Smoked Beef Tenderloin
By Diane UngerPublished on April 6, 2015
Time
3 hours, plus 2 hours marinating and 30 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 12 to 16
Ingredients
Herb Salt
2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons minced fresh thymeBeef and Scallions
6 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed2 bunches scallions, trimmedpepper 1 ½ cups wood chipsSauce
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 6 garlic cloves, chopped1 sprig fresh rosemary 1 sprig fresh thyme ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes ¼ cup minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon additional black pepperBefore You Begin
For the most economical choice, buy a whole, untrimmed tenderloin and trim it yourself. Note that the roast needs to sit for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours after seasoning but before cooking. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium wood chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet.
Instructions
- Rub salt, rosemary, and thyme together in bowl using your fingers.
- Tuck tail end of tenderloin under by 2 to 4 inches to create more even shape, then tie with kitchen twine to secure. Tie remainder of tenderloin at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle tenderloin all over with 2 tablespoons herb salt (reserve remaining herb salt in covered container for later use). Wrap tenderloin in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Tie scallions into 2 separate bunches with kitchen twine.
- Combine oil, garlic, rosemary sprig, thyme sprig, and pepper flakes in small saucepan. Bring to gentle simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, and cook until garlic just begins to brown and herbs are fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to bowl, and let cool completely. Discard rosemary and thyme sprigs. Stir in parsley, vinegar, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon reserved herb salt.
- Brush tenderloin all over with 3 tablespoons sauce, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pepper. Brush scallion bunches with 1 tablespoon sauce. Reserve remaining 3/4 cup sauce for serving.
- Soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked wood chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4 1/2 quarts). Place wood chip packet on 1 side of grill. When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill on top of wood chip packet. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burners. (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 350 to 375 degrees).
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Place tenderloin and scallions on hotter side of grill. Cook (covered if using gas) until scallions are lightly charred, about 3 minutes, and meat is browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Flip scallions and tenderloin and continue to cook on second sides until scallions are lightly charred, about 3 minutes, and meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer scallions to plate. Move tenderloin to cooler side of grill. Cover, positioning lid vent over meat for charcoal, and cook for 30 minutes.
- Move thicker part of tenderloin over hotter side of grill and continue to cook, covered, until tenderloin registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, 10 to 20 minutes longer. Transfer tenderloin to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Chop scallions and stir into reserved sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove twine and carve meat into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Season meat lightly with herb salt and pepper and drizzle with sauce. Serve.
for the herb salt
for the beef and scallions
for the sauce
Time
3 hours, plus 2 hours marinating and 30 minutes restingYield
Serves 12 to 16Ingredients
Herb Salt
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Beef and Scallions
6 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed
2 bunches scallions, trimmed
pepper
1 ½ cups wood chips
Sauce
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon additional black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Herb Salt
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Beef and Scallions
6 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed
2 bunches scallions, trimmed
pepper
1 ½ cups wood chips
Sauce
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon additional black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Herb Salt
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Beef and Scallions
6 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed
2 bunches scallions, trimmed
pepper
1 ½ cups wood chips
Sauce
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon additional black pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To get the most well-seasoned, evenly smoked, medium-rare whole-smoked beef tenderloin, we start by trimming a whole tenderloin ourselves, tie it for even cooking, and then season the roast with a fresh herb salt to marinate overnight. Then we oil and sear the roast over high heat and slow-cook it for 30 minutes to allow the wood smoke flavor to permeate the meat. We finish the thicker end of the roast over the hotter side of the grill for even cooking. To enhance the herb flavor and to complement the smoky meat, we make a quick herb and garlic dressing with freshly grill-smoked scallions.
Before You Begin
For the most economical choice, buy a whole, untrimmed tenderloin and trim it yourself. Note that the roast needs to sit for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours after seasoning but before cooking. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium wood chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet.
Instructions
- Rub salt, rosemary, and thyme together in bowl using your fingers.
- Tuck tail end of tenderloin under by 2 to 4 inches to create more even shape, then tie with kitchen twine to secure. Tie remainder of tenderloin at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle tenderloin all over with 2 tablespoons herb salt (reserve remaining herb salt in covered container for later use). Wrap tenderloin in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Tie scallions into 2 separate bunches with kitchen twine.
- Combine oil, garlic, rosemary sprig, thyme sprig, and pepper flakes in small saucepan. Bring to gentle simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, and cook until garlic just begins to brown and herbs are fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to bowl, and let cool completely. Discard rosemary and thyme sprigs. Stir in parsley, vinegar, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon reserved herb salt.
- Brush tenderloin all over with 3 tablespoons sauce, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pepper. Brush scallion bunches with 1 tablespoon sauce. Reserve remaining 3/4 cup sauce for serving.
- Soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked wood chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4 1/2 quarts). Place wood chip packet on 1 side of grill. When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill on top of wood chip packet. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burners. (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 350 to 375 degrees).
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Place tenderloin and scallions on hotter side of grill. Cook (covered if using gas) until scallions are lightly charred, about 3 minutes, and meat is browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Flip scallions and tenderloin and continue to cook on second sides until scallions are lightly charred, about 3 minutes, and meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer scallions to plate. Move tenderloin to cooler side of grill. Cover, positioning lid vent over meat for charcoal, and cook for 30 minutes.
- Move thicker part of tenderloin over hotter side of grill and continue to cook, covered, until tenderloin registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, 10 to 20 minutes longer. Transfer tenderloin to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Chop scallions and stir into reserved sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove twine and carve meat into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Season meat lightly with herb salt and pepper and drizzle with sauce. Serve.
for the herb salt
for the beef and scallions
for the sauce
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