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Beef Tenderloin, Reverse Sear Method

Is there anything better than a perfectly executed beef tenderloin? The reverse sear method delivers a consistently juicy medium rare center with a fantastic, savory crust. Add a creamy horseradish sauce for dipping and your beef tenderloin will be a guaranteed crowd favorite for any gathering.

Servings:

Keywords: beef tenderloin, reverse sear, reversed sear, steak

  • Prep Time: 1 hours 0 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hours 15 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 mins

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

BRINE AND PREP

  • kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

MEAT

  • 4 lbs whole beef tenderloin

SMOKE

  • lump charcoal

Instructions

RECIPE VIDEO

  1. View this recipe at our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaLJf01scxE&t=12s

BRINE AND PREP

  1. Pat beef tenderloin dry and tie the tenderloin with kitchen twine, making sure to tuck the tail end under so the meat has a uniform thickness.
  2. Set the tenderloin on a cooling rack that has been place on top of a sheet pan.
  3. Coat the entire tenderloin liberally with kosher salt. Place tenderloin into a refrigerator for a minimum of 2-4 hours and up to 24 hours for a 'dry brining' process.
  4. Make the beef rub using equal parts (1 tablespoon each) kosher salt, black pepper, and minced garlic.
  5. Pulse the three ingredients in a spice grinder a couple of times to blend and break down, while maintaining some texture.
  6. You can also add fresh or dried herbs like rosemary or thyme to enhance the flavors of the rub.
  7. After the dry brine process, coat the beef tenderloin liberally with extra virgin olive oil and the beef rub.
  8. Let the beef rub 'sweat in' while the tenderloin is left sitting out to reach room temperature - approximately 30 - 60 minutes.

GRILL PREP

  1. Set up your Big Green Egg for indirect cooking at 250 degrees.
  2. To hit 250 degrees, light your fire, open the bottom vent completely, and leave the top open for approximately 10 minutes.
  3. After 10 minutes, stir your coals for an even cook.
  4. Put your plate setter into the BGE, legs up and put your grill grate on top of the legs.
  5. Pro Tip: I use the disposable drip pans on top of my plate setter to keep it (somewhat) clean.
  6. Close the BGE top and let your heat settle to 250 degrees. On my BGE, this usually means the top and bottom vent is open about the size of a US quarter.

COOK

  1. With your BGE set up for indirect cooking and settled at 250 degrees, put your beef tenderloin directly on the grill rack. Close the lid to begin roasting.
  2. Cook for approximately 20-25 minutes, or when the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 85-90 degrees.
  3. Flip the tenderloin to promote even cooking. Close the lid to continue roasting.
  4. Continue roasting for another 20-25 minutes, or when the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 110-115 degrees.
  5. With the internal temperature at 110-115 degrees, remove the beef tenderloin from the grill and onto a plate or cutting board. Tent the tenderloin slightly with foil to keep the heat in.
  6. With the BGE lid open, remove the grill grate and plate setter, and open up the bottom vent all the way to promote a higher temperature. With the bottom vent open it should take about 10-15 minutes for the fire and temperature to reach 450-550 degrees for searing. Stir the coals a few times to knock off some ash and spread the coals evenly.
  7. Put the grill grate back in the BGE (without the plate setter) for a direct cook.
  8. With the Big Green Egg between 450-550 degrees, place the beef tenderloin directly onto the grill grate to begin the searing process.
  9. Sear each side of the tenderloin turning every 2 minutes. Continue this process of turning every 2 minutes until an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees (for medium rare) is reached.
  10. Once the desired temperature is reached, remove the beef tenderloin from the grill and place on a cutting board.

REST AND SERVE

  1. Rest for a minimum of 10-15 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute from the outer edges of the tenderloin back to the center. Resting is a crucial step in the process to ensure moisture in every slice.
  2. Once rested, slice the tenderloin in approximately 1/3-inch medallions.
  3. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

RECOMMENDED TOOLS:

- kitchen twine, string

- sheet pan and cooling rack

- spice grinder

- probe thermometer

- aluminum foil