What to do with a beef tenderloin

[Fueling Around]

I could never bring myself to cure a beef tenderloin. A pork tenderloin yes.
If you want to cure lean beef, sirloin tip is my preference, as I don't consider it worth much anything else. I have a tip in the freezer and cannot remember why I bought it, except it was on sale.
I haven't picked up beef tenderloin in many years. I prefer them cut into medallions (aka steaks) and cooked to preference. I prefer medium and my wife prefers just a hint of pink. It will be tender unless you grill it to death.
I don't know if it still allowed, but very red meat in cyro pack was a sign of carbon monoxide alternate atmosphere packing.

 

[912smoker]

The last one I did was for a crowd of 20 or so.
Marinated overnight with The W Sauce then Smoked whole to 110 then cut into medallions and sear to their desired doneness. Turned out great.

Keith

 

[millerbuilds]

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...

Dry Brining is not the same as curing. I dry brine to get a great texture on the crust/char, and the added benefit of tenderizing the roast.

- Jason