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This Roast Beef Tenderloin starts low and slow in the oven and ends with a flourish on the stove. It’s a great recipe to pull out for holidays, parties, and Sunday Supper.
Everyone needs a tried-and-true, trusty-old-reliable Roast Beef Tenderloin recipe in their back pocket.
If you’ve never cooked a center-cut beef tenderloin, this is a simple, straightforward recipe to practice with and learn. And if you’re a seasoned old pro, this is a tasty version you can try out next time you’re in the mood for roast beef.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Beef tenderloin: Center-cut beef tenderloin, also known as Châteaubriand, has a thick layer of fat that needs to be removed before roasting.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small bowl, add butter, shallot, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Chill until it’s time to sear the beef.
- Using 12-inch lengths of kitchen twine, tie the roast crosswise at 1 1/2-inch intervals. Sprinkle tied roast with salt, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet (line the baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup). Pat roast dry with paper towels, then sprinkle evenly with pepper and rub with butter. Transfer roast to prepared rack.
- Roast until beef registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 40 to 55 minutes or 135 degrees (for medium), 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Flip the roast halfway through cooking.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil until just smoking. Add roast to skillet and sear until well-browned on all sides, about 2 to 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer roast to a carving board and spread 2 tablespoons shallot butter evenly over the top. Let roast rest for 15 minutes.
- Remove twine and cut roast crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve, passing remaining shallot butter separately.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Roast Beef Tenderloin recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The shallot-parsley butter can be made up to 3 days in advance.
- Roast beef doneness temperatures: The “final rested temperature” is the temperature after the roast is out of the oven and has rested for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the roast from the oven when the internal temperature is 5 to 10 degrees below the final temperature to allow for carryover cooking (the temperature of the roast will continue to rise while it rests). The exact temperatures depend on the size and thickness of your roast.
| Desired doneness | Remove from oven | Final rested temperature |
| Rare (cool red center) | 115º F | 120º F to 125º F / 52º C |
| Medium rare (warm red center) | 125º F | 130º F to 135º F / 57º C |
| Medium (warm pink center) | 135º F | 140 to 145º F / 63º C |
| Medium well (slight pink center) | 140º F | 150º F / 66º C |
| Well done (little or no pink) | 150º F | 160º F / 71º C |
Recipe FAQs
Slide tip of knife just under connective tissue, keeping the knife tip close to surface of the meat to minimize meat loss. Use your other hand to pull connective tissue tight against the blade, then slide the knife angled away from the meat.
Use kitchen twine to loop around one side of the tenderloin and tie a snug knot. Loop the string around your left hand and pull that loop over your tenderloin. Repeat the loops, spacing 1 1/2-inches apart and tightening each one snugly. Tie off the end with a knot.
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Roast Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
For the shallot butter:
- 4 tablespoons butter softened (½ stick)
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the beef:
- 1 (2-pound) center-cut beef tenderloin roast trimmed (see note 1)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
To make the shallot butter:
- In a small bowl, add butter, shallot, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Chill until it's time to sear the beef.
To make the beef:
- Using 12-inch lengths of kitchen twine, tie the roast crosswise at 1 1/2-inch intervals. Sprinkle tied roast with salt, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet (line the baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup).
- Pat roast dry with paper towels, then sprinkle evenly with pepper and rub with butter. Transfer roast to prepared rack.
- Roast until beef registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 40 to 55 minutes or 135 degrees (for medium), 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Flip the roast halfway through cooking.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil until just smoking. Add roast to skillet and sear until well-browned on all sides, about 2 to 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer roast to a carving board and spread 2 tablespoons shallot butter evenly over the top. Let roast rest for 15 minutes.
- Remove twine and cut roast crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve, passing remaining shallot butter separately.
Notes
- Beef tenderloin: Center-cut beef tenderloin, also known as Châteaubriand, has a thick layer of fat that needs to be removed before roasting.
- To trim the fat: Slide tip of knife just under connective tissue, keeping the knife tip close to surface of the meat to minimize meat loss. Use your other hand to pull connective tissue tight against the blade, then slide the knife angled away from the meat.
- To tie the roast: Use kitchen twine to loop around one side of the tenderloin and tie a snug knot. Loop the string around your left hand and pull that loop over your tenderloin. Repeat the loops, spacing 1 1/2-inches apart and tightening each one snugly. Tie off the end with a knot.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
