Beef Tenderloin with Cognac Cream Sauce
Serves 10
MOTIVATION: It's meat!
MAJOR KEY: Make sure the meat is room temp!
INGREDIENTS
4 ½ - 5 lb. beef tenderloin
4 tbsps. olive oil
Tastic spice
Black pepper
Cognac Cream Sauce
2 tbsps. unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped shallots
½ cup Cognac, plus 1 tsp.
2 ½ tbsps. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Tastic spice, to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Remove tenderloin from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting. Using a sharp, flexible knife, trim the "silver" membrane from the surface of the tenderloin and tuck "tail" underneath to create a tenderloin of even thickness. Tie with kitchen twine. (Or, ask your butcher to prepare your tenderloin for roasting.)
- Rub the tied tenderloin with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle each side liberally with kosher salt and cracked black pepper, pressing to adhere.
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees F with rack in middle position.
- Place a large stove-top safe roasting pan over high heat and add about 2 tablespoons olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, heating until hot but not smoking. Sear the tenderloin for about 3-4 minutes per side, until well-browned. Remove tenderloin from roasting pan and carefully clean pan with a paper towel in a pair of tongs.
- Place a roasting rack in the pan and set seared tenderloin on rack. Roast until desired internal temperature is reached in the thickest part of the meat, 125 degrees F for medium rare, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer tenderloin to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
Cognac sauce
- Remove the roasting rack from the pan and place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Add butter and chopped shallots and sauté until shallots are soft and lightly-browned. Remove the pan from heat, carefully pour in 1/2 cup cognac, and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return to heat and let simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in heavy cream and Dijon mustard. Gently simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Whisk in Parmigiano Reggiano until melted and smooth. Turn off the heat and add remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons cognac and chopped thyme leaves. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
- Carefully remove the twine from the tenderloin and cut meat into 1/2-inch slices. Drizzle with Cognac Cream Sauce at the table.
*Tastic spice is available HERE
Do me a favor? If you decide to be great and make this recipe, take a pic and share it on Instagram and tag me (@mrfoodtastic) and use the hashtag #mrfoodtastic so I can see just how amazing you are. I repost my favorite ones 😊