arrange the slices on a platter with the shallots and broccolini, top each slice with a little herb butter, and pour any juices from the board over the top.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate leftover beef and vegetables in sealed containers within 2 hours for up to 3 days. The herb butter keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.

Leftover tenderloin is best sliced thin and eaten cold over greens, or warmed briefly in a skillet with a pat of the herb butter. Long reheating in the oven takes it past tender.

Variations

  • Peppercorn crust: Press 2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns onto the beef after salting for a crust like steak au poivre.
  • Mushrooms: Roast 1 lb halved cremini mushrooms with the shallots for a deeper, earthier platter.
  • Mustard and thyme: Rub the beef with 1 tablespoon Dijon and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves before searing, and leave the mustard out of the butter.
  • Green beans: Roast 1 1/2 lb trimmed green beans in place of the broccolini, for 10 to 12 minutes.

Notes and tips

  • Ask for center-cut: A center-cut roast, sometimes sold as chateaubriand, is even from end to end. A whole untrimmed tenderloin has a thin tail and a side strip of fat and gristle; trim those off and tuck the tail under before tying.
  • Tie it: Kitchen string every 1 1/2 inches holds the roast in a neat round, so it cooks at the same rate along its length. Most meat counters will tie it for you.
  • Use a probe thermometer: A leave-in probe tells you exactly when to pull the roast without opening the oven door again and again.
  • Serve it with creamed spinach: The December Creamed Spinach makes this a steakhouse dinner at home, and both finish in the same hour.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Beef tenderloin brings protein along with iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, the nutrients that keep energy steady through a busy holiday season.
  • Broccolini and shallots fill half the plate with fiber and vitamin C, and roasting brings out their natural sweetness.
  • Butter is the real fat on the plate, and the herbs, garlic, and lemon in it mean a small spoonful does a lot.
  • Protein, fat, and fiber together digest slowly, so a celebration dinner leaves you comfortably satisfied instead of heavy.
  • As you eat, notice the tenderness of the beef and the brightness of the herb butter, and pay attention to how you feel later in the evening: this dinner should hold you comfortably until morning, with no pull toward dessert you do not actually want.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Roasted Beef Tenderloin? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

How do I know when it is done?

Use an instant-read or probe thermometer in the thickest part. Take it out at 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 130°F (54°C) for medium; it climbs about 5 degrees during the 15-minute rest, which also keeps it juicy. For medium-well, roast it to 145°F (63°C).

How much should I buy?

Plan on 6 oz of trimmed raw tenderloin a person. A 3 lb center-cut roast serves 8.

Can I make it ahead?

Salt it the night before and make the herb butter up to 4 days ahead. The roast itself is best cooked the day you serve it, and it is also very good at room temperature, so it can come out of the oven an hour before guests sit down.

What else goes with it?

Creamed spinach, celery root purée, roasted radishes, or a crisp salad of shaved celery and parmesan.

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Tags: December Pick, Dinner, American