Description
This Simple Beef Tenderloin recipe features a tender, juicy roast seasoned with garlic, herbs, and butter, then oven-roasted to perfection. Accompanied by a rich garlic butter sauce infused with balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, it’s an elegant yet straightforward dish perfect for special occasions or a luxurious dinner at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Beef Tenderloin
- 3 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon parsley (dried)
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano (dried)
- 2 teaspoons rosemary (dried)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper, coarsely ground
For the Garlic Butter Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon parsley (dried)
- ½ teaspoon oregano (dried)
- ½ teaspoon rosemary (dried)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Tenderloin: Preheat your oven to 475ºF. Tie the beef tenderloin with kitchen twine to achieve an even thickness throughout the length, which ensures uniform cooking.
- Make Butter Herb Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, oregano, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to create a flavorful herb butter.
- Apply Butter Mixture: Spread the herb butter evenly over the entire surface of the beef tenderloin, ensuring all sides are covered.
- Arrange for Roasting: Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet and put the coated tenderloin on the rack to allow air circulation and even cooking.
- Initial Roast: Roast the tenderloin in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 475ºF to create a nice crust.
- Continue Roasting at Lower Temp: Lower the oven temperature to 450ºF and continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches about 125ºF to 130ºF for medium-rare, or 135ºF to 140ºF for medium. This will take approximately 25-35 additional minutes depending on the size of your roast.
- Rest the Meat: Remove the tenderloin from the oven and rest it on a cutting board for 15 minutes. The internal temperature will rise slightly, and juices will redistribute, ensuring tender, juicy meat.
- Prepare Garlic Butter Sauce: While the meat rests, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add crushed garlic, parsley, oregano, and rosemary, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Finish Sauce: Add balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet, stir to combine, then turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and smooth.
- Serve: Slice the beef tenderloin and serve with the warm garlic butter sauce drizzled over or on the side.
Notes
- A 2 to 4 pound beef tenderloin works for this recipe; adjust roasting time accordingly.
- If using fresh herbs instead of dried, double the quantity except for oregano.
- Use unsalted butter to better control salt levels in the dish.
- The high oven temperature and butter may cause smoke; use an oven fan or replace butter with olive oil to reduce smoking (note this changes the flavor).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 4 oz cooked beef plus sauce)
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 470 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
