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

 

[schlotz]

With what might be questionable tenderloin, why not cut some of it into cube size pieces, apply some adolfs if necessary then make Beef Bourguignon?

Simplified (not traditional) Beef Bourguignon

I pull this together when I'm wanting something comforting but not really involved. Usually make it when I know the wife is going to be out with her friends for dinner. It's not traditional, very few ingredients and a bit thyme forward, but never the less I like it. Served with a good red wine...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[BugHunter]

With what might be questionable tenderloin, why not cut some of it into cube size pieces, apply some adolfs if necessary then make Beef Bourguignon?

Simplified (not traditional) Beef Bourguignon

I pull this together when I'm wanting something comforting but not really involved. Usually make it when I know the wife is going to be out with her friends for dinner. It's not traditional, very few ingredients and a bit thyme forward, but never the less I like it. Served with a good red wine...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Looks fantastic, but I don't think that'll work with a tenderloin. Could be mistaken, but sorta like putting strip steak into soup, doesn't work. I'm afraid I just ground up the cut for that last night so I can make snack sticks today. 2# chuck roast... Paid an arm and a leg for it too...

I saw this while working in the kitchen last night. But even this seems like a lot of work using a hunk of meat I'm not confident of. I have no issue with making the wellington, just not sure about the end result. But, in the interest of fun, I might give it a try. Then maybe invite people I don't like to come eat it. Ya know, family. lol.

 

[schlotz]

Looks fantastic, but I don't think that'll work with a tenderloin. Could be mistaken, but sorta like putting strip steak into soup, doesn't work. I'm afraid I just ground up the cut for that last night so I can make snack sticks today. 2# chuck roast... Paid an arm and a leg for it too...

I saw this while working in the kitchen last night. But even this seems like a lot of work using a hunk of meat I'm not confident of. I have no issue with making the wellington, just not sure about the end result. But, in the interest of fun, I might give it a try. Then maybe invite people I don't like to come eat it. Ya know, family. lol.

Hmm... Wellington, that's a possibility. BTW, I've actually done the Bourguignon using some end pieces of tenderloin that I had left over after trimming up a whole tenderloin and cutting into proper sized filets. It turned out surprisingly good. The browning step for the meat does the heavy lifting.

 

[BugHunter]

Hmm... Wellington, that's a possibility. BTW, I've actually done the Bourguignon using some end pieces of tenderloin that I had left over after trimming up a whole tenderloin and cutting into proper sized filets. It turned out surprisingly good. The browning step for the meat does the heavy lifting.

Ah, ok. I would have been scared of doing that. I recall long ago trying to make a soup that called for "Flap meat". I had steak in the freezer and figured, it's cheaper than the gas to go to the store and get that. Not like the spec'ed stuff is gonna be free... How different can it be? Holy smokes was that badin that soup. Tough? Omg.. Off to the store I went and got a crappy cut of stew meat and wow, ok, this is what they were talking about!

I may try that recipe at some point. Been avoiding buying beef at the asinine price it's at now, but maybe someday.

 

[schlotz]

Recipe works with stew meat too, but definitely use the adolfo's and let it do its thing for a while before browning the meat.