Name: Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 lb trimmed beef tenderloin; 7 Tbsp butter ((softened)); 2 cloves minced garlic; 1 tsp thyme; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp pepper; 1 Tbsp olive oil; ⅓ cup red wine or beef broth; ⅓ cup heavy cream

Jump to Recipe

From family dinner night to special occasions, savory roasted beef tenderloin is always a winner – a perfect main course for celebrating!! This traditional dish is prepped on the stove and finished off in the oven for perfectly cooked beef every time. This recipe is sure to become a holiday tradition in your family!

cooked beef tenderloin on a serving platter

Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Roast Time: 20-25 minutres

Ingredients:

trimmed beef tenderloin (about 2 pounds)
7 Tbsp butter (softened, divided)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
⅓ cup red wine or beef broth
Optional Sauce:
- heavy cream

raw beef tenderloin, butter, thyme, red wine, olive oil, salt, pepper, red wine, garlic, and heavy cream on a counter

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Step 1: Begin by mixing together 6 tablespoons of the butter with the garlic and thyme. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425º F.

softened butter, garlic and thyme in a bowl

softened butter, garlic and thyme in a bowl stirred together

Step 2: Pat tenderloin dry with a paper towel and season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet (or any oven safe skillet large enough to fit your tenderloin in) over medium high heat with a tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Place tenderloin in skillet and brown on each side for about 1 minute, then remove from the pan from the burner.

raw beef tenderloin seasoned with salt and pepper

beef tenderloin searing in a cast iron skillet on a stove

Step 3: Pour the wine (or broth) into pan. Spread garlic butter over the tenderloin and carefully place in the preheated oven (caution: the pan will be very hot!). Roast for 20-25 minutes or until temperature taken in center reaches desired doneness (130º for medium rare). We prefer medium rare in the center so the end pieces will be close to medium. This way, there’s something for everyone! I remove it from the oven when it hits the lower range as it will come up a few degrees when resting. See the temperature guide below.

red wine being poured in to a skillet with beef tenderloin

garlic butter being spread over beef tenderloin

Step 4: Remove the tenderloin to a plate, tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. If making the optional sauce, return the pan with juices to the stove. Bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking. Remove the pan from the burner and whisk in the heavy cream. Strain if desired (it will look prettier, but taste the same) and serve with your roasted beef tenderloin! Yummy!

juice from cooked tenderloin in a skillet boiling on a stove being whisked

heavy cream being poured into skillet with pan juice

Need to feed a larger crowd?

I like to keep the beef tenderloin around 2 pounds for this recipe because it cooks up evenly and quickly. If you need to feed more than 6 people, follow these steps:
- start with a larger tenderloin (4-5 pounds) and cut it in half. There is usually a skinnier end. You can either remove this section so the tenderloin has a uniform thickness or tuck in under and tie it with cooking twine.
- If your pan is large enough, you can sear and roast both pieces in one pan. If not, use 2 separate pans. It’s best to err on the side of caution rather than overcrowding the pan.

Beef Temperature Guide:

Rare: 120º-130ºF
Medium Rare: 130º-135º F
Medium: 135º-145º F
Medium Well: 145º-155º F
Well Done: 155º and up

Serve with:

Roasted Beef Tenderloin

From family dinner night to special occasions, savory roasted beef tenderloin is always a winner – a perfect main course for celebrating!!

Beth

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Ingredients

2 lb trimmed beef tenderloin
7 Tbsp butter (softened)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
⅓ cup red wine or beef broth

Sauce (optional):

⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Begin by mixing together 6 tablespoons of the butter with the garlic and thyme. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425º F.
Pat tenderloin dry with a paper towel and season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet (or any oven safe skillet large enough to fit your tenderloin in) over medium high heat with a tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Place tenderloin in skillet and brown on each side for about 1 minute, then remove the pan from the burner.
Pour wine (or broth) into pan. Spread garlic butter over tenderloin and carefully place in oven (pan will be very hot!). Roast for 20-25 minutes or until temperature taken in center reaches desired doneness. We prefer medium rare in the center so the end pieces will be close to medium. This way, there's something for everyone! I remove it from the oven when it hits the lower range as it will come up a few degrees when resting. See below for temperature guide.
Remove the tenderloin to a plate, tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. If making the sauce, return the pan with juices to stove. Bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking. Remove from burner and whisk in the heavy cream. Strain if desired (it will look prettier, but taste the same) and serve with your roasted beef tenderloin! Yummy!