Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Perfectly cooked, medium-rare whole Roasted Beef Tenderloin is a beautiful sight to behold, and it makes a seriously impressive presentation for a crowd. I've cooked many a beef tenderloin and will be sharing my perfected process with you today.

What Sets This Recipe Apart

Roasted Beef Tenderloin is an extraordinary entree, perfectly tender and overflowing with elegance. As a special cut of meat, it is ideal for commemorating special occasions, celebrating throughout the holiday season, or just making your guests feel like full-on royalty.

I have experimented with this roasting process multiple times over and have mastered the solution for dependably reaching your ideal internal tempearture. This process has been replicated time and time again by readers just like you, and here's what they have to say about it:

What You Need To Know

The Method | Roasting is the best way to cook a whole beef tenderloin. This means that the tenderloin will go into the oven at a high temperature, and air will circulate around the tenderloin for even cooking. For this, you will need a roasting pan and rack.

The Heat | A digital thermometer will be your best friend in this category. The best temperature to cook beef tenderloin at is 425°. This temperature will cook the tenderloin through in a timely manner and ultimately yield a perfect crust.

The Seasoning | A mix of freshly ground pepper and Kosher salt is all you need to season beef tenderloin. For this recipe, use three parts freshly ground, coarse pepper, one part Kosher salt. You'll find exact measurements in the recipe card below.

What is Beef Tenderloin?

As a home chef, I know the idea of roasting whole beef tenderloin can be an intimidating one. Overcooking one could potentially be the equivalent of demolishing about eight filet mignons. In fact, it is the equivalent of multiple filets, because that's what beef tenderloin is after all -- one giant filet mignon roast.

Beef tenderloin is cylindrical in shape and hails from the short loin of a cow. The short loin section of the cow is just behind the ribs and in front of the sirloin and does not experience much movement. Cuts from the short loin remain very tender and are of the highest quality, but none more so than the tenderloin. This is why it is an expensive cut of meat.

Beef Tenderloin vs. Filet Mignon

Beef tenderloin and filet mignon are essentially the same things. When referring to filet mignon, the beef tenderloin has been cut into individual filets. When referring to beef tenderloin, we are typically referring to the whole tenderloin.

Ask the Butcher for THIS!

Ask your butcher for the middle of the center cut of the tenderloin. This will be a uniform-sized cut of protein in which the diameter of the tenderloin is pretty much same from one end to the other. This is a major bonus because it promotes even cooking! And guess what? It's the same price, pound per pound.

If, however, you end up with a tenderloin with a "tail," have butchers' twine on hand and truss the tenderloin so that it is of uniform thickness before going into the oven.

For another favorite beef dish, check out braised beef chuck roast. It's perfect for Sunday dinners or warming bellies on cold nights.

Quick Recipe Overview

1. Set out tenderloin at room temperature to remove the chill.
2. Pat dry to remove excess moisture, rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Place on a roasting rack and transfer to oven.

4. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.

How Long to Cook Beef Tenderloin

I have experimented with this whole roast process multiple times over. Each time I have roasted a tenderloin ranging from 3 pounds to 4 pounds, the 4-pound tenderloin took only 40 minutes to reach a perfect medium-rare.

The 3-pound tenderloin took 50 minutes to reach medium-rare. That is a vast difference in cook time when you consider there was under a one-pound difference, and the larger tenderloin actually cooked faster than the smaller one.

Therefore, weight is not the only thing one should take into consideration when determining cook time. So what gives?

Why Temp Matters More Than Time

It's Not All About Weight

Remember, a thicker tenderloin will take longer to cook than a skinny one...even if they are the same weight. For many, this is common sense but not something we always keep in mind when roasting meat.

Another thing to consider when it comes to size: pay attention to whether or not your tenderloin tapers at the end. The tapered end will always cook faster than the thickest part of the tenderloin.

If there is significant tapering, you'll find it best to truss the tail in order to create an even thickness from one end to the other. If you are not sure how to truss a tenderloin, you can find a video demonstration in the recipe card below.

Pre-Cook Internal Temperature

The temperature of the meat also matters going into the oven. An ice-cold beef tenderloin will take longer to cook through than one that has been sitting on the counter for 30 minutes prior to roasting.

So what's the solution? Begin gauging the temperature of your beef tenderloin after 35-40 minutes in the oven, no matter what the weight is. Do this using a digital thermometer inserted directly in the center of the tenderloin.

After that (depending on how far along temperature-wise), check it every 6-8 minutes thereafter.

Internal Temp Rises After Cooking

Well, first of all, you'll need to know your goal temperature. Is your goal rare, medium-rare or medium? You can find more on temperature by glancing at the chart below, but what I want you to keep in mind for now is that the degree of doneness will continue to raise 5-10° after it comes out of the oven.

This is why you always pull the tenderloin at least 5-10° before it hits the internal temperature you are aiming for.

Internal Temperature for Medium Rare

As mentioned above, large cuts of meat continue to cook even after they have left the heat source.

For whole beef tenderloin, it is safe to assume the temperature will go up anywhere from 5°-10° after it comes out of the oven. Therefore, always pull the tenderloin at 130° for a perfect medium rare. For more degrees of doneness, click here.

What to Serve With Beef Tenderloin

Whether you're creating a date night scene at home or hosting a holiday gathering, you can't go wrong with pairing your perfectly cooked tenderloin with potatoes lyonnaise. This fancy potato side dish is doused with butter and onions that would pair perfectly with this beefy main! Are you looking for more decadent beef recipes? We've got you covered here on the blog!

Most steak houses in Texas have an elevated creamed corn on their menu these days, making our homemade creamed corn a perfect side dish, and one your guests will love. To balance out all that savory, consider a fresh salad. To keep things simple, you can't beat a classic house salad.

And, last, but not least -- this is a cut of meat that is absolutely perfect on its own, but if I'm going to add anything to it at all, it will most certainly be this horseradish sauce, au jus, or perhaps a creamy peppercorn sauce. The perfect accessories to any steak.