Beef Tenderloin with Cabernet Shallot Sauce

One way or another, I was having a nice piece of beef this weekend. The question was whether to make it myself or have someone make it for me. With a bottle of red waiting to be opened and the ingredients for a kale salad with bacon vinaigrette on hand, I shuffled out to find beef tenderloin. The results were divine. 

Like with pork tenderloin, the best advice I've seen with respect to cooking a lean piece of meat is to sear it first before roasting. This seals in the juices and keeps the meat moist. I boiled a few baby potatoes as a side, but if you're using fresh thyme in this recipe, as per the instructions, roasting the potatoes with the rest of your thyme and some other seasonings would be a better way to accompany the beef.  The kale salad recipe will follow shortly and is definitely worth pairing with this or another nice roast, if beef tenderloin isn't your thing or is out of your budget. 

Enjoy!

Adapted From: http://www.canadianliving.com

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

For the beef

• 2 lbs beef tenderloin (try a roast format vs. a steak one)
• 1 T black peppercorns, roughly crushed (I used a mortar and pestle to get this effect)
• 1/2 sea salt
• 1 T olive oil

For the sauce

• 1/8 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 1/2 t sugar
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 t fresh thyme, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1/3 cup red wine
• 1/8 cup brandy
• 1 T corn starch

Method

Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine the salt and pepper and spread the seasoning on a flat surface. Roll the tenderloin in the salt and pepper mixture to cover it evenly. Heat the olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Sear the beef in the pan on all sides. 

Once seared, place the beef in a shallow roasting pan, uncovered. Roast for approximately 40 minutes, checking periodically to ensure you are not overcooking the roast. A rare piece of tenderloin should read 140F in the centre. 

For the sauce, sauté the shallots in half of the butter until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the sugar, thyme, bay leaf and garlic and continue to sauté until the shallots have caramelized, about 6 minutes.

Add the stock, wine and brandy and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes in order to reduce the sauce by half. Whisk the cornstarch in a tablespoon of water and add it to the sauce, stirring it until completely incorporated. Add the roasting pan's juices. Bring the sauce to a boil and whisk in the remaining butter. Serve with the beef.