Basic Melt in Your Mouth Tenderloin

By Sprinklesofun • 11 years ago • Dinner, Entree, Lunch

When I’m trying to be fancy and impress my family, boyfriend, roommates, or friends (or myself really) I usually turn to a good beef tenderloin. Working in kitchens and in a variety of restaurants I’ve come to learn the tricks of the trade to making a mouth watering steak (at least I think I have). I’ve never used a BBQ to make steaks – I leave that to my dad. I’m more comfortable with my hot pan and oven.

Ingredients

4 6oz tenderloins about 1.5-2” thick
3 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Garlic
1 tbsp Cooking Oil
Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F

2. Lay your steaks out on a plate. Pat them dry so that the seasoning will stick. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on each side to coat evenly and massage gently. Take the minced garlic and do the same on all sides and rub the beef gently.

3. Heat an oven friendly pan on high heat. Put your butter and oil in and coat the bottom of the pan.

4. Once the pan is smoking hot, carefully place each steak in the pan and you should hear that beautiful *tssss* sound. Sizzle! Use tongs just to be safe!

5. Sear on both sides about 1 minute each.

6. Once both sides are nicely seared, place the pan in the oven.

7. Cook the steak for about 4 minutes (depending on your preferred doneness, longer for well done of course). For Medium-rare, the temperature should be 130-135 degrees F. Medium is 140-145 degrees F, Medium-Well 150-155 degrees F, Well done is 160 degrees and above. ***

8. Remember that when you take the steak out, you’re going to let it rest, tented with foil for at least 5 minutes so that the juices can come together again and it will continue to cook a bit. That is why you take it out just before your preferred doneness to allow for that extra cooking time. (Does that make sense? Did I confuse you?)

9. Please do not cut the steak open to check the doneness, you’re just going to let all the juices escape and set yourself up for dry steak. Womp womp! Just trust me and yourself to have cooked the perfect steak, confidence in the kitchen!

10. Once the steaks have sat for about 5 minutes, either serve whole with your choice of sides like mashed potatoes, parsnip puree or salad etc. Or slice against the grain and serve immediately.

11. *** If you’re like me and you don’t own a meat thermometer, use the thumb to finger technique to gage the doneness of your steak compared to the fatty party of your thumb. Use one hand and touch your thumb to your index. With your other hand feel the thumb muscle in your hand under the thumb. The thumb to index finger that is what Rare feels like, thumb to middle finger is Medium Rare, thumb to ring finger is Medium and thumb to pinky is Well Done.***

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