This
New Year’s Eve splurge special is dedicated to all of you who’ve used
the cost as the excuse for not doing a beef tenderloin, when the real
reason is the intense fear of screwing up such an expensive cut of meat.
The
thought of paying all that money for such a luxury item, only to have
it end up a dry, overcooked platter of corn-fed humiliation, is just too
much to take. Well, I have some very good news. Using these very simple
techniques, anyone can achieve a perfectly pink and juicy roast.
One
secret is the slow oven, which allows for a gentle roasting, and
produces an even, rosy hue throughout the muscle. The other trick is
roasting the beef on top of the pan sauce, which not only flavors the
meat, but also humidifies the oven for a moist, aromatic cooking
environment.
Of
course, both of those are dependent on you being able to give this a
serious sear before it goes in the oven, but I have complete confidence
in you.
This
particular cut of beef is extremely tender, but very lean, and so
cooking it beyond medium-rare is not recommended. If you like your beef
medium-well and beyond, you are completely wasting your money on one of
these beauties. I’m usually not that militant about having to eat steaks
medium-rare, but this time I really must insist.