Tender Oven Roasted Beef Tenderloin Recipe
If you want to really knock people’s socks off at a holiday dinner, birthday celebration, or anniversary, roast a beef tenderloin! Beef tenderloin is one of the most premium cuts of beef you can purchase. That makes it sound intimidating to cook, but with better cuts of meat like this you’re actually signing up for ultra tender beef that requires minimal ingredients and effort to prepare. When beef tastes this good — and is this pricey! — you don’t want to doctor it up too much with spice blends or sauces. Which is perfect for home cooks wanting to make an impression without having to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a big meal. This recipe is very simple, but it’s one of the best meals I’ve ever made at home! And that’s saying a lot for a woman who runs a recipe blog for a living! The beef itself is seasoned simply with salt and pepper, while fresh herb and garlic butter is slathered on for flavor and richness. The beef tenderloin roast is seared in a skillet to lock in its juices before being baked in the oven. Roasting beef tenderloin in the oven is EASY, but there are a few key tips to keep in mind to ensure you roast it to medium-rare perfection to yield juicy, tender beef every time. This is a great special occasion dinner to serve around the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or anytime you want to make a friends, family, or a loved one feel extra special!
What Is Beef Tenderloin?
Beef tenderloin is taken from the back part of the cow, between the loin and sirloin. It’s typically sold whole and is almost always roasted at a high heat so the interior of the beef remains tender in texture and rosy in color. Baked beef tenderloin is perfect for entertaining guests because you can roast it whole and then slice tender cuts of steak for each person. This is a choice cut of beef and it’s taken from a small section of the cow, so expect to pay for it!
How Much Does Beef Tenderloin Cost?
This is the cut of beef that filet mignon is taken from. So although beef tenderloin costs $20 or more per pound, it’s still a more budget-friendly alternative to purchasing individual filets for all of your guests! For the best beef tenderloin, I recommend going to your local butcher’s store or at least the butcher’s counter of your local grocery store. They’ll be able to help you select the best tenderloin.
Beef Tenderloin vs Filet Mignon
Beef tenderloin is often confused with filet mignon — which is no wonder since filet mignon is taken from the tip of the beef tenderloin! Both cuts of beef are incredibly tender, with minimal connective tissue or fat. I recommend roasting beef tenderloin for larger gatherings, and saving the filet mignon for smaller dinner parties.
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need just a handful of ingredients for roasting beef tenderloin. This isn’t a cut of beef you want to drown in spices or sauces. The flavor of the beef tenderloin is incredible, so you want to make sure you can taste it! Here’s what you’ll need to roast beef tenderloin with garlic herb butter:
For the beef:
Beef tenderloin roast Sea salt Black pepper Olive oil
For the garlic herb butter:
Fresh garlic cloves Fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage Unsalted butter
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Roast Beef Tenderloin in the Oven
Roasting beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner or another special occasion is a simple process that anyone can master. BUT there are a few key things you must so to ensure your tenderloin comes out juicy and tender and does not overcook. With about 10 minutes of prep time, and about an hour of total time, let’s make beef tenderloin.
- Let the beef come to ROOM TEMPERATURE before roasting it.
- Let it REST after roasting.
- Sear the beef before roasting; this adds lots of flavor and also locks in the juices to keep the beef moist. Step 1: Tie the beef tenderloin with kitchen twine or butcher twine. Yes, you must do this to ensure even cooking. Season all over with salt and pepper. Let it rest on your countertop for about 30 minutes to bring the beef to room temperature so that it cooks evenly in the oven. Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Sear the beef on all four sides until golden all over. Step 3: While the beef is searing, combine the herbs, garlic, and softened butter. You can chop and then beat together by hand – or put it in a food processor – whichever you prefer but I use my food processor. Step 4: After the beef has been seared, slather it with the garlic herb butter. The excess fat is great for any dry cuticles you may have, haha! Step 5: Roast the beef tenderloin until the internal temperature reaches 130ºF (this should take no more than 20 minutes). Step 6: Remove the beef tenderloin from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. While the beef rests, the carryover heat from the oven will bring the internal temperature up to 135ºF, which is perfectly medium-rare. Step 7: Slice into roughly 1-inch thick slices when serving.
How Long Should Beef Tenderloin Be Cooked in the Oven?
Beef tenderloin must bake until it reaches your desired internal temperature (see exact internal temperature guidelines in the section below). I recommend removing the beef once it reaches an internal temperature of 130ºF and then letting it rest so the carryover heat brings it up to 135ºF which is medium rare. The only surefire way to know if the baked beef tenderloin is done is by measuring the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the beef. In total, a 1- to 4-pound beef will take 15 to 20 minutes at 425ºF MAXIMUM. Trust the thermometer, not the clock! For an accurate temperature reading, Insert the meat thermometer into the middle of the beef roast, about halfway in. Once you slice the beef, you’ll notice that the edges will look more done while the center will remain rosy. This is NOT a cut of beef to cook until well done or until no longer pink in the middle! If you do that, you’ve essentially ruined an expensive cut of beef and it will taste overcooked.
What Should the Internal Temperature of Beef Tenderloin Be?
Oven roasted beef tenderloin is best when cooked until medium-rare, which means it should have a warm red center and just be starting to firm up when removed from the oven. Thermoworks thermometers are amazing. Specifically I use the Thermapen One and it’s so fast, precise, has a big ‘ole display for easy-reading, has a 5 year warranty, and it’s just awesome. However, you may cook the beef to your liking. I know some people like their beef practically mooing while others prefer it more done. Exact international temperatures for cooking beef are as follows:
Rare — 120°F to 129°F. Cooler and bright red center, soft to the touch. Medium rare — 130°F to 134°F. Warm red center, beginning to firm up with red juices. Medium — 135°F to 144°F. Warm pink center, brown on the edges, firm with red juices. Medium well — 145°F to 154°F. Slightly pink center, completely firm with brown juices. Well done — 155°F to 164°F. Very little to no pink, firm to the touch.
Tips for the Best Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Let the beef rest come to room temperature before searing. Otherwise you risk the meat sticking to the pan and cooking unevenly. This also helps the beef roast evenly in the oven. So if you want medium rare beef tenderloin, when your thermometer says 125F, it’s safe to take it out, and then let it REST. During the resting period, the temp will easily go up to 130-134F. If you wait until your thermometer says 130F, as the meat rests, the temp will climb up into the high 130s/low 140s range, making it medium, not medium rare. Tie up the beef with butcher twine. Again, this ensures that the meat will cook evenly as it roasts. Do not skip this step! Let the beef rest after roasting: This gives the juices time to redistribute within the meat and makes for a more tender, juicier cut of beef. Do NOT roast the beef tenderloin until medium-well or well-done. Technically, you can cook the beef however long you like, but cooking it past medium-rare isn’t recommended. It’s okay to be pink in the middle, and that will yield the most tender results. The Temp Rises During Resting. Read my above tip box and pull it sooner, rather than later!
Storage Instructions
Beef tenderloin roast is best served immediately after it was cooked and rested. If you end up with leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or I suppose in the freezer for up to 3 months. Really though – buy what you need and eat it fresh and on the spot and don’t plan on leftovers. This isn’t a cut of beef that I like to reheat – and definitely NOT in the microwave! Since it was cooked to perfection the first time in the oven. Reheating the beef will just cook it further and make it less juicy and tender. Instead, enjoy it sliced cold on a sandwich for a truly decadent lunch or dinner.
What to Serve with Beef Tenderloin
After slicing my beef tenderloin – arguable the most tender cut of beef (or one of them) – so we eat it with some of the great sides mentioned below. No need for any creamy horseradish sauce nor red wine sauce for us, although you could make those if you desire. This is a choice cut of beef, but it comes together quickly and is great for fuss-free dinner parties and entertaining, believe it or not! I serve this oven roasted beef tenderloin with my favorite holiday or steakhouse sides. Some great side dishes for beef tenderloin include:
Classic Mashed Potatoes Slow Cooker Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes Twice Baked Potato Casserole Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Honey Butter Smashed Sweet Potatoes Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Parmesan Balsamic Roasted Broccoli Cheesy Roasted Asparagus Cauliflower Gratin No-Knead Dinner Rolls with Honey Butter Apple Spinach Salad House Salad
More Holiday Dinner Main Dishes:
Easy Foolproof Oven Roasted Turkey — Learn how to make juicy, flavorful herb-roasted turkey that’s not dry! This turkey has all the flavor that grandma’s used to have, minus the hassle. No brining, no basting, and no stress! This is THE COMPREHENSIVE post to read for how to make THE BEST turkey for your Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday celebrations! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Slow Cooker Turkey Breast — Learn how to make a perfect turkey breast every time using your slow cooker! Making turkey breast in a Crockpot results in juicy, tender turkey every time and is nearly impossible to dry out! Save the drippings at the bottom of the slow cooker for making into turkey gravy. Whether you want to free up oven space for a holiday meal or you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner, this EASY recipe creates AMAZING turkey every time! Orange Pineapple Glazed Ham — When you’re looking for a holiday ham or family celebration ham recipe, look no further than this one! This pineapple ham is so juicy and moist thanks to a dry spice rub made with brown sugar and citrus and then the most delectable pineapple glaze! It caramelizes to sweet perfection making this ham a family favorite that pairs well with any side dish! Honey Baked Ham — Spiral baked honey ham that’s SO EASY you really can’t mess it up! The sweetness from the honey works perfectly with the saltiness of the ham. This ham is similar to the honey baked ham everyone loves to purchase but so much less expensive! Perfect for HOLIDAY MEALS and family dinners! Glazed Pork Loin Roast — Pork loin is first coated in a FLAVOR-PACKED dry spice rub, then topped with a tangy brown sugar glaze before being roasted. EASY enough to make on busy weeknights, but IMPRESSIVE enough to serve to guests or make for the holidays! Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin — Tender and juicy boneless pork tenderloin is slow cooked with hearty vegetables for a complete and EASY meal! Reminiscent of a hearty and rustic recipe, yet fancy enough for a special dinner or holiday entertaining! How to Cook the Perfect Steak — Learn how to cook the perfect steak on the stovetop, every time! Which cut and grade of meat to choose, what temperature, what skillet, and how long to cook it. Plus, there are all the TIPS and TRICKS you need to know are included so you can make the BEST steak at home to rival a fancy steakhouse every single time!
