22 replies to this topic

[Chris Amirault]

I'm cooking everything for a big (30-40 people) party soon, and due to external menu demands I've got to put beef tenderloin on the menu. (Don't ask -- and, yes, I know that there are better options out there. Trust me on this one.) I haven't cooked a beef tenderloin for years, perhaps decades, and I'm interested to see how people prepare it.

I have a few preliminary thoughts. I have an insanely overgrown thyme plant that I'm hoping I can incorporate into this dish. I was thinking about wrapping the tenderloin entirely in thyme, marinating it in olive oil and some other aromatics (garlic, parsley, pepper...) for a while, and then grilling it about an hour before resting, slicing and buffet service. (I can't do any a la minute cooking for this event.) I've been toying with some sort of aioli (lemon, smoked paprika... along those lines) as a sauce.

I'm eager to hear any ideas at all, but especially about marinade recipes and time, sauces, and any tips for service.

[bobag87]

If you have a smoker I would suggest the following. Rub the outside of a whole tenderloin in spices of your choice. Traditionally, I use New Mexico Red Chile and salt, but that is for our traditional chile roasting party so it is New Mexican themed. After spicing the outside of the tenderloin, let it come to room temp. Then smoke on a 225 degree fire until the internal temp hits 135. Wrap in foil, let rest and set aside. Bring back to temp in a 300 degree oven or even bring to a more medium temp if preferred.

Let rest and then slice into perfect smoked tenderloin slices. This is an upscale version of BBQ, but it has always brought rave reviews and I have served it during more upscale dinners and it has always worked.

As for wood, we use a mixture of mesquite and pecan, but, as it does not take long to get the tenderloin up to temp, I think any legitimate smoking wood works fine.

[Chris Amirault]

I do have a smoker, and I'm smoking other items the day before. This idea intrigues me -- instead of finishing in the oven I could do it on the grill. So it'd go in the fridge overnight after the smoke, yes?

[bobag87]

I do have a smoker, and I'm smoking other items the day before. This idea intrigues me -- instead of finishing in the oven I could do it on the grill. So it'd go in the fridge overnight after the smoke, yes?

Yes. I have done it that way, but usually, I time it so that it comes off the smoker about 2 hours before service and I don't have to refrigerate. I am sure some of the folks on the souve vide thread are going to say this is unsafe, so follow their advice.

All that aside, true BBQ is reserved for tougher cuts that need a lot of time. However, a great tenderloin, smoked lightly (it usually takes about 30 minutes to get to 135), is a revelation. Another route is to get ribeyes or strip steaks (or even filet mignon cuts out of the tenderloin). Lightly smoke them for 20 minutes at 220 and then grill them. Smoked steaks are a staple down here in Texas, but not many people do it right.

[bobag87]

I should note that on the steaks, whether filet mignon, ribeye or strip, I have smoked them the night before and refrigerated them, then grilled them prior to service with great results.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks. I may have flexibility in re the smoking -- it's possible to do it the morning of, then grill immediately prior to, afternoon service.

When people down in Texas smoke steaks wrong, what do they do? Oversmoke them? Use the wrong wood? I will likely have only apple and hickory (pucks for my Bradley): go with the fruit?

[bobag87]

Thanks. I may have flexibility in re the smoking -- it's possible to do it the morning of, then grill immediately prior to, afternoon service.

When people down in Texas smoke steaks wrong, what do they do? Oversmoke them? Use the wrong wood? I will likely have only apple and hickory (pucks for my Bradley): go with the fruit?

I think the biggest problem is oversmoking. For a whole tenderloin, it is easy not to oversmoke the meat as you slice it after smoking and cooking so that a smaller portion of the exterior of each serving is in direct contact with the smoke. In addition, because of the the thickness of the roast, it is easy to treat it more like BBQ and have a bold spice rub. Of course, for the same reasons as Sous Vide, meats, I like to finish on a hot grill or in a 500 degree oven to get a suitable outside surface.

Steaks to me are different in that there is a larger surface area exposed for each serving. Thus, when I smoke steaks it is simply to get the flavor and not to cook them. 20 minutes is plenty of time to get smoke flavor in and I usually keep the fire as low as possible so as to not "cook" the steaks too much. Also, I think many people then over spice smoked steaks since they are going on the smoker and they want to treat it as if it was true BBQ -- i.e. they use a spice rub. For me, the smoke flavor is what I am going for so I smoke the steaks unseasoned for 20 minutes and then refrigerate. Prior to grilling or seearing in a blazing hot iron skillet, I sprinkle with salt and pepper -- that is it. Everyone has always been happy with both of these techniques.

Also, don't overlook the quality of the meat.

As for wood, I tend to use fruit (pecan) and mesquite in equal portions. Mesquite is easy to get here and has a bold flavor, but the apple wood should be good. I do not work with Hickory much, but the times I have tried it I felt the profiles was not too different from oak so it should be ok. You might try a mixture as the hickory will be stronger than the apple.

[Chris Amirault]

Also, don't overlook the quality of the meat. 

Again, my lack of experience is leading me to hit the butchers I know and put myself in their hands. I'm used to checking marbling on the bias slice; what's the best approach dealing with a lengthy muscle?

[bobag87]

Also, don't overlook the quality of the meat. 

Again, my lack of experience is leading me to hit the butchers I know and put myself in their hands. I'm used to checking marbling on the bias slice; what's the best approach dealing with a lengthy muscle?

I am fortunate in that I have great suppliers for Prime beef here in Dallas so I have not really focused too much when buying whole ternderloins. However, you could have them trim off a portion of the thinner end of the tenderloin to check for marbling. Usually, there case is going to have filets cut from the same tenderloins that they are selling whole and that should give you a pretty good idea as to the quality and marbling.

[HungryC]

A whole grilled tenderloin has been my family's Christmas or Thanksgiving entree off and on for a few years. It's easy as hell, requires very little prep, holds well, and the leftovers are just as good as the first go-round. Plus, the tapering shape means you can satisfy a wide range of preferences: overdone ends for some, medium to medium rare through most of the roast, then a bloody middle. Thyme is a good choice, but I wouldn't use branches--I'd pick off the leaves, and pound them with your favorite prepared mustard, some garlic, a whole bunch of cracked pepper, and a little coarse salt. Let it come to room temp before grilling; I'd do a direct sear, then an indirect roast 'til the center hits your preferred temp.

[Fat Guy]

Let me add a voice in support of smoking. It's the best solution I know of for adding a little flavor to tenderloin, which while tender is not a terribly flavorful cut. But when it's smoked, it can be pretty great.

[Chris Amirault]

Revisiting the schedule, I think I will be smoking early the morning of (along with some chicken wings) and can then finish on the grill. Still thinking through marinade, rubs, etc. Thanks for all the input.

Question on slicing. How thick do people cut their tenderloin?

[snowangel]

Question on slicing. How thick do people cut their tenderloin?

I'm of the thin camp. Allows one to "ribbon" slices.

[Fat Guy]

I like 1/4" slices for this sort of thing. Enough to sink your teeth into, but not as thick as actual steaks.

By the way leftovers make great hash.

[bobag87]

I like 1/4" slices for this sort of thing. Enough to sink your teeth into, but not as thick as actual steaks.

By the way leftovers make great hash.

I agree with Fat Guy on 1/4" slices.

[deltadoc]

Just curious. Do you cut with or against the grain when you slice your tenderloins?

tx,
doc

[Chris Amirault]

I certainly plan to cut it against the grain, like a roast. I can't imagine cutting it any other way -- or am I misunderstanding?

[deltadoc]

Like I said, I was just curious. Tenderloin, being one of the most tender, combined with Fat Guy's response about slicing 1/4" thick for "sinking your teeth in" made me wonder about cutting technique.

For instance, flank steak, sirloin, roasts, many of the "tougher" cuts of meat, are recommended specifically to be cut against the grain, which I take as a form of mechanical tenderizing.

By reverse logic, I wondered about possible instances where the technique is to cut "with" the grain, being that since there were specific instances where it was recommended to "cut against" the grain, i.e. by supposition, somewhere someone for some reason must be cutting "with" the grain.

I cut against the grain, because the muscle fibers aren't always neatly "stacked" when looking at the grain. So it isn't as easy to cut "with" the grain because of this, if I even ever wanted to.

But, I hardly would ever think of slicing than against the grain too.

doc

[Chris Amirault]

I think I'll stick to cutting against the grain and pulling pork or ropa vieja with.

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks, everyone. It's marinating in mustard, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and thyme.

Now, never having cooked a whole tenderloin, I'm wondering about doneness. I think I'd like to have a decent amount in the center of the muscle medium rare, so I'm figuring that I should take it off the grill when that portion is at 135F, knowing it'll warm up a bit. If it's a bit under medium rare, that's fine with me; if it's going to warm up to medium or higher, that's not. Thoughts?

[deltadoc]

Thanks, everyone. It's marinating in mustard, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and thyme.

Now, never having cooked a whole tenderloin, I'm wondering about doneness. I think I'd like to have a decent amount in the center of the muscle medium rare, so I'm figuring that I should take it off the grill when that portion is at 135F, knowing it'll warm up a bit. If it's a bit under medium rare, that's fine with me; if it's going to warm up to medium or higher, that's not. Thoughts?

Because of the varying thickness of a whole tenderloin, your's is not an easy question to answer.

I tend to cut off the end pieces and let them rest in the open and cool off faster because they're usually more done.

The centercut, going by temperature probe, gets set on a dish with a pot cover over it.

Usually comes out just about the rare side of medium rare, which is perfect.

My wife likes her meat more done, so it works out in the end. Anything I think is overcooked is just perfect for her.

Anything I think is perfect, and she's liable to stick it in the microware for 30 seconds!

Whew....

doc

[Chris Amirault]

After forgetting to tie it, which wasn't a big problem, I put it on direct heat to sear and then set it aside for indirect. Pulled it off at 135F, rested 30m, sliced it 1/4" thick (perfect), and served it to raves. Thanks, everyone -- it was a hit.

ETA: Yep, I smoked it first: ~2h of apple and a little hickory. Sorry about the omission!

Edited by chrisamirault, 13 July 2009 - 07:16 PM.

[bobag87]

After forgetting to tie it, which wasn't a big problem, I put it on direct heat to sear and then set it aside for indirect. Pulled it off at 135F, rested 30m, sliced it 1/4" thick (perfect), and served it to raves. Thanks, everyone -- it was a hit.

ETA: Yep, I smoked it first: ~2h of apple and a little hickory. Sorry about the omission!

Sounds like a good meal.