Perfect Beef Tenderloin

Beef tenderloin is a cut of meat you can knock out of the park if you know how to prepare it.  I promise this can happen in your kitchen, and you'll be amazed by the simplicity.  I adore this method for dinner parties or cooking for other people simply because it goes in the oven and stays there until it's finished.  No sauces to prepare, no fancy fillings - just meat, butter, salt, and pepper.  Can it get any easier?

Perfect Beef Tenderloin

chefjennylyn.com

2-lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed

2 tbsp. butter, softened

2-3 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Rub butter all over beef, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion reads 135 degrees (medium rare).  Cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

This is a 2-pound tenderloin inside the Medium Bar Pan to show you how perfectly it fits.  It's like this pan was made for delicious cuts of beef!  Here's a tip for the grocery store: Beef tenderloin is often sold in huge hunks that are 5-7 pounds.  Ask the butcher to cut off what you'd like.  Also, if you're shopping at a store without a butcher, they probably don't even carry tenderloin like this. (I'm looking at you, Super Target...)

Ok, my butter is melted in a 1-cup Prep Bowl, and salt is in a Pinch Bowl.  The pepper is in its fabulous Bamboo Grinder home, and everything is hanging out on a Cutting Board.  I wish I could say more, but this recipe is so simple that I'd just be rambling.  Get the styrofoam thingy out of the way, and slather that beef with those wonderful ingredients!

Ok, this is glorious.  Make sure you're using high quality pepper, or don't bother making this at all.  That is all the difference.  Hello, Pampered Pantry with the Peppercorn Medley that never disappoints!

Bake, and test.  Depending on the thickness of your tenderloin, it may take much longer than 30 minutes to cook.  I think this one may have been 45ish because it's simply huge.  All of those wonderful juices will mix with butter, salt, and pepper in the pan.  No one will judge you if you take a slice of the finished beef and rub it all in that deliciousness.  P.S. Your kitchen is going to smell amazing.  You're welcome.

Letting the beef stand a minimum of 15 minutes is a vital part of this recipe.  Do not skip it!  If you do, all of the juices will run out instead of setting up inside the beef.  Good-bye juiciness.  If you wait, however, this happens.  Gorgeous cuts of perfectly medium rare beef that you can serve the finest of guests.  I'm using the 8 1/4" Carving Knife from the Forged Cutlery Collection, and let me tell you it cut this thing like butter.  I did my cutting on the Large Grooved Cutting Board in case there was any run-off.  Once I was finished, I transferred it to the Bamboo Cheese Board and served with the Beaded Serving Spoon.  (Top pic)

Here's one more picture because I care.  In all seriousness, I would love for you to take this treasure of a recipe and make it happen!  You can change the recipe to fit any size tenderloin you want to use.  Just try this sometime soon, and be sure to let me know how it turns out!

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