Mangia Monday: Easter Beef Tenderloin

Back in February I wrote about this amazing roast I made for Valentine's Day. It was my Dad's most favorite cut & flavor of steak and now it's my husband's. A good tenderloin, when cooked properly, makes filet mignon taste ordinary and it's just perfect for a Holiday. Now before you protest, I know a glazed ham is the traditional Easter fare, especially in the South. But sometimes you've gotta switch up the traditions with something new. For this year's Easter celebration both my family & Jeff's family will be celebrating the Holiest of days together (yay!) and a special occasion like this deserves a special dinner!

1 whole beef tenderloin, trimmed & tied (about 5 lbs)

1 cup Burgundy wine

1/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup butter

1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 TB extra virgin olive oil

3 TB cracked black pepper

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp minced rosemary, thyme & parsley

1. The morning or night before you intend to roast the tenderloin, begin by coating it. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, pepper, salt, minced herbs and garlic. Rub the mixture all over the tenderloin and refrigerate until you are ready to cook.

2. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Remove tenderloin from fridge and place it on a rack in a large roasting pan. Bake for 50 minutes.

3. While the tenderloin is in the oven, combine wine, soy sauce, butter & lemon pepper seasoning in a small saucepan. Cook until mixture is thoroughly heated.

4. After the roast has been in the oven for 20 minutes, pour the red wine gravy over the roast and bake the last 30 mins, making sure to baste tenderloin occasionally with pan drippings. When done, test the thickest portion of the tenderloin with a meat thermometer to be sure it registers 130-140 degrees (med rare). 

5. If cooked to your liking, transfer the tenderloin to a platter and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.  Meanwhile remove rack from roasting pan and skim any fat from the drippings & discard.

6. To serve, add drippings from roasting pan and any juice from the platter together and warm up to serve alongside the sliced tenderloin as a gravy. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

Remember, if you're going to invest in a premium cut of meat like a beef tenderloin, be sure you purchase it from either your local Butcher Shop, a Gourmet Grocer, or a reputable meat department. The biggest advantage in doing so, in addition to the superior quality of meat, is that the Butcher will dress, tie & trim the tenderloin for you. Awesome! Oh and there's no need for knives at each place setting. This tenderloin roast is so tender, you can cut it with a fork. Even if you don't make this roast for Easter, save it for another special occasion. We just hope you love this tenderloin as much as we do!

Mangia Mangia, y'all & Happy Holy Week!

P.S. - I just wanted to extend our gratitude for all of your thoughts, prayers & lovely notes of sympathy over the last few days. Your love and encouragement mean so much to Jeff & our family. Our cup runneth over.