Description
Succulent beef tenderloin meets classic French bearnaise sauce in this elegant dinner masterpiece. Rich flavors and creamy textures combine to elevate your culinary experience, promising a restaurant-quality meal you can effortlessly craft at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) beef fillet (tenderloin)
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Sauce Ingredients:
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves (chopped)
Instructions
- Bring the beef tenderloin to room temperature for even cooking, ensuring optimal flavor and texture.
- Carefully trim the fillet to create two uniform pieces, maintaining consistent width throughout.
- Secure each piece with kitchen twine, creating compact shapes that will promote even roasting.
- Generously season the meat with salt and pepper, ensuring complete and thorough coverage.
- Heat a large frying pan to high temperature, creating an intense searing surface for developing rich, caramelized exterior.
- Sear the tenderloin on all sides until a golden-brown crust forms, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the seared meat to a preheated 400°F oven, roasting for 25 minutes for medium-rare or 30 minutes for well-done doneness.
- Allow the tenderloin to rest for 10-15 minutes after removing from oven, enabling internal juices to redistribute.
- For béarnaise sauce, melt butter until it begins to bubble, carefully separating golden clarified butter from white sediment.
- Whisk egg yolks with white wine vinegar until the mixture becomes pale and creamy.
- Gradually incorporate melted butter while continuously blending, creating a sauce that thickens and increases in volume.
- Fold in freshly chopped tarragon and season with salt to enhance the sauce’s delicate flavor profile.
- Maintain sauce temperature until ready to serve alongside the perfectly prepared tenderloin.
Notes
- Choose high-quality beef tenderloin with good marbling for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- Allow the meat to rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before cooking to ensure even heat distribution and consistent doneness.
- 125°F for rare, 135°F for medium-rare, and 145°F for medium.
- For gluten-free adaptation, ensure all ingredients like vinegar are certified gluten-free.
- Whisking bearnaise sauce slowly and consistently prevents egg yolks from curdling and maintains smooth texture.
- Substitute fresh tarragon with dried if unavailable, using one-third the amount of fresh herbs.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container and consume within 2 days for best quality.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 499
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg