Cooked Beef Tenderloin
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How to Cook Beef Tenderloin

Nothing compares to Beef Tenderloin for an elegant meal with minimal prep work. Also known as a Filet Mignon Roast or Chateaubriand, this elegant beef cut is butter-tender and succulent. Beef Tenderloin can be cooked in your oven, on the grill, with a smoker, a slow cooker, and sous vide. No matter what method you choose, use our tips for a perfect Beef Tenderloin Roast every time!

How long to cook Beef Tenderloin will vary based on the method and size of the cut. We've included a chart that will tell you the perfect tenderloin cooking time, whatever method you choose. Beef Tenderloin is best served medium-rare. Because this cut is so lean, it can become dry and lose flavor when cooked beyond medium. A meat thermometer is essential in creating a memorable and delicious Beef Tenderloin.


How to Cook Beef Tenderloin in the Oven

One of the easiest methods of cooking Beef Tenderloin is in the oven. With minimal prep and our easy-to-follow guidelines, you'll present a juicy and tasty roast to guests in no time. For best results, make sure the Tenderloin roast is completely thawed. If your roast is frozen, we recommend thawing it in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours. Once thawed, remove your roast from the refrigerator at least one hour (but not more than two hours) before cooking to allow the roast to come to room temperature.

Season your Beef Tenderloin Roast well. Our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning is an excellent choice; coarse salt and freshly ground pepper are always classic. Leave overnight for deeper flavor.

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Follow the directions below for cooking Beef Tenderloin Roast in the oven to perfection:

  • Place the roast fat side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Do not add water or cover the roast. Do not add water or cover the roast and cook to desired doneness, according to the Measuring Doneness and Cooking Times Chart listed below.
  • Roast until a meat thermometer registers 130°F (about 25–30 minutes) for medium-rare doneness or 140°F for medium doneness (about 30–35 minutes). Remember, your roast will continue to warm after removing it from the oven.
  • Transfer your roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 15–20 minutes before carving. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your Filet Mignon to ensure it is cooked to the perfect level of doneness, from rare to medium-well. The final temperature for medium-rare should read 135°F.
  • Resting is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your roast to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • Prior to serving, expand upon the delicious taste by topping with Kansas City Steak Finishing Butters for full flavor.
  • Lastly, carve into individual steaks and serve!

How to Cook Beef Tenderloin on the Grill

No question, Beef Tenderloin is a perfect holiday meal. It is indulgent, flavorful, and always a crowd pleaser. Grilling might not be your first choice, but you'll be amazed at how it brings out rich flavors and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Roasting over charcoal or gas grill gives this classic roast that open-flame flavor we love. There are a few tips to follow when grilling over charcoal or gas.

Regardless of which method you choose, be sure your roast is completely thawed before grilling. If your roast is frozen, we recommend thawing it in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours. Once thawed, remove your roast from the refrigerator at least one hour (but not more than two hours) before cooking to allow the roast to come to room temperature.

Season to taste with Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning for the best bite after bite.

  • Prepare a charcoal grill for indirect cooking by arranging an equal number of charcoal briquettes on each side. Add a few new briquettes to each side when coals are medium, ash-covered (about 25 minutes). Position the cooking rack handles over coals so adding extra briquettes is easy.
  • Place the seasoned Beef Tenderloin Roast on the cooking rack directly over the coals; sear for 5–10 minutes, turning once or twice, until browned on all sides. Move roast to center for indirect cooking and cover with the grill lid.
  • Grill until a meat thermometer registers 130°F (about 20–25 minutes) for medium-rare doneness or 140°F for medium doneness (about 25–30 minutes). Follow the Cooking Times Chart below for the best results.
  • Transfer your roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving; the temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
  • Resting is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your roast to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • Carve into individual steaks and serve!
  • Preheat grill on high.
  • Sear the seasoned Beef Tenderloin for 5–10 minutes, turning once or twice, until browned on all sides. Move to the center of the grill and turn off the burners directly under the roast. Close grill lid.
  • Grill until a meat thermometer registers 130°F (about 20–25 minutes) for medium-rare doneness or 140°F for medium doneness (about 25–30 minutes). Follow the Cooking Times Chart below for the best results.
  • Transfer your roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving; the temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
  • Resting is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your roast to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • Carve into individual steaks and serve!

Specialty Beef Tenderloin Cooking

Interested in trying an adventurous Beef Tenderloin Roast cooking method for dinner? Preparing your roast in the oven or on the grill are both tested and true ways to cook your roast, but there are also several specialty methods to enjoy, including using a smoker, sous vide machine, or a slow cooker.

With each method, we recommend thawing your roast in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours. Once thawed, remove your roast from the refrigerator at least one hour (but not more than two hours) before cooking to allow the roast to come to room temperature. Season your roast as desired with a Tenderloin rub; Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning is an excellent choice. For perfect doneness, we recommend using a meat thermometer.

For a fork-tender, mouth-watering bite, a smoker is your choice. Paired with that one-of-a-kind smoky flavor that a smoker gives, guests will be back for seconds and thirds. How long to smoke a Beef Tenderloin varies greatly depending on the cut of meat, thickness of the cut, quality of smoker, smoke and smoke retention, wind, etc. It is best to use a meat thermometer and base doneness off internal temperature. These instructions are for a 2 lb. Tenderloin Roast; for anything over 2 lbs., add 10–15 minutes to each smoking time for each additional lb. of meat.

Note: Meat cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.

To begin, fire up your smoker to 180°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.

  • Place your well-seasoned or marinated Tenderloin Roast directly onto the grates of your smoker, close the lid, and smoke the meat for 1 hour.
  • Then, increase the heat on your smoker to 400°F and smoke the meat for 20–30 minutes or until the roast reaches about 10°F below the desired internal doneness temperature (see our Measuring Doneness Chart, below.)
  • After removing from the smoker, you can check for smoking doneness by temperature, which will be about 10°F below final doneness. This is because your roast will warm an additional 5°F during the searing process. Temperatures are as follows:
    • Rare: 115°F
    • Medium-Rare: 125°F
    • Medium: 135°F
    • Medium-Well: 145°F
  • Next, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with a high smoke point oil or butter. If choosing butter; when the butter is melted and bubbling, add your roast. Searing can also be done on a grill at medium-high heat due to the size of these steaks. If you're searing on the grill, brush each side of your roast with melted butter.
  • Place the roast in the skillet or on the grill and sear approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook until the roast reaches approximately 5°F less than your final desired internal temperature. To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness chart below.
  • Remove the roast from the skillet and allow them to rest for 5–10 minutes, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
  • Resting is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your roast. Allowing your roast to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • Prior to serving, expand upon the delicious taste by topping with Kansas City Steak Finishing Butters for full flavor.
  • Lastly, carve into individual steaks and serve!

Sous vide cooking takes all the guesswork out of the process, delivering steaks cooked perfectly to your desired doneness every time. Sous vide uses a low-heat, long-time cooking process, which allows for evenly cooked steaks from end to end and guarantees every bite is as tender and juicy as the first.

Note: Meat cooked under 130°F should NOT be cooked for longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns. The temperature listed in the chart is what you would set your sous vide machine to reach that degree of doneness.

Prepare It

  • Preheat your water bath: Fill your sous vide container with warm water and set the sous vide device to the appropriate temperature for the desired doneness. The sous vide device should be set as follows:
    • Rare: 122°F
    • Medium-Rare: 129°F
    • Medium: 135°F
    • Medium-Well: 145°F
  • All our products arrive to you vacuum sealed in sous-vide-ready, heat-stable packaging; allowing you to simply add them to the water bath and cook to your desired degree of doneness. However, if you have the means to repackage your tenderloin roast into sous vide heat-stable bags at home, we recommend seasoning or marinating your Tenderloin for enhanced flavor prior to cooking in the sous vide. Another option is adding fresh herbs and a Kanas City Steaks Finishing Butter along with your raw Tenderloin into the heat-stable vacuum seal bag before sealing.
  • After thawing, bringing to room temperature, seasoning, and preheating the sous vide, you're ready to start cooking.

Cook It

  • Ensure the water bath has fully reached the desired temperature for cooking before adding in the roast. Place the packaged roast in the water bath and allow it to cook for the recommended amount of time based on your desired degree of doneness.
  • Cook for 2–3 hours at the temperature recommended above based on your desired degree of doneness.
  • Once your roast is finished cooking, remove them from the sous vide and take it out of the packaging.
  • Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
  • Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Place your roast on the skillet and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook until the roast reaches the final desired internal temperature, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart, below.
  • The sear will give your tenderloin roast the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled roast.
  • Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking roasts, the low heat used in sous vide does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface, so additional resting time is not needed.

Beef Tenderloin Roast prepared in a slow cooker adds amazing flavor and tenderness to your roast. It is also an easy method to follow that is hands-off and only requires you to follow a few simple steps. These instructions are for a 2 lb. Tenderloin Roast; for anything over 2 lbs., add 45 minutes to the cooking time for each additional lb. of meat.

Here are the steps to follow when cooking a Beef Tenderloin Roast in a slow cooker:

  • Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
  • Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Add the seasoned Tenderloin to the skillet and sear on all sides.
  • Transfer the seared Tenderloin to the slow cooker. Pour the pan drippings over the tenderloin in the slow cooker and add beef cooking stock and any other seasonings desired.
  • Cook on low for 2–4 hours or until the Tenderloin reaches your preferred degree of doneness. Begin checking after 1½ hour of cooking. We recommend checking the internal temperature of the tenderloin to determine doneness. To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness and Cooking Times Charts below.
  • Remove your Tenderloin from the slow cooker when it has reached 5°F below your desired degree of doneness temperature. This is because the tenderloin will continue to warm an additional 5°F when resting.
  • Once removed from the slow cooker, wrap tightly in foil or butcher paper and allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes.
  • Lastly, slice against the grain and serve!

Beef Tenderloin Cooking Times

Select a cooking method that works best for you and follow the recommended cooking times for the best results. For perfect doneness, we recommend you use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness Chart below.

 

Beef Tenderloin In The Oven
Temperature
Oven
Rare
2 lb.
450°F
20–25 mins
 
 
 
Medium-Rare
2 lb.
450°F
25–30 mins
 
 
 
Medium
2 lb.
450°F
30–35 mins
 
 
 
Medium-Well
2 lb.
450°F
35–40 mins
 
 
 
Beef Tenderloin On The Grill
Gas Grill
Charcoal Grill
Rare
2 lb.
15–20 mins
15–20 mins
 
 
 
Medium-Rare
2 lb.
20–25 mins
20–25 mins
 
 
 
Medium
2 lb.
25–30 mins
25–30 mins
 
 
 
Medium-Well
2 lb.
30–35 mins
30–35 mins
 
 
 
Sear all sides 5–10 min; indirect heat for the times listed based on desired degree of doneness.
Beef Tenderloin In Slow Cooker
Temperature
Slow Cooker
Rare
2 lb.
Low Heat
2–4 hrs
 
 
 
Medium-Rare
2 lb.
Low Heat
2–4 hrs
 
 
 
Medium
2 lb.
Low Heat
2–4 hrs
 
 
 
Medium-Well
2 lb.
Low Heat
2–4 hrs