Sunday, January 2, 2011

Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce


I made this for our New Years Eve party! 

Trust me. Follow my method. You won't be disappointed! Serving Beef Tenderloin, otherwise known as filet of beef or filet mignon, is an expensive dish BUT keep this in mind: there is absolutely no waste if it's trimmed properly, it's delicious, very tender, easy to make, and it will WOW your guests every time. We like our meat cooked perfectly medium rare and not a spec more! I have adjusted the cooking times for a fool proof roast every time. Instead of a whole tenderloin, this time, I bought 2, 4.5 pound cuts. I think it's easier to handle 2 smaller cuts that are the same size in diameter. This fed 25 people.


Ingredients
  • Tenderloin (any size will do, figure 1/2 lb. per person)
  • Sea or Kosher Salt
  • Pepper
  • Olive Oil


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

1. Rub the beef with a light coating of olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper around all sides. Do not be afraid to use salt on the outside. You need this to season the meat or it will be bland.     

2. Use a large sheet pan with short sides, like a cookie sheet. Place a flat rack in the sheet pan to keep the meat off the pan. 

3. Insert an oven proof thermometer in one end so that the tip is in the middle of the roast. Do not insert the rod from the top, as it is too hard to get it in the middle. Use a thermometer that sits on the counter with a cord. (you can find this in my favorite cooking tools link, I can't live without this)  

4. Cook the roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees and than lower the oven to 325 degrees. Do not open the oven at all during this time. Set the thermometer to 120 for medium rare or 125 for medium.

5. Take the roast out of the oven when the thermometer reaches the desired temperature and cover with foil. Do not remove the thermometer. Let the roast sit for 15-20 minutes before slicing.  You will see the thermometer will rise another 8-10 degrees. Medium Rare will rise close to 130 and more medium with register at 135 on thermometer. It's very important to let the roast rest out of the oven, it will continue to cook and allow the juices to spread back out into the meat. This is how you get the perfect cooking throughout your meat from top to bottom and from end to end. 

I like to serve a sauce on the side to make the dish even more special. 
Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce

  • 1.5 cups heavy cream or half and half
  • 3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
  • 3 Tbls grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp of kosher salt
  • ground pepper
  • 2 Tbls fresh minced parsley

Bring the cream to a full boil in a medium to large sauce pan, boil rapidly until sauce thickens and stir occasionally. Take off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients until the cheeses are melted. This sauce can easily be made ahead of time and reheated. 



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