Cooking whole tenderloin

[sabg]

I am attempting a whole tenderloin for the 3rd expensive time... Each to

Time over cooked .... I have gotten v diff suggestions...:425 10 mins per lb and 350 n 10-12 per lb... Both were over done.... Any help ? This is my last attempt at 20 a lb .... Thanks so much

[Norm Matthews]

Instead of cooking by time, cook with a probe thermometer or thermapen. I presume your tenderloin is beef, if so cook it to 120º to 130º, depending on your preference of "not over cooked" Take it out at the target temperature and cover it with foil and let it set a while. The temperature will rise some more as it continues to cook for a while outside of the oven.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Norm Matthews (log)

[heidih]

To be clear - beef?

[mgwalter]

Assuming Beef, I'd suggest reversing common knowledge and start at a low temp, then finish with a scorching hot oven. After seasoning the tenderloin and folding over the thinnest section and tying with twine to achieve a consistent thickness for the entire loin, place it in a 200 degree oven until you reach five degrees less than what you intend to serve it at (pull it out when the tenderloin reaches 125 if your final goal is 130). Let the tenderloin rest under foil and crank the oven as high as it'll go, in my case, 500. Once the oven is up to temp, tenderloin goes back in for about five minutes. Result should be a very consistently cooked tenderloin rather than one which goes from dark gray steadily to final temperature at center. No need to let the meat rest before slicing, but there's no harm in resting it, too. Another benefit of this method is that you can let the tenderloin sit before the final blast, which helps with timing.

It's similar to using sous vide and a water bath to cook a steak at the precise temperature then finishing with a quick sear in a hot cast iron pan to develop a crust, except that the final blast in the oven will raise the temperature of the tenderloin a few degrees more than it would a thin steak.

For more information behind why this method works, the article below explains the science behind it. The article is focused on using the same method for a standing rib roast, but it's adaptable to any thickish slab of beef.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/12/the-food-lab-how-to-cook-roast-a-perfect-prime-rib.html

Edited January 11, 2014 by mgwalter (log)

[gfweb]

What MGwalter said above.

I'd add that the tail of the tenderloin will way overcook even by this method. You ought to fold it under and truss it so the whole piece of meat is roughly the same diameter.

Sous vide is a great method for tenderloin and you do not need a fancy SV bath to do it. If the meat is already in a plastic shrink wrap thing you can put it in a beer cooler, the biggest one you have, filled with water at 133 degrees (assuming target temp of 130) and cook it for about 2 hours (see the SV cooking times in Baldwin's post in the SV section). The big cooler will be pretty temp stable if the cover is closed over two hours cooking (and you can always check and adjust). This is as ridiculously easy as it sounds and will work well. You cannot overcook this way...even the thin sections.

After the cooking unbag it, dry it, and sear just prior to serving...s/p...serve. No resting needed.

[thatchairlady]

MANY years ago, Dad was a fan of PBS cooking shows. He decided Sunday dinner would be beef Wellington... result of some cooking show. I was maybe 19 an pretty comforatble in kitchen. Made pastry crust to wrap BIG $$ hunka beef. It looked great going into oven and even better coming out, Problemwas ... ya couldn;t CUT crust? ALmost hadda HACK it off! Luckily, meat was PERFECT inside.

[Paul Bacino]

Butter poached.. Or pan roasted.

But you need a probe

Edited January 12, 2014 by Paul Bacino (log)

[janeer]

Keep it simple. 25 min at 500f for med rare. Rest

[pbear]

Another vote for roasting low temp. If you've not already bought the meat, I'd suggest you experiment with cross-rib, which is a lot cheaper but makes a pretty good roast beef. Once you've got the technique down, then trade up to tenderloin.

And, yeah, monitor temp with a thermometer. Timing guidelines should be used for planning purposes only, imho.

[Smithy]

Interesting. America's Test Kitchen made a good case in a class I'm taking for searing first then low-temperature roasting. mgwater's link above makes a good case for the opposite sequence. Granted, the ATK is for a low-cost roast instead of a prime rib or tenderloin. Looks like some side-by-side testing is in order...but not with a prime rib at the outset.

sabg, do please let us know what you did and how it turned out.

[mgwalter]

Smithy, the author of the Serious Eats article, J. Kenji López-Alt, worked for America's Test Kitchen for several years. I've also seen the ATK article about searing then using low heat and wondered if the author picked it up during his time at ATK, then improved on it by reversing when the sear happens, while maintaining the low oven for the majority of the cooking time. I like that he documented the various techniques and the results. Made me a lot more comfortable taking a $50+ risk in trying out the technique.

Heres the Cooks Illustrated link from 1995 on searing first then low oven. Membership is required to view the content.

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/1235-perfect-prime-rib?incode=MCSCZ00L0

Edited January 12, 2014 by mgwalter (log)

[gfweb]

The beer cooler sous vide mentioned above is also a Kenji creation.

[Ann_T]

Keep it simple. 25 min at 500f for med rare. Rest

I agree with Janeer.

I always do it in the oven at 500°F or on the grill over indirect high heat. I take it off the heat when the temperature is between 115°F and 120°F. And let it rest. We do prefer to beef on the rare side though.

[chefmaverick]

Restaurant method:

1. Clean Tenderloin

2. Salt and pepper outside to taste

3. Brown/caramelize on all sides.

4. Chill

5. 45 min before serving, place on baking sheet and roast in a 500 degree oven for 15-20 minutes depending on size of the tenderloin (some are smaller cylinders than others). Medium rare and never overcooked!!!

6. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

This is seriously a no-fail technique. No thermometers, no weighing, no hassle!

[NEPolarbear]

Below is an updated process from ATK

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/videos/1595-roast-beef-tenderloin?incode=MASAZ00L0

[rotuts]

Kimball wants your money. this is for subscriptions however if you know the episode, I have these on the HD .

cheers

[NEPolarbear]

ATK Season 10 Episode 8

[Jeff K]

mgwater's link above makes a good case for the opposite sequence.

Harold McGhee is also on board with the sear-last approach. Can't find a link at the moment but he makes a good, science-y case for it...

[Smithy]

mgwater's link above makes a good case for the opposite sequence.

Harold McGhee is also on board with the sear-last approach. Can't find a link at the moment but he makes a good, science-y case for it...

Funny! I wonder if there's been heated (heh) behind-the-scenes debate amongst staff in my edX cooking course, to which McGee and ATK are contributors? I can just hear it: "But...but...but...we've already cut the videos! You can't change your recommendations now!"

Isn't science wonderful? :-)

[gfweb]

McG's point IIRC is that searing first accomplishes nothing. Juices aren't locked-in.

Searing adds flavor and a nice appearance. Do it last.

[Jeff K]

McG's point IIRC is that searing first accomplishes nothing. Juices aren't locked-in.

Searing adds flavor and a nice appearance. Do it last.

Exactly; and he's been on that tip for quite a long time (my memory's far from perfect but I seem to remember him bringing it up in On Food and Cooking).

Incidentally, I'm in that EdX course too and I think he may have mentioned the searing thing, possibly in week one (though again, my memory's far from perfect).

[Smithy]

McG's point IIRC is that searing first accomplishes nothing. Juices aren't locked-in.

Searing adds flavor and a nice appearance. Do it last.

Exactly; and he's been on that tip for quite a long time (my memory's far from perfect but I seem to remember him bringing it up in On Food and Cooking).

Incidentally, I'm in that EdX course too and I think he may have mentioned the searing thing, possibly in week one (though again, my memory's far from perfect).

He certainly did mention the searing thing, during the introduction in week 1, in the context that it doesn't seal in juices. There was even a quiz question on that. I don't remember his having gone on to say that it logically follows that searing should be done last.

[jayt90]

If weather permits, a Weber kettle will produce a perfect tenderloin in 15 minutes.

Use a small bag of briquets (7 lb) and wait for a red hot coal bed. Sear the tenderloin on all sides, 1 - 2 minutes.

Put the lid on and close dampers, top and bottom.

There will be smoke and steam for a minute or two as the coals are extinguished (no oxygen).

The residual heat in the kettle will continue to roast the beef.

Pull the lid and the tenderloin at 10 - 12 minutes.

The tenderloin will be rare with some medium rare at the narrow end.

[Meredith380]

You have to use butter. The more, the better.