Beef Tenderloin Roast

Name: Beef Tenderloin Roast
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 190 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons avocado oil; 1 (4-4 ½ pounds) whole beef tenderloin roast (trimmed and tied); 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 5 tablespoons butter (softened); 5 garlic cloves (minced); 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary; 4 tablespoons beef drippings (plus more for flavor); 1 shallot (diced); 1 carrot (roughly chopped); 1 celery stalk (roughly chopped); ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 2 ½ cups beef stock; 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce; 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 thyme sprigs; Salt and pepper (as needed, to taste)

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I love holiday cooking. The starters, sides, and desserts all come naturally to me. Sometimes, though, I struggle to come up with a main dish that’s truly showstopping. This Beef Tenderloin Roast is exactly that! The meat is so tender, delicious, and seasoned. The beef is coated in garlicky herb butter and served with a creamy, rich gravy for the ideal entree.

Beef tenderloin roast sliced into thick pieces and fanned out on a large oval platter.

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Recipe At a Glance
Ingredients to Make Beef Tenderloin Roast
Popular Additions
How to Make Beef Tenderloin Roast
How to Make Beef Gravy from Drippings
Tips for Making the Best Garlic Rosemary Beef Tenderloin Roast
What to Serve With Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Frequently Asked Questions
More Beef Entree Recipes:
Beef Tenderloin Roast Recipe

The key to a perfect beef tenderloin roast is seasoning it first and letting it rest for a couple of hours before cooking so the meat absorbs the salt! Before the beef tenderloin goes in the oven, I give it a good sear on the stovetop (browning = flavor!) before topping it with the herb butter and roasting it until the beef’s medium rare. Once the meat’s cooked, don’t toss what’s left over in the skillet! You’ll use the pan drippings to create an easy, flavorful gravy.

Recipe At a Glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Gluten-free
Key Flavor: Beefy, garlicky, herby, buttery
Skill Level: Easy

Why This Is So Good

Minimal ingredients: Despite looking like a million bucks, this simple beef tenderloin recipe has just a handful of ingredients!
Can be made ahead: The beef can be seasoned up to 24 hours ahead of time! I find this super helpful for holiday prep.
Great for big gatherings: This beef tenderloin easily serves 12 people! It’s going to be my go-to recipe for many holidays to come.

Ingredients to Make Beef Tenderloin Roast

Ingredients for recipe: butter, fresh herbs, salt and pepper, garlic, oil, and a whole beef tenderloin roast.

Avocado oil: You’ll need a high-heat oil to sear the beef. Avocado oil is great, but you could also use vegetable oil.
Whole beef tenderloin roast: This cut of beef is expensive, but worth the splurge for the holidays. You can ask your butcher to trim and tie it for you if you like!
Butter: I like to use unsalted, softened butter to control the final amount of salt in the recipe! You can use vegan butter or even ghee (which is clarified butter that’s had its milk solids removed).
Garlic: Mince the garlic so it mixes into the butter easily.
Fresh thyme and rosemary: I love the bright flavor of fresh herbs! You can use half of the amount of dried herbs, though. Tarragon, dill, parsley, or oregano would work too!

Popular Additions

Add a little spice. Mix in a little dried red pepper flakes or cayenne into the butter mixture.
Make it sweet-savory. Mix in a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or honey into the butter.

How to Make Beef Tenderloin Roast

I know there’s a lot of resting involved in this recipe, but it’s worth it. So, how to cook beef tenderloin in oven? With patience and a good amount of butter!

Two pieces of beef tenderloin wrapped in twin on a wire rack and seasoned. — **Step 1:** Pat the trimmed and twine-wrapped beef tenderloin dry with paper towels. Cut into two even pieces and season with kosher salt and pepper.

Twine wrapped and seasoned beef tenderloin pieces in an oiled cast iron skillet. — **Step 2:** Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet. Once the oil is shimmering and the pan is very hot, add the beef tenderloin.

After searing beef in skillet. — **Step 3:** Sear each side to create a golden brown crust.

Herb butter slathered on seared meat. — **Step 4:** Slather the beef with the herb butter.

After roasting recipe. — **Step 5:** Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until medium rare.

Tenderloin roast after roasting and resting on a cutting board with twine removed. — **Step 6:** Let rest while you prepare the gravy.

How to Make Beef Gravy from Drippings

You absolutely don’t have to serve the beef tenderloin roast with gravy, but I do recommend it! It’d be a shame for the pan drippings to go to waste.

After cooking until veggies are browned. — **Step 1:** Transfer the beef drippings to a heat-safe bowl and return some of the fat back to the pan, reserving the remaining drippings. Heat the same skillet and add the shallot, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are beginning to brown. Remove and discard the vegetables with a slotted spoon.

Cooked veggies removed and flour added to make a roux. — **Step 2:** Add the flour to the drippings and whisk until a thick paste forms. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the roux starts to turn golden brown.

Beef broth and seasonings being poured into roux. — **Step 3:** Whisk in the beef stock, reserved beef drippings, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

Gravy after thickening. — **Step 4:** Reduce heat to a simmer, add the thyme, and cook until it has thickened slightly. Discard thyme and serve warm.

Tips for Making the Best Garlic Rosemary Beef Tenderloin Roast

Season 24 hours beforehand. To create more depth of flavor in the tenderloin, consider seasoning it the day before if you have time. Season with kosher salt and pepper to allow it to dry out the surface for a better crust. Place on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan in the fridge uncovered for up to 24 hours.
Use floss if you don’t have twine. It works well for wrapping the tenderloin if you realize you don’t have twine last minute. Just make sure it’s unflavored so your tenderloin doesn’t taste minty!
Let the beef come to room temperature first. This will ensure it cooks evenly!
Use a thermometer. The best way to know if the beef is done is to use an instant-read thermometer! Make sure to insert it into the thicket part and once the thermometer hits temperature, the beef tenderloin roast is done!

Beef tenderloin roast in a cast iron skillet with extra fresh herbs.

What to Serve With Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store and reheat beef tenderloin roast?

You can keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. To reheat it, place the beef tenderloin in a low, 325°F oven until just warmed through.

Can I use another cut of beef?

You can use ribeye roast or sirloin butt roast instead!

What can I serve with the beef instead of gravy?

If you don’t want to make the gravy, the beef tenderloin roast would also be delicious with horseradish sauce.

Spooning gravy over sliced beef tenderloin.

More Beef Entree Recipes:

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