Whole Beef Tenderloin Steaks Cast Iron Skillet

This easy and perfect whole beef tenderloin recipe is seared in a cast iron skillet until brown and caramelized and then transferred to the oven at 400F to finish cooking.

Pan fry / sear the whole beef tenderloin first on the stovetop and then transfer it to the oven to finish cooking. This leaves the tenderloin with a crusty exterior and a tender interior.

Don't have a cast iron skillet? No worries, use any pan for this beef tenderloin recipe that is oven safe to 400F.

The outside edges of the beef tenderloin will always be more well done after cooking than the middle.  Keep this in mind if you have a couple people that like it more done.

Whole raw beef tenderloin salt and peppered laying on brown butcher paper.
Completely dry the beef tenderloin. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes and liberally add salt and a wee bit of black pepper.

Tying an Uneven Whole Beef Tenderloin

Whole beef tenderloins can have some loose uneven edges. Ask the butcher to tie the tenderloin together for you so you don't have to - they should be happy to. Many times, it doesn't need to be tied, but ask anyway just in case.

Don't be intimidated iff the loose edges of the whole beef tenderloin have not been tied. You know how to tie your shoes, grab some string and hack job it!

What's the Difference Between Beef Tenderloin and Filet Mignon?

Beef tenderloin is the large uncooked cut of meat before it is sliced.  It's called filet mignon once it's sliced into individual pieces.  Both are extremely tender cuts of beef with little to no fat.

Searing Whole Beef Tenderloin In A Cast Iron Skillet / Pan

Cast iron is best to use because it holds heat more evenly than other pan types and also can handle super hot heat. Lastly it goes from stovetop to oven with no problems or destruction of the pan.

Pre-heat the cast iron skillet in the oven while the oven is warming up. If you forget to do this, then just heat it up on the stovetop until you can see heat rising from the pan. Very light smoke is good. Turn it down if it's really smoking.

Having said that, be careful when handling the handle of the pan. We are so used to grabbing handles. Turn the handle into the counter, so you don't grab it on accident while cooking. Also, when off the heat, place a dish towel or oven mitt over the handle so you don't accidentally grab it and scorch your hand.

Whole Seared Beef Tenderloin In A Cast Iron Skillet with butter on top. Side View
Flip it and add butter before it goes in the oven.

The Trick to Searing Meat

The first side of any cut of meat generally takes a little bit longer to sear than the other sides. This is because the pan is warming up and also warming up every side of the beef even if it's not touching the pan.

I have the heat fairly high when adding the vegetable oil and beef tenderloin to the cast iron pan, let's say 8 out of 10. Sear the first side for ~ 2-3 minutes. Don't disturb the beef in the pan, but do gently check the bottom ONCE around 1 ½ minutes in to see if the meat is browning and caramelizing.

Turn the heat down before flipping to the second side, for me that's going from heat level 8 to heat 6 ½ of the dial. Check out the video, that's plenty hot enough for a little smoke and popping.

There are four sides to beef tenderloin. Each side will need less time to sear then the initial time of 2-3 minutes. The second side may need, ~ 1 ½ - 2 minutes. The third side may need 1 - 1 ½ minutes. The fourth side is just flipped, butter added, and then it goes into the oven.

If the pan is popping and SMOKING hot dangerously at any point, turn it down or remove it from heat. Also, grab a splatter guard for easy clean up if grease is going everywhere.

The Trick To Baking A Beef Tenderloin Or Anything Really.

Man.  You don't want to mess up an expensive cut of meat like beef tenderloin or filet mignon.  The trick for this beef tenderloin recipe is to know your oven.  Is it spot on for temperature or does it run hot, cold, or uneven in certain places?

The best thing to do is undercook the beef tenderloin it if you're not sure.  You can always put it back in or sear individual pieces on the stovetop but you can't make it rarer.  Once you have cooked this tenderloin recipe well and know your time on the particular weight of the beef, make sure to WRITE it down for the future.

Remember the sides will always be cooked more than the middle because they are generally smaller than the middle and also because the heat is closer to all the edges.

The first time I made this easy and healthy whole beef tenderloin recipe for my man, he freaked out because it melted in his mouth - it literally sent him to "swoon" foodlove.

Whole Cooked Beef Tenderloin In A Cast Iron Skillet. Side View
Straight outta the oven.

Things In My Kitchen:

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  • Tongs - my favorite kitchen tool.  Turning meat is a breeze with some simple tongs.
  • 12" cast iron pan - go straight from the stovetop to oven in a durable and reliable cast iron pan.
  • Splatter guard - protect your face, hands, and stovetop from grease splatters!
  • Digital Oven Thermometer - Programmable and will tell you when you're meat is ready.
  • Cutting board -  Sustainably harvested teak, got the groove for the juices, pretty.

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Print

Easy Beef Tenderloin / Filet Mignon

Whole cooked beef tenderloin sliced on a cutting board revealing pink center. Side View

EatSimpleFood.com

The first time I made this easy & healthy whole beef tenderloin recipe for my man, he freaked out because it melted in his mouth - it literally sent him to "swoon" foodlove.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 5
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop / Oven
  • Cuisine: International
  • Diet: Gluten Free
  • 2 pounds beef tenderloin
  • ~ 1 teaspoon salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 3 slices
  • horseradish sour cream sauce (optional)
  • Let beef tenderloin stand at room temperature for 30 minutes - 1 hour before cooking.
  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Dry the beef tenderloin off with a paper towel.  Liberally salt the beef and add a bit of black pepper.
  • Bring a large cast iron pan up to medium-high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
  • When hot, add tenderloin to pan (it should loudly sizzle - you may want to grab a splatter guard).
  • Cook 2-3 minutes on three sides or until each side is dark brown.  The first side takes the longest and the other sides a bit less time usually.
  • Flip onto the 4th uncooked side.  Add tabs of butter and immediately transfer pan to the oven.
  • Cook ~ 15 minutes (for medium rare) or until desired doneness.  A thermometer should read 115-120F for rare; 120-125F for medium rare; 130-135F for medium.
  • Transfer beef to a grooved cutting board and rest covered loosely with aluminum foil ~ 15 minutes.
  • Serve on it's on (sliced thin), with the butter from the pan, or with a horseradish sour cream sauce.
  • Add roasted carrots and potatoes for a full meal.  Happy Eating!  Beckie

Notes

  • The outside edges of the beef tenderloin will always be more well done than the inside.  Keep this in mind if you have a couple people that like it more done.
  • Don't have a cast iron pan?  No worries, use any pan that is oven safe to 400F.

Keywords: Beef Tenderloin, Filet Mignon, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Keto, Paleo, Whole 30, Low Carb, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter

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Source: https://eatsimplefood.com/easy-beef-tenderloin/

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