Roast beef tenderloin is one of the simplest showstoppers you can put on a holiday table and this method, adapted from Julia Child’s The Way to Cook (1989), keeps it wonderfully easy. A Savenor’s USDA Prime tenderloin is brushed with clarified butter, seasoned with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, then roasted at 375°F and turned and basted a few times until it’s rosy and tender. It works just as well for a center-cut chateaubriand as it does for a full tenderloin roast, so whether you’re cooking dinner for four or feeding a crowd, here’s how to cook beef tenderloin in the oven.
Choose your roast size below — servings, ingredients and roasting time adjust automatically.
Servings
2–2.2 lb tenderloin roast
Works for a center-cut chateaubriand or a full tenderloin · plan on about ½ lb per person
Ingredients
- 1Savenor’s Prime Tenderloin Roast (2–2.2 lb), tied
- ¼ cupclarified butter, melted (for brushing and basting)
- 2 tspkosher salt
- 1 tspfreshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
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Take the chill offTake the tenderloin out of the fridge 30–45 minutes before roasting and pat it dry with paper towels. Leave the butcher’s twine on; it keeps the roast an even thickness so it cooks evenly.
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Preheat the ovenPreheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the upper third.
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Butter and seasonBrush the roast all over with melted clarified butter, then rub it with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
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Set up the panSet the roast fattier side up in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it comfortably. A pan that’s too big lets the juices scorch.
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Roast, turn and bastePut the pan in the oven. After 6–8 minutes, quickly turn the roast and baste it with butter. Turn it twice more as it roasts, basting first with butter and then with the juices collecting in the pan. For rare, plan on about 35–40 minutes for your roast.
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Check with a thermometerStart checking after 25 minutes with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the roast. Remove it at 120°F for rosy rare, 125–130°F for medium-rare, or 135°F for medium. The meat feels slightly springy when pressed as it nears rare, but the thermometer is the most reliable guide.
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RestLet the roast rest for 10–15 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, spoon the fat out of the roasting pan, leaving the juices behind.
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Carve and serveSnip off the twine and slice the meat ½ to 1 inch thick. If you’re carving in the kitchen, turn each slice through the pan juices before arranging on warm plates or a warm platter.
Roasting Guide by Size
| Size | Servings | Rarepull at 120°F | Medium-Rarepull at 125–130°F | Mediumpull at 135°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2–2.2 lb | 4 | 35–40 min | 40–45 min | 45–50 min |
| 3–3.3 lb | 6 | 40–50 min | 45–55 min | 50–60 min |
| 4.5–5 lb | 9–10 | 45–55 min | 50–60 min | 55–65 min |
Use an instant-read thermometer: Tenderloin is lean and goes from rosy to overdone quickly, so an instant-read thermometer is the best way to hit the doneness you want. The times above are a guide; every roast and every oven is a little different, so start checking early. The temperature rises about 5°F while the roast rests.
Chateaubriand or whole tenderloin: This method works for both a center-cut chateaubriand and a full tenderloin roast. Tenderloin cooks according to its thickness, not its weight, and a full tenderloin is longer rather than much thicker, so bigger roasts need only a little more time. Julia Child’s classic guideline of about 18 minutes per pound is right on for a 2–2.2 lb roast; for the larger sizes, follow the guide above and your thermometer.
Clarified butter: Melt butter over low heat and skim off the white milk solids, or use ghee. It browns beautifully without burning in a hot oven.
