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A perfectly cooked Beef Tenderloin Roast with Garlic Herb Butter, sliced to show medium-rare center and melting herb butter.

Beef Tenderloin Roast with Garlic Herb Butter

This recipe guides you through preparing an impressive Beef Tenderloin Roast with Garlic Herb Butter, perfect for special occasions. It includes instructions for a flavorful garlic herb butter, caramelized onions, and a creamy horseradish sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Caramelizing Onions 1 hour
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Dinner, Holiday Meal
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef Tenderloin
  • 3 pound trimmed beef tenderloin tied with kitchen twine
  • 1-2 tablespoons kosher salt for seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper for seasoning
  • 1 bunch fresh sage tucked into twine
  • 1 bunch fresh rosemary tucked into twine
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme tucked into twine
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter for melting and basting
For the Caramelized Onions
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 sweet onions thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
For the Horseradish Sauce
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
  • 2 tablespoons mayo
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for topping

Equipment

  • Kitchen twine
  • Wire rack
  • Baking sheet
  • Meat thermometer
  • Saucepan
  • Skillet
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Tie the beef tenderloin with kitchen twine to ensure even cooking. Season the tenderloin liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Place the seasoned tenderloin on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
  2. Remove the beef from the refrigerator at least one hour before roasting. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F. Tuck the fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme sprigs all around the beef, under the twine.
  3. Place the beef on the center rack of the preheated oven. Roast for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 120 to 125 degrees F. Remove the beef from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  4. While the beef rests, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. If it begins to lightly brown, that is acceptable.
  5. Adjust your oven rack to be about 6 inches from the broiler and turn the broiler to high. Spoon some of the melted butter over the roast. Place the roast under the broiler. Turn the beef every 30 seconds, spooning more butter over it, until the exterior is golden brown. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes total.
  6. Remove the beef from the oven. Drizzle with additional melted butter. Let the beef rest for another 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
  7. Caramelized Onions: Heat a skillet over low heat and add 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the thinly sliced sweet onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes, until the onions are caramelized and golden. Stir in the fresh thyme after 45 minutes. Keep heat low to prevent burning.
  8. Horseradish Sauce: Whisk together the sour cream, heavy cream, prepared horseradish, mayo, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of chives for topping. Refrigerate the sauce for 30 to 60 minutes. Top with the reserved fresh chives before serving.

Notes

For best results, prepare the beef tenderloin the day before. Tying the roast with kitchen twine helps it cook more evenly. Resting the meat after cooking is crucial for a tender and juicy result.

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