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Easy Beef Tenderloin

Whole cooked beef tenderloin sliced on a cutting board revealing pink center. Side View
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EatSimpleFood.com

This easy and simple whole beef tenderloin recipe is pan seared in a cast iron skillet until brown and caramelized and then transferred to the oven at 400F for ~ 15 minutes to finish cooking.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 pounds beef tenderloin
  • ~ 1 tsp salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 3 slices
  • horseradish sour cream sauce (optional)

Instructions

  • Let beef tenderloin stand at room temperature for 30 minutes - 1 hour before cooking.
  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Dry the beef tenderloin off with a paper towel.  Liberally salt the beef and add a bit of black pepper.
  • Bring a large cast iron pan up to medium-high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. 
  • When hot, add tenderloin to pan (it should loudly sizzle - you may want to grab a splatter guard).
  • Cook 2-3 minutes on three sides or until each side is dark brown.  The first side takes the longest and the other sides a bit less time usually.
  • Flip onto the 4th uncooked side.  Add tabs of butter and immediately transfer pan to the oven.
  • Cook ~ 15 minutes (for medium rare) or until desired doneness.  A thermometer should read 115-120F for rare; 120-125F for medium rare; 130-135F for medium.
  • Transfer beef to a grooved cutting board and rest covered loosely with aluminum foil ~ 15 minutes.
  • Serve on it's on (sliced thin), with the butter from the pan, or with a horseradish sour cream sauce. 
  • Add roasted carrots and potatoes for a full meal.  Happy Eating!  Beckie

Notes

  • The outside edges of the beef tenderloin will always be more well done than the inside.  Keep this in mind if you have a couple people that like it more done.
  • Don't have a cast iron pan?  No worries, use any pan that is oven safe to 400F.