I was assigned to cook the beef tenderloin for the
party. No big deal, ordinarily, but this wasn�t ordinarily. I was to cook
two large tenderloins that we hoped would serve possibly 200 people.
The roasts, even on special, came to $56 each. With
tax, I was about to cook $120 worth of meat. THAT was unnerving. I am not
that accustomed to cooking beef tenderloin and never before in that amount!
Thus, I was not about to just throw these roasts in the
oven and hope for the best, as I am sometimes hurriedly wont to do. The
tenderloins were the mainstay of the buffet.
This required research. I called a friend whose family
eats much higher on the cow than do we. She cooks beef tenderloins often. I
ended up using her advice for the party. Later I tried my Time/Life �Beef and Veal� cookbook�s method. Both turned
out nicely, but 120 degrees is very rare, so be prepared.
Beef tenderloins are expensive but there is little, if
any, waste. They are delicious and perfect for a party buffet. Tender (no
knife needed) and easy for a finger-food, tenderloin slices are most often
served with a horseradish/mayonnaise/sour cream sauce.
Allow the meat to �rest� before you slice it to obtain neat slices.
The 200 guests gobbled up the roast. We had plenty, and
it was all eaten.
Be brave. You, too, can trade your car for beef
tenderloins and create the hit of a big party!
The Kay Method
Directions: Rub beef tenderloin (usually 7 to 8 pounds) with
halved garlic cloves. Then mash garlic and insert pieces of garlic in
crevices of roast. Rub roast with olive oil. Generously sprinkle top of
roast with fresh or dried rosemary. Then sprinkle whole peppercorns on top.
Bake at 450 degrees for about 40 minutes. (Kay cooks hers on a grill.)
The Mary Lou Method
Directions: Allow roast to come to room temperature. Sprinkle
with Montreal Steak Seasoning (available at Costco). Do not salt. Place in
450˚ oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees for 20 minutes.
The �Mary Lou� is a never-fail method, according to
Mary Jane Dorr who has used her friend�s recipe for years.
The Time/Life
Method
Directions: Rub with garlic and olive oil as in the �Kay�
method above. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Season as desired. (Italian dressing
drizzled over the roast is good. Allow roast to marinate in dressing.) Bake
at 500 degrees for 7 minutes per pound. For rare roast, temperature should
be 120 degrees; 135 for medium. Do not cook a tenderloin well done.
