This Beef Tenderloin Roast recipe is the ultimate show-stopping centerpiece. It's perfectly seasoned and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Learn how to cook a beef tenderloin to juicy, flavorful perfection with this foolproof method ideal for holidays or special occasions.
Beef Tenderloin Done Right.
Beef Tenderloin Done Right.This Beef Tenderloin Roast feels fancy but is secretly so fast and easy to make. A quick sear in a hot pan and just a few minutes in the oven, that’s it! It’s incredibly impressive, making it perfect for holidays or special occasions, and tastes like it came straight from a high-end restaurant.
Beef tenderloin is the most tender cut of beef (it’s where filet mignon comes from!) and I'd plan to buy about ½ lb per person. And don’t even think about skipping the whipped horseradish sauce. It’s super simple and takes this meal to the next level.
Serve Beef Tenderloin with Potatoes Au Gratin or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Wedge Salad or Brussels Sprout Salad, and Roasted Vegetables or , Whole Roasted Cauliflower. Also Homemade Dinner Rolls!
How to make Beef Tenderloin:
Chill the Meat (Optional, Recommended): Pat the beef dry, season generously with kosher salt and black pepper, and place it uncovered on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10–24 hours to develop flavor and a better crust. (Skip if short on time.)
Make Horseradish Sauce and Herb Butter: For the horseradish sauce, whip heavy cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, mix remaining horseradish sauce ingredients, then gently fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 weeks. Stir together herb butter ingredients and set aside.
Sear the Meat: Let the beef rest at room temperature for 1–2 hours. Heat oil in a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, then sear the meat on all sides until browned (about 10 minutes total). Brush all over with herb butter.
Roast: Transfer the pan to a preheated oven and roast uncovered for 10–20 minutes, until it reaches your desired doneness (remove about 5°F before final temperature, as it will continue cooking while resting):
- Rare: 115–120°F (remove at 110–115°F)
- Medium-Rare: 120–125°F (remove at 115–120°F)
- Medium: 130–135°F (remove at 125–130°F)
Rest and Serve: Cover loosely with foil and rest for 15–20 minutes. Remove twine, slice into 1-inch rounds, and serve with horseradish sauce, if desired.
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Recipe
Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound Beef tenderloin* , trimmed and tied*
- salt and pepper
Herb Butter:
Orange-infused Horseradish Sauce:
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup white horseradish , drained or squeezed out
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 Tablespoon orange juice , freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Trim and Truss Meat (your butcher can do this, and tie it): Remove fat and any silver skin from the meat. Fold the tail (tapered-end) under and use kitchen twine to tie the meat in 1-inch sections. (Depending on your pan size, you may want to cut the beef tenderloin in half, so you have two equal size pieces to fit in a cast-iron skillet, Dutch-oven, roasting pan*, or on a baking sheet).4-5 pound Beef tenderloin*
- Air Chill Meat (Optional, but recommended): 10-24 hours before cooking, pat the meat dry with paper towels and season on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Place on a wire rack set over a lined baking sheet and allow to chill, uncovered, in the fridge for 10-24 hours. This simple step infuses flavor and will help yield a wonderful crust on the meat. If you don’t have time, skip this step.salt and pepper
- Make Herb Butter: Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use (can be made up to 2 weeks ahead, stored in the fridge).5 Tablespoons butter, 5 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Make Horseradish Sauce: Mix the heavy cream with an electric hand mixer until it reaches soft peaks. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients together. Gently fold in the whipped cream until incorporated and refrigerate 30 minutes, or a few days ahead.¼ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup white horseradish, 1 Tablespoon orange zest, ½ Tablespoon orange juice, ½ teaspoon dijon mustard, salt and pepper
- Prepare Beef Tenderloin: Remove roast from the fridge 1 to 2 hours before cooking, to allow meat to come to room temperature and cook evenly. If you did not air chill the meat, pat the meat with paper towels all over, then season on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Sear Meat: Heat oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the prepared beef tenderloin, rotating it slowly to sear for a few minutes on each side, to create a golden-brown crust (about 10 minutes).
- Brush herb butter all over the meat.
- Oven: Transfer pan to the oven and roast, uncovered, for just 10-20 minutes, or until it reaches desired temperature: (Remove the meat about 5 degrees earlier than desired temperature, because it will continue to cook as it rests!)Rare: 115-120 degrees F (remove from oven around 110-115 degrees F)Medium rare 120-125 degrees (remove from oven when center is 115-120 degrees F)Medium 130-135F (remove from oven around 125-130 degrees F)
- Rest covered with aluminum foil, for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serve: Remove twine and slice crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds. Serve with whipped horseradish on the side, for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe November 2023 . Updated December 2025.
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Sounds delicious! I want to try this recipe for Christmas Eve dinner. In reading the recipe and watching the video, I did not see what oven temperature use use to roast the tenderloin in the oven. Please advise!
See Step 6 of the recipe (425 degrees). Enjoy!
I have a 12lb. London Broil Roast. Which we need the recipe for a whole 12lb. roast. Can this meat be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze the meat.
When do I take it out of the freezer to be cooked on Christmas?
One of the best recipes I ever used almost killed my fish.
I just happened to be making a tenderloin when I came across this recipe and made it according to instructions with just a couple of modifications. First, I’m a huge fan of dry brining (air chilling) for years.
Modifications are as follows: 1. Instead of folding the tale over, I cut it off and tie it in the same direction as if I folded it over. This practice gives it a more even cook as if it were one piece of meat. 2. With EVOO having a smoke point of 410 F, I prefer to set the oven temp just under 400 F (about 385) so the butter won’t burn. I like to pour the butter over the sliced meat. Aside from that, I loved the compound butter and horseradish.
I can’t wait to make this for Christmas dinner. This might be a stupid question but do I serve the orange horseradish sauce cold, room temperature, or warm?
I’d serve it cold or room temperature.