Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Brandy Butter Sauce

From Food & Drink, Summer 2011

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Marinate: 2 hours in the fridge then 30 minutes on counter
Grill time: 30 minutes for medium rare
Rest time: 5 minutes
Cooking time for sauce: 10-14 minutes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 beef tenderloin (3lb/1.5kg) (F & D uses 2 veal tenderloins)

½ cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled
¼ cup brandy
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

¼ cup steak spice
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp olive oil

Brandy Butter Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 cup shallots, thinly sliced (about 6 small ones)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp brandy diluted with
2 tbsp water
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter, brandy & thyme.

2. Pat tenderloin dry with paper towels. Fill an injector with the butter mixture. Stab and inject the tenderloin in multiple places. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. In a small bowl, combine the steak spice and smoked paprika. Remove tenderloin from the fridge, rub with olive oil and massage with spice mixture. Set aside for 30 minutes – 1 hour to come to room temperature.

4. Preheat the grill to high and sear tenderloin about 1 ½ minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium high (450°F/230°C) and grill 4-6 minutes per side for medium rare. (An instant read thermometer should register 145°F/63°C)

5. Remove from the grill and place on a cutting board, cover with foil for 5-10 minutes. This finishes the cooking and relaxes the meat. I used to think this was a waste of time, but trust me, it really does make any meat more tender and juicy.

6. Remove the foil and slice into 1” medallions and serve with brandy butter sauce.

FOR THE BRANDY SAUCE: (while the tenderloin is grilling)
1. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat (stovetop or BBQ side burner). Heat 1 tbsp butter until foaming. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes, until very soft and fragrant.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the diluted brandy. Whisk in the cold butter 1 cube at a time until fully incorporated. If the mixture becomes too cool to melt the butter, place back on the burner briefly while whisking constantly to ensure sauce does not split. Season with salt & pepper to taste and keep warm over very gentle heat until ready to serve.

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