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When it comes to holiday roasts, it's hard to top a smoked beef tenderloin. Not only does it look amazing when presented on the table, but the flavor and tenderness of the beef is out of this world!
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Video - How to smoke a beef tenderloin to perfection
What is beef tenderloin?
The tenderloin is a long, narrow, boneless cut of meat that comes from the back of the animal that runs along the backbone. Beef tenderloin is oval and long in shape with a tapered tail on one end and a large butt on the other.
Normally weighing at about 4-5lbs and 18-24" long, the tenderloin is a large cut of meat that is extremely tender and has minimal marbling or fat. Being so tender, the beef tenderloin is where the filet mignon steak is cut from.
Most commonly bought for special occasions or holidays such as Christmas, New Years, or Thanksgiving, beef tenderloin can be cooked anytime! The reason it's found mostly on these occasions is due to it's high cost.
Buying the beef / How much do I need?
I like to purchase beef tenderloin from a large big box supermarket such as Sam's Club or Costco due to their low cost meats, high quality, and consistent availability. If you have a favorite butcher shop you frequent, they should have tenderloin available as well, just might be more pricey.
Don't have any great options where you live for good quality meat? Ordering online has become more available and comes with great pricing as well. I'd recommend checking out Wildforkfoods.com, I've purchased meat from them in the past and was very happy with the quality and fast shipping.
When purchasing the tenderloin, there are several different ways it might be found. I am smoking an entire beef tenderloin that was already trimmed by the butcher. This 4.5lb beef tenderloin will serve 7-10 people.
Untrimmed tenderloins can be found at a discounted price per pound, but will require trimming of silver skin and some weight loss due to that trimming. Check out Serious Eats article on trimming a tenderloin if you decide to do this yourself.
A smaller section of the tenderloin can also be purchased if you are only serving a small number of guests or family members, about 4-6 people.
The center cut beef tenderloin, also known as the chateaubriand, is the middle section of the entire beef tenderloin and is perfect for this situation.
Perfect finished cooking temperature
When it comes to smoking beef tenderloin, finishing it at a nice medium rare is the ONLY way you want to serve this dish. Due to the lack of fat, this cut of meat will cook fast and dry out fast if cooked too long.
Having this finished at 130°F internal temperature when carving is perfect, but will take some close monitoring and planning to get it that way. We will smoke the tenderloin and then reverse sear for that nice outside crust.
The smoker & wood
I used a Recteq pellet smoker when making this smoked beef tenderloin recipe, but any stick burner (traditional wood burning smoker) or pellet grill will do. Traeger also provides several different pellet smoker models to choose from.
A traditional offset smoker, like this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker can also be used when smoking beef tenderloin. Grab your favorite wood and get your smoker fired up.
My favorite wood chips to use when smoking a tender beef is a fruit wood, like an apple or cherry. I used apple wood pellets when smoking this beef recipe.
When smoking beef on a pellet grill, competition or trophy blend pellets are also a great choice in addition to the woods mentioned above because they use several different types of wood.
Prepping the roast
Prepping a beef tenderloin consists of meat trussing with butcher twine and seasoning with great tasting flavors. Don't worry! It's not that hard to do, you will be a pro in no time!
Trussing beef
Tying the roast with butcher's twine serves two very important needs when cooking tenderloin. This is done to:
- Assure the roasts diameter is consistent - The tapered end of the roast needs to be tucked back onto itself and tied tight so the roasts diameter is the same from end to end. It assures the roast is cooked evenly, preventing one end from cooking much faster than the opposite.
- Prevents the roast from sagging - Keeping the meat from sagging/flattening out on the smoker or grill when cooking also helps the beef cook evenly all the way around.
Watch my video at the beginning of this article to see how to tie a beef tenderloin with butcher string. As I mentioned before, it's really NOT that hard to do and I think you will find it to be a bit of fun!
Seasoning the tenderloin
We have talked about how tender and lean the beef tenderloin can be due to the muscle not being used a lot by the cow. This is great in terms of making it tender, but since there is little to no fat, there isn't as much flavor as a ribeye or fattier cut.
This is where we as chefs have to come in and paint this bad boy with some great flavors and seasonings. Sea salt and black pepper are definitely needed on this cut of meat, but garlic and parsley help give it that little extra flavor. Kosher salt also works great with tenderloin!
Can't forget the bold smoke flavor from the smoker as well, that is what really sets this smoked beef tenderloin recipe apart from the rest.
Smoking the beef tenderloin
Pre-heat your smoker and maintain 250° Fahrenheit for the perfect temperature to impart a nice smoke flavor onto the meat. Place the roast directly on the grill grates. Expect about 15 minutes a pound when smoking the tenderloin to an internal temperature of 110 degrees F.
Most pellet smokers come with temperature probes that plug into the unit so you can monitor the internal temps of the meat at all times. Place a temp probe on each side of the roast, they shouldn't vary more than 10°F difference at any point while smoking the meat.
If they do, turn the roast around 180° and continue smoking, one side of your smoker might run hotter than the other.
This 4.5 pound tenderloin took 65 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 110°F in the butt and 102°F in the point. I then pulled the roast OFF the smoker and transferred to my already pre-heated propane grill to sear.
Reverse sear method
A reverse sear is when you smoke the meat first and then perform the high heat treatment at the end of the cooking. This will add more smoke flavor to the meat as you don't have the crust from a regular sear encapsulating the meat from the smoke of the fire.
Pre-heat a separate charcoal or gas grill to 500+ degrees when your roast begins approaching 110°F and is almost finished smoking on the smoker.
Once the tenderloin reaches 110°F on either end of the roast, transfer to the very hot grill and sear on all sides until a nice crust is formed, about 5 minutes total. If it's taking more time than expected to get the crust, check the internal temp of the meat periodically to make sure not to overcook.
The goal is to finish searing the smoked beef tenderloin and pull off the grill when an internal temp of 120-125°F is reached, no higher! It's better to have an under crusted/seared outside than continuing to sear and risk overcooking the meat inside.
Resting the meat
After pulling the seared roast of the grill, allow it to rest on a cutting board uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove the butcher twine with scissors and slice with a sharp knife into 1" pieces to serve.
The reason to NOT cover the meat with something such as aluminum foil when resting is to prevent the outside crust from becoming soggy. With only 10 minutes of resting, there is no need to worry about the beef becoming cold.
What goes with smoked beef tenderloin?
If you have seasoned the meat well, it will be full of great flavor and be extremely tender. There really is no need for a thick gravy or sauce over the tenderloin. I do enjoy eating it with a nice horseradish sauce, just like you would a smoked prime rib.
Side dishes
Think of the best side dishes you have had for Christmas dinner and pair them with this roast. Here are some of my favorite side dishes for smoked beef tenderloin.
FAQ
Yes! The string is fine to stay on the meat while cooking and will not catch fire. That's the reason it's there, to keep the meat together while cooking.
No. Remove the butcher twine with scissors before slicing roast in 1" pieces.
No. They are not the same thing, but are related. However, filet mignon steaks are cut from the beef tenderloin.
Yes! The tenderloin is a seldom used muscle on the cow which in turn makes it very lean and tender. A great cut of meat, hence why it's a more expensive cut of meat.
Old Pro Tips
- It's better to pull the meat off the smoker early than late, tenderloin gets dry if overcooked.
- Tenderloin can be seared in a pan atop the stove or in the oven on broil if a propane grill is not available.
- Serve with a horseradish sauce and slice the roast into fairly thick pieces for the best presentation.
Ingredients
Meat
- 4.5 pound beef tenderloin (trimmed)
Seasonings
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon sea salt
- 1.5 tablespoon black pepper (fresh cracked)
- 1.5 tablespoon parsley (dried)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Pre-heat smoker to 250°F using apple wood.
- Combine the dry ingredients (minus the olive oil) in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Rub pork tenderloin with olive oil and sprinkle the seasoning evenly on all sides of the roast.
- Place the beef tenderloin directly on the smoker rack away from direct heat.
- Smoke for about 1 hour at 250°F until an internal temperature of 110°F.
- Transfer roast to heated grill set to 500°+ and sear on all sides for a 5 minutes total. Check internal temperature of meat with thermometer to make sure the roast doesn't go over 120-125°F. (If no grill is available, sear in a pan atop the stove or broil in the oven)
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1" pieces. Roast should have risen to 130-135°F by time of carving. Serve with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- It's better to pull the meat off the smoker early than late, tenderloin gets dry if overcooked.
- Tenderloin can be seared in a pan atop the stove or in the oven on broil if a propane grill is not available.
- Serve with a horseradish sauce and slice the roast into fairly thick pieces for the best presentation.
Nutrition
Diug says
Beef smoked using black walnuts is stunning. No need for any other flavors/spices.
Evi says
This is a great beef tenderloin recipe! I've never had it with applewood and it was a great flavor.
Jessica Formicola says
My family loves beef tenderloin, and this was by far one of my favorite recipes I've tried!
Tayler says
I made this tenderloin for dinner last night and it was so flavorful and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!