Traeger Beef Tenderloin is the ultimate main dish when you are cooking for a special occasion. This is your complete guide to a perfectly cooked beef tenderloin with great flavor. We are going high heat and fast to make sure we don't overcook this special cut of meat.
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Great Flavor of Traeger Beef Tenderloin
I always make a whole roast during the holiday season or when family visits from out of town. It is one of my favorite cuts of beef because it has a mild flavor, very tender texture, and impresses everyone at the dinner table. There's nothing better than when you serve thick slices of beef tenderloin along some comfort food side dishes and a special sauce.
Buying the Best Beef Tenderloin
To get the best quality for your beef tenderloin, look for a prime a beef tenderloin labeled "peeled extreme." This will have had the chain removed and all connective tissue or silver skin trimmed from the tenderloin. This will be a more expensive cut of meat by pound in the meat department, but it's worth it for a special dinner. You will end up with a lean cut of meat that is perfect from end to end. I will take this over prime rib 8 days a week.
I always buy my beef tenderloin at Costco and have never been disappointed. If you are not shopping at Costco, you can order one on-line or connect with a butcher at your local grocery store to help you find the best beef tenderloin possible.
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How to Season Your Beef Tenderloin
To start, you can use any beef rub or spice combination that you would normally use on a filet mignon. Most beef rubs include a combination of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. I usually go pretty simple with my spices and then make a good sauce to go alongside my Traeger tenderloin.
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- onion powder
- smoked paprika
You will also need a neutral flavored cooking oil that is safe to use at a high temperature. I use avocado oil, but if you prefer something else- go for it.
When to Season your Tenderloin
Dry brine your beef tenderloin by salting it the day before you are going to cook it and let it sit in the refrigerator uncovered overnight. That is the best way to control the moisture in your beef.
This will accomplish 3 things:
- Help ensure an even cook all of the way through the
- Build a nice crust
- Infuse flavor deep below the surface
Helpful Supplies
- butchers twine
- large cutting board
- sheet pan with wire rack
- wireless meat thermometer or the temperature probes that came with your pellet grill
Ideal Internal Temperature
You can choose to cook your beef tenderloin at a high heat quickly, or cook it longer and lower. The internal temperature of the meat is what you must go with to stop the cooking process. And there will be carryover cooking. What does that mean for YOUR desired doneness?
Rare 120-124 degrees F dark pink edges and bright red center
Medium Rare 125-129 degrees F pink throughout with warm red center
Medium 130-134 degrees F medium pink all of the way through and darker edges
Make sure to stick your temperature probe in the thickest part of the tenderloin and remove it as soon as it reaches your desired temperature.
More Tips For a Consistent Internal Temperature
Take the tenderloin out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before you put it on the grill and let it rest at room temperature. This will effect overall cooking time and more even cooking.
Remove the very end of the tail for a consistent thickness of the tenderloin. The thinner end will still be darker than the head, but removing the thinnest part helps.
Dry Brining- you've already learned why that is important
Trussing the tenderloin also helps with an even shape, thus even cooking.
Let the Beef Rest
There will be quite a bit of moisture in the beef tenderloin roast. It is so important to cover the whole tenderloin with aluminum foil and let the meat rest before cutting into it.
The rest time also allows any carryover cooking to finish. The great thing about a long rest is that you can also prepare your sides and sauces to hit the table in unison. Look at you GO!
Trussing a Whole Beef Tenderloin
For the best results, you'll want to use butcher's twine to truss the tenderloin. This will maintain that even shape and helps with cooking evenly.
What Temperature Should We Cook Beef Tenderloin
When it comes to setting the grill temperature, you need the final result in mind. For a lean cut of beef, I like to set my Traeger pellet to a very high heat around 425˚F. This won't yield much smoke flavor and I don't care to fuss with the reverse sear method or go low and slow and finish it in a cast iron pan. I want my Traeger beef tenderloin to be perfectly cooked more than anything else.
Sauces and Toppings for Your Steak
The best thing about a beautiful beef tenderloin is that is can be served with so many sauces. My favorites accompaniments include:
- Peppercorn Au Poivre
- Brown Butter with Crispy Shallots
- Mustard Cream Sauce
- Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Make This a Beautiful Meal
When it comes to a beautiful holiday dinner or any special occasion, I reach for beef tenderloin. I love serving this because it is a special cut of meat and sets the tone of our meal.
That means we need delicious side dishes and a dynamite sauce to finish strong. Here is my favorite holiday menu:
- Twice smoked potato casserole - similar to mashed potatoes but the flavor is turned way up with smoked gouda cheese
- Creamy Au Poivre Peppercorn Sauce
- Grilled Asparagus or Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Traeger Beef Tenderloin Recipe Card
Traeger Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 5 pounds beef tenderloin
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Dry Brine the Tenderloin
- The day before you plan to cook the tenderloin, remove it from its packaging and pat it dry. Trim any fat or silver skin that may have been left on.
- Season the beef tenderloin with salt or your favorite beef rub that has salt in it. Truss or tie off the tenderloin with cooking twice.
- Place the prepared tenderloin on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack and place the refrigerator uncovered over night.
Cooking the Tenderloin
- When you are ready to cook, remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator 30 min in advance.
- Preheat your Traeger to 425F.
- Drizzle the tenderloin with avocado oil or your favorite neutral flavored cooking oil. Season with additional spices as desired- black pepper, granulated garlic, paprika, and onion powder.
- Place the tenderloin directly on the grill grates and cook with the lid closed for 25 minutes or until it has reached an internal temperature of 127F for a medium pink all of the way through. Flip the tenderloin 2-3 times throughout the cooking process to ensure even cooking.
- Remove the tenderloin and wrap with foil as soon as it reaches the ideal desired temperature. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve with your favorite side dishes and sauces.
Video
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Tag me on Instagram @fancy_apron 🙂 or leave a comment below.
Barry says
At 21 minutes, I was concerned that it wasn’t working. At 28-minutes, it was perfect! I had a 4.65# beef tenderloin, and this recipe knocked out of the park! We had four medium-rare steaks, two medium steaks, and plenty of leftovers. The horseradish sauce was a hit too!
Alexis says
Yay!!! You just made my day. So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting 🙂
MetaMask Extension says
Your attention makes all the difference. Thank you for reading and being part of this incredible journey!