In this beef tenderloin roast recipe, the meat is seasoned with a garlic and rosemary paste, then seared in a cast-iron skillet (we like this one), and finished in a low oven. High-heat searing builds deep flavor by browning the well-seasoned exterior, while low-temperature (250°) roasting creates an evenly cooked, juicy interior with little risk of overcooking. It’s truly the best of both worlds. But it gets even better when you top off these thick slices of medium-rare beef with a tangy horseradish yogurt, a drizzle of rosemary infused butter, and a hearty sprinkle of salt. Luxurious as is, might we suggest pairing with a side of our very best, extra creamy mashed potatoes?
With minimal prep but some patience required, this simple recipe is perfect for a leisurely weekend or special occasion dinner. That said, make it an ambitious weeknight dinner by planning ahead and taking care of the bulk of work in advance. From there your beef tenderloin will be ready in 40 minutes or less.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published on November 15, 2016.
Ingredients
8 servings
2
2
1
1
1
⅓
2
½
3
Preparation
Step 1
Thinly slice garlic, then mash into a paste using the side of a chef’s knife. Scatter rosemary leaves over garlic; finely chop and mix into garlic. Slice tenderloin in half crosswise to create 2 smaller roasts. Season generously with salt and pepper; rub with garlic-rosemary paste. If your butcher didn’t already tie the roast for you, this is the time to do it: Place tenderloin onto lengths of precut kitchen twine spaced about 1" apart and tie closed snugly. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and chill uncovered 12 hours.
Step 2
Let tenderloin sit at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours before cooking.
Step 3
Preheat oven to 250°. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add tenderloin and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned all over, 8–10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast tenderloin, turning every 10 minutes or so, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120°, 25–30 minutes. Transfer tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before removing kitchen twine and slicing. Reserve skillet.
Step 4
Meanwhile, mix yogurt, sour cream, horseradish, and lemon zest in a small bowl to combine; season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Cook butter and rosemary sprigs in reserved skillet over medium heat, scraping up browned bits on the bottom, until butter is melted and very fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer sliced tenderloin to a platter; drizzle with rosemary-infused butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with horseradish yogurt.
Do Ahead: Tenderloin can be seasoned and chilled 2 days ahead; wrap in plastic wrap after 12 hours. Horseradish yogurt can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Reviews (28)
Back to TopMade it as directed and it’s delicious! It’s now a yearly holiday tradition. We put it on soft rolls with the sauce for a perfect party treat. I’m not traditionally a huge garlic fan and find rosemary overpowering sometimes but in this dish both work wonderfully. The temp works good for us and the natural taper of the tenderloin leaves some more rare and some more done perfect for a crowd
Nick Staal
Chicago IL
12/24/2023
Sorry! i made a mistake! I don't know how to fix it! i meant to give it 5 stars not 4!
Godzilla
9/21/2021
Excellent recipe. My husband and I seared the meat on our barbecue to avoid splattering our stovetop and then a big cleanup. After the sear, we placed the meat on a rack in a disposable aluminum foil pan to roast and it turned out perfect. The smaller piece was a little more well done which was perfect because some people at our dinner table have that preference.
Anonymous
Bucks County, PA
12/26/2020
250F is not going to cook beef tenderloin to an internal temperature of 120F in 30 minutes, even after browning. You need to cook at a higher temperature.
SK
Harvard, MA
12/25/2020
Just made this and it was fantastic! Definitely cut the meat into two pieces and take the time to brown properly. The only thing is that cooking the tenderloin to 120 degrees internally left the meat quite raw. We had great medium-rare results at 130-135 degrees internally.
Anais Hayes
Washington, DC
12/25/2020
I made this recipe for Christmas dinner and it was fantastic! Most tenderloin recipes call for roasting on a rack. I've tried many variations but this recipe beats all of them. Cutting the tenderloin into two separate roasts and searing them in the skillet first before roasting really made the beef very tender. There was enough flavor with the garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper, so I didn't need the horseradish sauce. I made an au jus from the pan drippings. The beef was so tender, we could cut it with a fork.
ABHou
Houston
1/2/2020
Tried this recipe yesterday. It was fabulous. So tender with lots of flavor
ShirleyP
Ohio
12/26/2019
My fiancee and I made this recipe when we came across some un-trimmed beef tenderloin on sale at our local store. It turned out absolutely fantastic! We didn't have a skillet so we used a pre-heated oven dish as mentioned in the video and it worked wonderfully. This dish scaled down well, 400g piece, as a dinner for two.
Nick_allen
Ontario, Canada
11/28/2019
I made this for 8 guests on Christmas and it came out awesome! Most of my guests likes medium rare to rare and a couple medium well so I cooked 1/2 of the tenderloin a bit longer. I ended up skipping the infused butter as the steak already had so much flavor. I’ll be using this recipe again 👍
Anonymous
St Louis
12/28/2017