How to Prepare Beef Tenderloin to Serve the Next Day
- 1). Purchase the beef tenderloin the day before you plan to eat it for ideal freshness.
- 2). Place your tenderloin on the cutting board and with a sharp knife trim any excess fat. Rinse the meat and pat dry.
- 3). Sprinkle the tenderloin with salt and pepper. Season the meat by adding herbs and/or spices. Rosemary, thyme, peppercorn, saffron, garlic and oregano all make nice complements to beef. It's best to limit your mixture to two to three herbs or spices so that you do not saturate the meat with excessive and competing flavors -- but you can be generous with the few flavors you do choose.
- 4). Drizzle olive oil over the meat, herbs and spices. With a spoon or other utensil, spread the mixture evenly over the meat.
- 5). Place the tenderloin in a covered dish or pan and refrigerate overnight so that it marinates.
- 6). Remove the beef tenderloin from the refrigerator approximately 1 hour before cooking and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 7). Tie the length of the tenderloin into even sections using butcher's twine. This will help the meat cook more evenly. Place a cooking thermometer in the thickest portion of the tenderloin and insert into the oven.
- 8). Cook until the thermometer reads at least 120 degrees for rare, 145 degrees for medium rare or 160 degrees for medium. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. This will help the meat retain its juices.
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