Grilling Beef Tenderloin

   The greatest cut of meat ever... the beef tenderloin! When its cooked right, it has a flavor and texture unmatched by any other steak. But the key is, when its cooked right! So, to help out all my fellow grillers out there, I've created this comprehensive guide to simplify the process of grilling the perfect beef tenderloin.

   To begin, let us start off with a brief background. Beef Tenderloin is a basic cut of meat which is usually used to make steaks. This cut of meat is called tenderloin because it comes right out of the short loin section of a cow. This center loin section is extremely tender, and for this reason beef tenderloin has become very popular and pricy.

   Before you can grill a beef tenderloin, you are going to have to buy one. You can buy beef tenderloin trimmed or untrimmed. I recommend buying it untrimmed, because supermarkets will charge you more when they trim the meat for you. To trim the tenderloin all you need to do is remove the silver tinted skin and any excess fat. This can be done relatively easily when using a sharp knife.

   After trimming the tenderloin you can grill it in two different fashions. You can either grill it as whole tenderloin, or you can cut it into individual steaks. Whole tenderloin is a bit more complicated to grill, while the steaks are very easy to grill. Both styles of cooking the tenderloin will yield marginally different tasting results.

   If you cut your beef tenderloin into individual steaks it will be relatively simple to grill them. With both full beef tenderloin and individual cut steaks make sure to remove them from the refrigerator around 20 minutes before grilling so that they are not so cold and are closer to room temperature. Grill the steaks on medium heat. Grilling time will vary depending on how thick or thin you make the cuts, but I would count on the time somewhere close to 60 seconds per side. When flipping the steaks remember to use tongs and not a fork. If you poke any holes in the steak with a fork, you could lose valuable juices and be left with a dry and less flavorful steak. You should definitely use a thermometer; the internal temperature should reach 120 - 130 degrees Fahrenheit when the steak is finished being grilled. This internal temperature range will yield a medium rare steak. A medium rare steak will be very pink in the center and light brown towards the outside.

Here is a chart for internal temperatures:
120-125 degrees Fahrenheight= Rare
130-135 degrees F= Medium Rare
140-145 degrees F= Medium

   Make sure to insert the thermometer horizontally into the middle of the steak for the most precise reading. If you do not own a thermometer, i would definately reccomend buying one. Take a look at the grilling accessories page to find a good deal on a grilling thermometer. Another way to judge how cooked the steak is, is by just pressing down on in. The more done a steak is, the less you will be able to press down on it.

   To cook the beef tenderloin whole, it must be tied so that it is round and of even thickness. Start be grilling the tenderloin on high heat. This will give it a nice brown caramelized color and a nice sear. Then finish grilling it on low heat. I usually give the meat around 18 minutes per pound to fully cook. Also, it may take more or less time depending on how well you like your meat cooked. With a thick cut of meat such as the beef tenderloin, it is very hard to judge exactly when the meat is done grilling. For this reason, it is important to use a thermometer to know exactly when to take the meat off the grill. The beef tenderloin is finished cooking when it reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. When you take the meat off the grill make sure to not start cutting into it right away. It is important to cover the meat and let it rest for about 20 minutes. This is because all the juices will just come out of the meat if you cut it too soon, and the meat actually continues to cook for a while after you take it off the grill.

   Now that you know how to grill the beef tenderloin, its important to learn how to season it correctly. There isn’t a truly proper way to season beef tenderloin, but there definitely are a lot of ways to mess up the taste of the meat. With this expensive of a meat, you may be tempted to load on a ton of different spices etc. In actuality, less is more (in regards to seasoning), with beef tenderloin. This cut of meat is so expensive for a reason… it naturally tastes good. For this reason, too many seasoning will actually take away from the amazing flavor of the meat. The only seasoning I would really put on a flavorful meat like this is maybe a little pepper, garlic, and sea salt.

   Grilling beef tenderloin can be scary, especially if you've never done it before ( I realize that no one wants to ruin a piece of meet that costs that much dinero!). However, if you just follow these basic grilling instructions, you will be sure to get a delicious result.