How to Cook Beef Tenderloin

For a fork-tender, mouth-watering bite, a smoker is your choice. Paired with that one-of-a-kind smoky flavor that a smoker gives, guests will be back for seconds and thirds. How long to smoke a Beef Tenderloin varies greatly depending on the cut of meat, thickness of the cut, quality of smoker, smoke and smoke retention, wind, etc. It is best to use a meat thermometer and base doneness off internal temperature. These instructions are for a 2 lb. Tenderloin Roast; for anything over 2 lbs., add 10–15 minutes to each smoking time for each additional lb. of meat.

Note: Meat cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.

To begin, fire up your smoker to 180°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.

• Place your well-seasoned or marinated Tenderloin Roast directly onto the grates of your smoker, close the lid, and smoke the meat for 1 hour.
• Then, increase the heat on your smoker to 400°F and smoke the meat for 20–30 minutes or until the roast reaches about 10°F below the desired internal doneness temperature (see our Measuring Doneness Chart, below.)
• After removing from the smoker, you can check for smoking doneness by temperature, which will be about 10°F below final doneness. This is because your roast will warm an additional 5°F during the searing process. Temperatures are as follows:
• Rare: 115°F
• Medium-Rare: 125°F
• Medium: 135°F
• Medium-Well: 145°F
• Next, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with a high smoke point oil or butter. If choosing butter; when the butter is melted and bubbling, add your roast. Searing can also be done on a grill at medium-high heat due to the size of these steaks. If you're searing on the grill, brush each side of your roast with melted butter.
• Place the roast in the skillet or on the grill and sear approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook until the roast reaches approximately 5°F less than your final desired internal temperature. To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness chart below.
• Remove the roast from the skillet and allow them to rest for 5–10 minutes, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
• Resting is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your roast. Allowing your roast to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
• Prior to serving, expand upon the delicious taste by topping with Kansas City Steak Finishing Butters for full flavor.
• Lastly, carve into individual steaks and serve!

Sous vide cooking takes all the guesswork out of the process, delivering steaks cooked perfectly to your desired doneness every time. Sous vide uses a low-heat, long-time cooking process, which allows for evenly cooked steaks from end to end and guarantees every bite is as tender and juicy as the first.

Note: Meat cooked under 130°F should NOT be cooked for longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns. The temperature listed in the chart is what you would set your sous vide machine to reach that degree of doneness.

Prepare It

• Preheat your water bath: Fill your sous vide container with warm water and set the sous vide device to the appropriate temperature for the desired doneness. The sous vide device should be set as follows:
• Rare: 122°F
• Medium-Rare: 129°F
• Medium: 135°F
• Medium-Well: 145°F
• Repackage your roast into a sous vide heat-stable bag. We recommend seasoning your roast with Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning for an enhanced flavor, prior to cooking in the sous vide. Another option is adding fresh herbs and a Kanas City Steaks Finishing Butter along with your raw Tenderloin into the heat-stable vacuum seal bag before sealing.

Cook It

• Ensure the water bath has fully reached the desired temperature for cooking before adding in the roast. Place the packaged roast in the water bath and allow it to cook for the recommended amount of time based on your desired degree of doneness.
• Cook for 2–3 hours at the temperature recommended above based on your desired degree of doneness.
• Once your roast is finished cooking, remove them from the sous vide and take it out of the packaging.
• Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
• Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Place your roast on the skillet and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook until the roast reaches the final desired internal temperature, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart, below.
• The sear will give your tenderloin roast the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled roast.
• Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking roasts, the low heat used in sous vide does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface, so additional resting time is not needed.

Beef Tenderloin Roast prepared in a slow cooker adds amazing flavor and tenderness to your roast. It is also an easy method to follow that is hands-off and only requires you to follow a few simple steps. These instructions are for a 2 lb. Tenderloin Roast; for anything over 2 lbs., add 45 minutes to the cooking time for each additional lb. of meat.

Here are the steps to follow when cooking a Beef Tenderloin Roast in a slow cooker:

• Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
• Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Add the seasoned Tenderloin to the skillet and sear on all sides.
• Transfer the seared Tenderloin to the slow cooker. Pour the pan drippings over the tenderloin in the slow cooker and add beef cooking stock and any other seasonings desired.
• Cook on low for 2–4 hours or until the Tenderloin reaches your preferred degree of doneness. Begin checking after 1½ hour of cooking. We recommend checking the internal temperature of the tenderloin to determine doneness. To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness and Cooking Times Charts below.
• Remove your Tenderloin from the slow cooker when it has reached 5°F below your desired degree of doneness temperature. This is because the tenderloin will continue to warm an additional 5°F when resting.
• Once removed from the slow cooker, wrap tightly in foil or butcher paper and allow it to rest for 10–15 minutes.
• Lastly, slice against the grain and serve!