This perfectly cooked, juicy beef tenderloin, surrounded by the most delicious pepper and rosemary crust, is a showstopper. Your guests will be talking about this dish all through the holidays.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper, preferably fresh ground
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 3- to 4-pound beef tenderloin
- Kitchen twine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons safflower, canola or grapeseed oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a small bowl, mix the pepper, salt and rosemary. Set aside.
Remove the excess fat from the tenderloin. Tuck the tail end under to make the meat more even in size, if needed. Tie kitchen twine around the meat every 2-3 inches. Use a paper towel to pat the outside dry. With your hands, rub the outside of the tenderloin with butter. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly to coat the outside of the tenderloin.
Place the large sauté pan or roasting pan over high heat. Add enough oil to just coat the pan. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the tenderloin. Sear on all sides until a brown crust forms on the outside, about 2-3 minutes per side. This may get smoky. Use tongs to transfer the tenderloin to a baking sheet.
Roast in the oven until an instant read thermometer registers 130° F for medium-rare, about 25-30 minutes. Adjust the cook time depending on your preference for doneness. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before removing the twine and slicing into ½-inch-wide pieces. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Make-ahead tip: Trim the meat the day before. It makes the recipe go very quickly.
Nutrition Analysis: 330 cal, 20 g fat, 115 mg chol, 950 mg sodium, 1 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 37 g protein.
Lauren Marie writes the popular gluten-free food blog LaurenMarieGlutenFree.com.
