Holiday Beef Tenderloin

A whole beef tenderloin is the most tender cut on the animal, so it earns its place at the center of the holiday table. This is how we cook ours: a hard sear for color, then a slow butter bath with onions, garlic, and fresh thyme until it hits a perfect medium rare. It looks like a lot of work. It is not. And it never fails to get quiet at the table.

Ingredients

• 1 trimmed beef tenderloin
• 2 yellow or red onions, sliced
• 6 whole cloves of garlic
• 2 sticks of butter
• Fresh thyme
• Your favorite steak seasoning

Directions

1. Tie the tail (the thin end) back so the loin is the same thickness all the way down. This helps it cook evenly. Season with your favorite steak seasoning (see our KC Strip Surf n Turf recipe for my favorite seasoning and how to dry brine the loin). Let it set in the fridge for at least two hours.
2. Heat your grill to medium/high heat. Brown the beef loin on all sides. You are not trying to cook it through, you are building a crust on all sides. When you have a nice color, pull the loin off and set it aside.
3. Slice your onions and peel the garlic (leave the cloves whole, minced garlic will burn).
4. Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet on medium/high heat (I do this on the grill, but a stovetop or the Blackstone works too). Add the onions, garlic, thyme, and beef loin.
5. Turn the beef loin every few minutes to keep it coated in the butter. Cook the loin to your desired doneness. I pull it at 120 degrees for medium rare, it will rise a little in the cast iron skillet.
6. The butter, garlic, and onions will be sizzling, and it makes a great presentation to carry the whole skillet to the table. It sizzles like fajitas at a Mexican restaurant.
7. Slice into medallion-sized pieces and serve topped with the onion mixture.

Tips for the Best Beef Tenderloin

• Tie the tail. Folding the thin end back and tying it gives you an even thickness so the whole loin cooks to the same doneness.
• Use a thermometer. Tenderloin is lean and turns dry fast. Pull it at 120 degrees for medium rare and let carryover heat in the cast iron finish the job.
• Let it rest. Give the loin five to ten minutes before slicing so the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out on the board.
• Keep the garlic whole. Whole cloves go soft and sweet in the butter. Minced garlic scorches and turns bitter.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the sear. That first hard sear is where the crust and color come from. Do not rush past it.
• Cooking by time instead of temperature. Every loin is a different size. Trust the thermometer, not the clock.
• Slicing too soon. Cut into it hot off the heat and the juice ends up on the cutting board.

What to Serve With It

Beef tenderloin loves a rich, sharp partner on the plate. A spoonful of our homemade horseradish sauce is the classic move, alongside mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and a green salad. Leftovers slice thin for the best steak sandwiches you will ever make, and they keep three to four days in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should beef tenderloin be for medium rare?

Pull the tenderloin off the heat at 120 degrees for medium rare. The temperature keeps climbing several degrees as it rests, especially in a hot cast iron skillet, landing right around 125 to 130 degrees by the time you slice it.

Do I need to sear the tenderloin before the butter bath?

Yes. The hard sear builds a browned crust and deep flavor you cannot get from butter alone. Brown all sides first, then finish the loin slowly in the butter, onions, garlic, and thyme.

Can I cook beef tenderloin in the oven instead of on the grill?

Absolutely. Sear the loin in a hot skillet or under the broiler, then finish it in a 300 degree oven in the butter mixture until it hits 120 degrees. The grill adds a little smoke, but the oven works beautifully.

How much tenderloin should I plan per person?

Plan for about half a pound of raw tenderloin per person for a main course, a little less if you are serving a big spread of sides. A whole trimmed loin usually feeds six to eight for a holiday meal.

Should I let the tenderloin rest before slicing?

Yes. Rest it five to ten minutes before you cut in. Resting lets the juices redistribute through the meat so they stay in each slice instead of pooling on the board.

Diamond R sells filet mignon, the same buttery, tender steaks cut from the whole tenderloin used in this recipe. Same muscle, same melt-in-your-mouth texture, single-source with one animal per box, pasture-raised and grain-finished on our family ranch in Independence, Kansas, with no antibiotics and no added hormones. Order Diamond R Filet Mignon and bring the holiday steakhouse home.