What to do with a beef tenderloin

[BugHunter]

Last year, my sister went to a market where we buy a fair bit of pork and chicken, and they had beef tenderloin at some price I can't recall, but it was less than my local packing plant. I said yea, grab one, in spite of the fact I know the place sells select beef and I'm a bit of a beef snob. Usually buy from a local farmer. But I thought, how bad can a tenderloin be. Well, it's pretty dark red, and had I known, I would not have had her pick it up. It's been in the freezer. I'm not likely to make it as a roast, I generally do America's test kitchens recipe for horseradish crusted tenderloin, but I really like a better piece of beef for that. So I wondered if anybody had a recommendation for what to do with it in the smoker. I have 1/2 of a local cow brisket she gave me to make pastrami again. In the interest of using things up, what do you folks advise.

For your appetite encouragement, here's the very first one I made in 2014 if I recall correctly. (must edit with phone to add the pic).

 

[clifish]

Last year, my sister went to a market where we buy a fair bit of pork and chicken, and they had beef tenderloin at some price I can't recall, but it was less than my local packing plant. I said yea, grab one, in spite of the fact I know the place sells select beef and I'm a bit of a beef snob. Usually buy from a local farmer. But I thought, how bad can a tenderloin be. Well, it's pretty dark red, and had I known, I would not have had her pick it up. It's been in the freezer. I'm not likely to make it as a roast, I generally do America's test kitchens recipe for horseradish crusted tenderloin, but I really like a better piece of beef for that. So I wondered if anybody had a recommendation for what to do with it in the smoker. I have 1/2 of a local cow brisket she gave me to make pastrami again. In the interest of using things up, what do you folks advise.

For your appetite encouragement, here's the very first one I made in 2014 if I recall correctly. (must edit with phone to add the pic).

Here is a thread from one of great members...although I believe he is now into competition shooting and around much anymore.

Special Dinner, Special Friends: Smoked Beef Tenderloin (Lotsa Pics)

Maybe a couple times throughout a person's life they meet somebody and there is an instantaneous bond. You know immediately that you've met somebody special and there's likely a special friendship that is going to develop. That's exactly what happened when we met Jeff and Kandi. We knew we'd met...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[BugHunter]

Here is a thread from one of great members...although I believe he is now into competition shooting and around much anymore.

Special Dinner, Special Friends: Smoked Beef Tenderloin (Lotsa Pics)

Maybe a couple times throughout a person's life they meet somebody and there is an instantaneous bond. You know immediately that you've met somebody special and there's likely a special friendship that is going to develop. That's exactly what happened when we met Jeff and Kandi. We knew we'd met...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Cool thanks!
I use to do that, competition shooting that is... Great minds think alike!

 

[SmokinEdge]

Flash cook the tenderloin medallions and make a Tuscan creamy pasta. So good.

 

[BugHunter]

Flash cook the tenderloin medallions and make a Tuscan creamy pasta. So good.

Term I'm not entirely familiar with, at least not in context. Beef tenderloin medalian was the name of a dish I recall was served at a local restaurant here when I was in my 20s. The place was a family outfit where the one son went to school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris to become a chef. Menus were hand written by his mother, and the menu of the day was never more than 6 items. Pretty much, "This is what we're having", and that was it.

That was pieces though, served it was these seared hunks of beef in this divine BC sauce, but nothing you needed to break into smaller pieces.

What exactly are you referring to? In my case, I've got the entire roast in one piece in the freezer. So, to make a medallion as I think you're saying, I'd need to thaw, cut it up and refreeze... Was hoping to do something with all of it. And I'm sure it's not choice beef where it's a quality cut. It's pretty red...

 

[bigfurmn]

At the sake of sounding too simple. What to do with it???? EAT IT! How ever you like it, eat it!

 

[jcam222]

IMO tenderloin is going to be a very tender cut regardless of grade since its more about the lack of muscle use and not marbling. I'd personally trim off the chain for tips then cut that into 1.5-2" steaks wrap in bacon and grill. Maybe make a nice bleu cheese or gorgonzola sauce for it.

 

[sandyut]

Reverse sear, or just sear nice thick steaks. Steak au poivre is always good.

 

[sawhorseray]

For your appetite encouragement, here's the very first one I made in 2014 if I recall correctly. (must edit with phone to add the pic).

ACCORDING TO YOUR BIO YOU'D HAVE BEEN 14 YEARS OLD IN 2014, MUST HAVE BEEN MAKING PRETTY GOOD MONEY AS A TEENER TO AFFORD THAT FILLET ROAST. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, FOR NOW. RAY

 

[sandyut]

ACCORDING TO YOUR BIO YOU'D HAVE BEEN 14 YEARS OLD IN 2014, MUST HAVE BEEN MAKING PRETTY GOOD MONEY AS A TEENER TO AFFORD THAT FILLET ROAST. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, FOR NOW. RAY

not to derail this thread but, I dont buy cut filets anymore. I have never been able to stomach buying a filet roast. The cost is too extreme

 

[luvcatchingbass]

I can PM you my address and you can send it over to ND for proper disposal.

 

[BugHunter]

onally trim off the chain for tips then cut that into 1.5-2" steaks w

I was hoping to do something like use it for pastrami or some other smoked item. Thing about a tenderloin is they don't really have much flavor unless you add it to it.

not to derail this thread but, I dont buy cut filets anymore. I have never been able to stomach buying a filet roast. The cost is too extreme

I've never purchased a prime one, but choice was never too bad in the past. I could get them around 8 pounds or so for about $75. Not an everyday thing, but a real nice holiday item. Crusted and then served with a horseradish whipped cream sauce, mmm mmm.

ACCORDING TO YOUR BIO YOU'D HAVE BEEN 14 YEARS OLD IN 2014, MUST HAVE BEEN MAKING PRETTY GOOD MONEY AS A TEENER TO AFFORD THAT FILLET ROAST. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT, FOR NOW. RAY

When I joined, had simply googled some questions and I'd never even heard of the site, so I wasn't aware that I needed to file a 4506T with my profile info. You can safely assume I wasn't 14... Sue me.

 

[sawhorseray]

When I joined, had simply googled some questions and I'd never even heard of the site, so I wasn't aware that I needed to file a 4506T with my profile info. You can safely assume I wasn't 14... Sue me.

NO NEED TO SUE, I CAN SPOT A F.O.S. POSTER A MILE AWAY. HERE'S ANOTHER OF YOUR QUOTES IN A POST!

I bet I have not purchased 5 pounds of hot dogs in the last 40 years, as they've never been a favorite item of mine.

WHEN HOVERING THE MOUSE ABOVE YOUR AVATAR IT SHOWS YOUR AGE, 26. TRY IT, YOU'LL SEE FOR YOURSELF. I'LL JUST BLOCK YOU OUT NOW, WE'LL BOTH BE BETTER OFF! RAY

 

[BugHunter]

NO NEED TO SUE, I CAN SPOT A F.O.S. POSTER A MILE AWAY. HERE'S ANOTHER OF YOUR QUOTES IN A POST!

I bet I have not purchased 5 pounds of hot dogs in the last 40 years, as they've never been a favorite item of mine.

WHEN HOVERING THE MOUSE ABOVE YOUR AVATAR IT SHOWS YOUR AGE, 26. TRY IT, YOU'LL SEE FOR YOURSELF. I'LL JUST BLOCK YOU OUT NOW, WE'LL BOTH BE BETTER OFF! RAY

Whatever dude, I put in 1-1-2020 because I wasn't willing to disclose my birth date on a site I had no idea if I'd remain on or not. Block away, no problem here.

 

[millerbuilds]

I start by trimming the loin into a uniform roast (I save the trimmings and use them with other dishes)
I like to dry brine the tenderloin, add P&G just before cooking.
I start with my electric smoker (just a few wood chips) and set it to 150-170. Set the tenderloin out to come to room temp while getting things ready. Once the tenderloin is ready to go in, I set it on a bradley rack and put the roast in the electric smoker. While it is slowly cooking, I bring the gasser to temp with a CI pan with a stick of butter and some rosemary swigs. Once the roast reaches 105-110, I let it cool for 10-15 minutes before searing it. Then into the screaming hot CI with butter to build a crust, keep turning and use a spoon to keep rolling butter over the roast. Once it hits 125 IT, pull and rest losely tented for 15-20 minutes.
I like to serve with some homemade Horseradish Sauce, a starch and grilled veggies. Pair with a chewy red or a nice sangiovese.

I am sure there are 100 different ways, but this is my go to.

- Jason

 

[sawhorseray]

Whatever dude, I put in 1-1-2020 because I wasn't willing to disclose my birth date on a site I had no idea if I'd remain on or not. Block away, no problem here.

1-1-2020 WOULD MAKE YOU A SIX YERA-OLD. THIS JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER!

 

[BugHunter]

I start by trimming the loin into a uniform roast (I save the trimmings and use them with other dishes)
I like to dry brine the tenderloin, add P&G just before cooking.
I start with my electric smoker (just a few wood chips) and set it to 150-170. Set the tenderloin out to come to room temp while getting things ready. Once the tenderloin is ready to go in, I set it on a bradley rack and put the roast in the electric smoker. While it is slowly cooking, I bring the gasser to temp with a CI pan with a stick of butter and some rosemary swigs. Once the roast reaches 105-110, I let it cool for 10-15 minutes before searing it. Then into the screaming hot CI with butter to build a crust, keep turning and use a spoon to keep rolling butter over the roast. Once it hits 125 IT, pull and rest losely tented for 15-20 minutes.
I like to serve with some homemade Horseradish Sauce, a starch and grilled veggies. Pair with a chewy red or a nice sangiovese.

I am sure there are 100 different ways, but this is my go to.

- Jason

Interesting...

I figured someone would say there was a recipe to cure it... Though, I guess that's sort of a sacrilege with a tenderloin. The only recipe I've ever done with these was America's Test Kitchen's Horseradish Crusted Beef Tenderloin. Up until this one, I always bought them at the local packing plant at a very good deal (relatives used to own the packing plant, but that changed so now I don't have any sway there so buy elsewhere or not at all). But this thing is so "Red", I wonder if it wasn't bull meat. I was not the one who picked it up, and had I been I never would have bought it. My family used to raise cows and I became rather partial to prime beef. This is what scares me, I may not be a usda expert, but I can clearly see this was not a good cow. I was perfectly willing to cure, season and smoke, then slice as a cold cut like pastrami or something. And for all I know, it might even turn out ok, but my sister bought one and cooked it and I saw pics of it, and I wasn't impressed with the final color.

2 rules I have. Pork is NOT the other 'white' meat. If it's white, leave it on the shelf.
Beef is NOT red meat. The redder it is, the more it will resemble an old bull. . Ever seen a dark red piece of wagyu? I didn't think so... I'm thinking this "tender'loin will be about the quality of the brisket my sister gave me a few weeks ago to make pastrami out of. That came from a local family friend farmer who raised the cow, and it made something superior to Hebrew National pastrami.

It was worth a try. I probably should have known this wasn't a great question...

 

[BugHunter]

1-1-2020 WOULD MAKE YOU A SIX YERA-OLD. THIS JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER!

Lol, ok a typo. I type dates too often... 1-1-2000 what what I put in. But age 6 works for me too! That's too funny.