Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

An oval white platter filled with slices of beef tenderloin with sprigs of rosemary along the edge and a glass or red wine sitting in the rear.

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef tenderloin recipe, holiday roast recipe, how to cook a beef tenderloin

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 28

Resting time: 1

Total Time: 1 43

Servings:

Calories: 187kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce is a show-stopper of a roast. Pick up a whole tenderloin from your butcher to serve 8 to 12 people. Get a 2 to 3 lb roast for 4 servings. The red wine sauce can be started days in advance. And the leftovers are insanely delicious.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven (see NOTES)

Ingredients

For the Sauce

6 tbsp unsalted butter divided
2 shallots chopped
1⅓ cups red wine
2½ cups beef broth divided
3 sprigs thyme fresh
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the Roast

1 4 lb beef tenderloin ends folded over and tied with twine
4 tbsp olive oil or canola, divided
4 tbsp rosemary fresh, chopped
4 cloves garlic finely minced
salt and pepper
finishing salt such as Maldon or coarse sea salt, optional

Instructions

Start the Sauce

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add the wine, 2 cups of broth, thyme, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, or until reduced by half. Turn off heat. This can be done up to 3 days in advance. See NOTES.

Prepare the Roast and Finish the Sauce

Meanwhile, rub 2 tbsp of the oil all over the roast. Use your fingers to rub in the rosemary and garlic all over the roast. Liberally salt and pepper the entire roast. Allow the roast to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large oven-proof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear until browned all over, about 7 minutes. It's okay if you have to bend the roast to fit in the skillet.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook until an internal temperature of 125°F is reached (for medium-rare). If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, transfer the roast to a baking pan. An instant-read thermometer ensures the correct internal temperature. See NOTES regarding cooking temperatures.
Remove the roast from the skillet/pan, and allow to rest while you finish the sauce.
Place the skillet (or pan) on the stove over medium heat. Add the remaining ¼ cup of beef broth and use a spatula to scrape up the bits stuck to the pan. Bring to a simmer and sprinkle with another ¼ tsp of salt. Pour the broth into the pan with reserved sauce. Stir to combine. Strain into a gravy boat if serving immediately. If not serving immediately, store the sauce and then gently reheat over low heat on the stove in a pan.
Cut the twine from the meat and then slice the roast into ½-inch medallions. Place on a serving platter and serve warm, or at room temperature, with sauce on the side. Sprinkle the slices with finishing salt, if desired.

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

A whole beef tenderloin feeds 8 to 12 people. A 2 to 3 lb tenderloin will feed 4 to 6 people. Be sure to have the ends tied up with twine.

Doneness Temperatures:

130 - 135°F: Medium-Rare
140 - 145°F: Medium
150 - 155°F: Medium Well (not recommended)

The sauce can be reduced up to 3 days in advance. The roast can be marinated with the oil, rosemary, and garlic up to 12 hours in advance. Allow to come to room temperature (sitting at room temp for an hour) and then liberally add salt and pepper.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be frozen for up to 2 months.

For the best French dip of all time, gently reheat a slice of the roast (don't overcook). Place a slice of Provolone cheese over the top and place on a bun. Gently reheat the sauce for dipping. Amazing.

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