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If you want to serve something truly impressive and melt-in-your-mouth amazing for a holiday dinner or special occasion, nothing beats a beef tenderloin. It slices beautifully into perfect medallions. It’s fork tender. And you don’t have to worry about an over abundance of fat.
Even so, many people complain that a lack of fat also means a lack of flavor. That’s where dry-aging comes in. By letting your tenderloin hang out naked in the fridge for up to two days, the meat will dry out just enough to create a nice pellicle that will brown very fast. This method also concentrates the flavor of the meat.
The beautiful 4.25 lb beef tenderloin I cooked for this recipe came already trussed and was shipped to my door by Chop Box. This New Jersey-based company has been supplying quality meat and seafood to high-end restaurants in the Northeast for over 100 years. Their meats come frozen, which I prefer because it’s an easy way to stock up my freezer. Just give yourself a couple of days for the tenderloin to defrost in the fridge.
Enjoy a 10% discount when ordering from Chop Box by using code JerseyBites10. Good until April 10. $99 minimum order. Good on all product except gift cards.
Dry Aging
Now, I will admit, watching your naked meat live among the Tupperware and mayo for a day or two may make you nervous. It did for me too, but it’s well worth it.
The look of the meat will change a bit. The outer layer becomes darker and more firm. That’s the point. After you remove the meat from the fridge, generously salt and pepper it all over.
Slow Roasting
Preheat your oven to 275°F. Place the tenderloin on a wire rack above a rimmed baking sheet or large casserole dish and bake until it registers a couple of degrees below your desired temperature. This should take about an hour but start checking your temp ahead of time.
When it comes to correct cooking temperatures, I have one source. I go by J.Kenji Lopez Alt‘s recommendations—always. He recommends a serving temperature of 125°F for rare or 130°F for medium-rare. As you can see, I was going for rare and nailed it.
I also use Kenji’s reverse browning strategy. I brown the meat in a mixture of butter and oil after it is done cooking—not before. The purpose of the browning is to give it that beautiful color and texture.
After your beef tenderloin is beautifully browned, allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Then slice and serve.
Serving Suggestions
For Easter I would serve this with roasted asparagus, sautéed mushrooms, fluffy mashed potatoes, and a delectable horseradish cream sauce.
Christmas is another great holiday for a beautiful beef tenderloin and pairs perfectly with the traditional sides like green bean casserole, potato casserole, Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. Maybe whip up a Béarnaise or hollandaise sauce for the occasion.
Enjoy a 10% discount when ordering from Chop Box by using code JerseyBites10. Good until April 10. $99 minimum order. Good on all product except gift cards.
