This holiday-worthy meal is such a special treat! While my mom's Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin Recipe will impress your guests, it's a simple, easy dinner that any home cook can prepare on the grill or in the oven. Treat yourself and your loved ones to a true Christmas gift with this tender, mouthwatering, and flavorful entree!
Well, today is December 1! That means that Christmas is less than a month away (crazy!), and you might be starting to think about your decorations, your shopping list, your cookie baking, and your special holiday menu.
What does your family typically serve for Christmas dinner? We do ham for Easter, turkey for Thanksgiving, and always Mom's Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin recipe for Christmas! The dish never fails, it disappears fast, and it feels way more decadent than your average weeknight dinner! It's truly the perfect beef tenderloin recipe!
But let's not get crazy, here -- I'm certainly not sharing some complicated, stressful, or difficult beef tenderloin recipe that's going to suck up hours of your valuable time on Christmas day. Oh, heck no! This only looks fancy! In standard fashion, I've managed to bring you a holiday meal that will WOW! your guests, without requiring too much effort on your part. In other words...the best of both worlds!
In fact, most of the work is done the day before, so you can prepare the meal in advance and then just enjoy your special holiday dinner the next day -- no stress necessary. I nagged my mom for her "secret" recipe, which is no longer very secret. The truth is, Mom just adapted a beef tenderloin recipe that originally came from Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Over the years, Mom's tweaks have made the recipe even easier, which is perfect for impatient, busy home cooks like me!
First, the basics...
What is beef tenderloin used for?
A beef tenderloin is cut from the loin of the beef, and is comprised of three main "cuts:" the butt, the center-cut, and the tail. The butt end is often used for carpaccio; the center-cut is best for sliced steaks; and the center-cut yields the traditional filet mignon. The tail is not great for steaks because it isn't a consistent size, so these small pieces of tender meat are often used in dishes such as Beef Stroganoff.
What is the difference between beef tenderloin and filet mignon?
Beef tenderloin is the name of the large cut of beef before it is sliced into steak. Once it is cut into steaks, those steaks are known by the French name,"filet mignon." In other words, they are the same meat -- one is cut and the other is not!
How do you cook a whole beef tenderloin in the oven or on the grill?
There are a few keys to the rich, flavorful, tender, and juicy meat. First, it marinates in a sauce for about 24 hours and soaks up so much flavor.
Ingredients for the beef tenderloin marinade include: Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and Dijon mustard.
After the meat marinates for 24 hours, it gets another layer of flavor from a dry garlic rub...and it's finishes with a sweet bourbon glaze on the grill! Holy cow, that glaze is good! And it doesn't have a strong bourbon (or booz-y) flavor, so even my 4, 6, and 8-year-olds devour their "steak."
How long do you cook beef tenderloin?
I asked Keith to do the grilling for this meal, since he's BY FAR the best grill master in our house. This is a great way to free up the oven for side dishes at a big holiday feast; however, if you prefer to cook your meat in the oven, that's also an option. I've included both sets of instructions in the beef tenderloin recipe below.
On the Grill: Sear the beef tenderloin over medium direct heat until well marked (about 20 minutes), turning ¼ every 5 minutes. Continue grilling over medium indirect heat until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F for medium rare (10-20 minutes). During the final 10 minutes of grilling time, turn and baste with the glaze.
In the Oven: Roast the beef tenderloin in the oven at 475 degrees F until the beef registers an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium rare (about 20-30 minutes). Baste with glaze during the final 10 minutes of baking time.
COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:
- Prepare the marinade, rub, and glaze in advance. You will not need the rub or the glaze until you're ready to cook the beef, but having it all ready to go ahead of time will take the stress out of a holiday meal.
- For maximum flavor, use the grill! Your oven is a fine alternative, but you'll get the best char and the best flavor from a grill.
- Use a meat thermometer to know when your beef tenderloin is done. The total cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your whole beef tenderloin. For a medium rare finish, the beef should reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees F.
What to serve with Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin:
This versatile entrée pairs nicely with just about any of your favorites sides. Here are some easy recipe ideas to round out your meal:
- Make-Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Aunt Bee's 3-Ingredient Cheesy Potato Casserole (<-- this is one of the prep-ahead sides that my mom always serves with her beef)
- Aunt Bee's 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- Easy Creamed Spinach Casserole (another family favorite!)
- Easy Broccoli Casserole
- 5-Ingredient Easy Cranberry Salad
Other easy beef recipes that you might enjoy:
- Ribeye Steak with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
- Guinness Flank Steak Marinade
- Balsamic Slow Cooker Roast Beef
Enjoy, have a wonderful holiday season, and treat yourself to a decadent Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin. It's the highlight of our Christmas dinner each year, and I hope that you'll give it a try for your own celebration as well!
Southern Bourbon-Glazed Beef Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 center-cut beef tenderloin 2 ½ - 3 lbs.*
FOR THE MARINADE:
- ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
FOR THE RUB:
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE GLAZE:
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- Olive oil
Instructions
PREPARE THE MARINADE:
- In a small bowl, whisk together Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard.
- Trim the tenderloin of any excess fat or silver skin. Place the tenderloin in a large zip-top plastic bag and pour marinade over top. Squeeze air out of the bag and seal to close. Gently toss to coat the beef in the marinade. Set the bag on a plate and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
PREPARE THE RUB:
- In a small bowl, stir together garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
PREPARE THE GLAZE:
- In a small bowl, whisk together bourbon, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, and brown sugar until sugar dissolves.
- After 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator, remove the tenderloin from the bag and discard the marinade.
- Wipe excess marinade off of the tenderloin by patting it with paper towels.
- Press the garlic rub into the tenderloin on all sides and allow to stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before grilling.
- Lightly brush or spray the tenderloin with olive oil.
ON THE GRILL (preferred method):
- Sear tenderloin over medium direct heat until well marked (about 20 minutes), turning ¼ every 5 minutes. Continue grilling over medium indirect heat until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F for medium rare (10-20 minutes). During the final 10 minutes of grilling time, turn and baste with the glaze.
- Remove the tenderloin from the grill and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes (the internal temperature will continue to rise a bit during this time). Cut beef into 1-inch slices and serve warm.
IN THE OVEN:
- Prepare tenderloin according to instructions above. After rubbing the tenderloin with seasoning, allow to sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
- Place tenderloin on a roasting rack and insert a meat thermometer. Roast in the oven until the beef registers an internal temperature of 135 degrees F for medium rare (about 20-30 minutes). Baste with glaze during the final 10 minutes of baking time.
- Allow meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Prepare the marinade, rub, and glaze in advance. You will not need the rub or the glaze until you're ready to cook the beef, but having it all ready to go ahead of time will take the stress out of a holiday meal.
- For maximum flavor, use the grill! Your oven is a fine alternative, but you'll get the best char and the best flavor from a grill.
- Use a meat thermometer to know when your beef tenderloin is done. The total cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your whole beef tenderloin. For a medium rare finish, the beef should reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees F.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
This sounds like a delicious Christmas dinner! I don't think I've made beef tenderloin quite like this before, so I will have to try this out. Love that rub and glaze on top!
Blair
Thanks, Gayle!
Patti
I wasn't sure how, in NH, to grill on Christmas, the roast that my company gives as a "Thank You" to all their employees.
This sounds very do-able for me.
Thank You for all of the wonderful recipes. We did the Dump-and-Bake Kentucky Hot Brown Casserole, and it was fantastic!
My son thanks you as well. He takes a lot of leftovers to work, as do we.
Also, your grocery list planner is amazing! I find that I spend less money because I plan meals and buy only what I need.
Blair
Hi, Patti! I'm so glad that you might try the beef. We love this dish!
I'm also thrilled to hear that your family enjoys my recipes and meal planner. Thank you so much for letting me know!! 🙂
Lynn Kleist
This looks delicious. I usually cook ham because it’s cheaper and I don’t have to worry about having the beef turn out right for everyone’s preference ( rare, med. rare, med. etc.) Beef seems more special. Maybe I will try it this year. What side dishes do you usually serve with the roast?
Blair
Hi, Lynn! You might be pleasantly surprised by the beef -- especially if you purchase a large enough cut. When I get the 7-8 lb. tenderloin from Costco, it's shaped so that the ends are smaller than the middle. As a result, the middle of the beef stays pretty rare, while the ends are more well done (because they're smaller). That way everyone can pick the part of the beef that's cooked to preference. I hope that makes sense. 🙂
As far as sides go, we always have:
- Aunt Bee's Potatoes (so easy, and they can be made in advance): https://www.theseasonedmom.com/cheesy-potato-casserole/
- My Grandmother's Sauerkraut with Crispy Bacon: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/grandmas-easy-sauerkraut-crispy-bacon/
- Often a salad (like this): https://www.theseasonedmom.com/tossed-salad-apple-butter-vinaigrette/
- Usually a fruit salad or sauce, like this cranberry sauce: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/cranberry-clementine-sauce/ OR a fluff salad with fruit like my Orange Pineapple Fluff Salad: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/orange-pineapple-fluff-salad/ or my 6-Cup Ambrosia Salad: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/6-cup-ambrosia-salad/
- If you want a warm vegetable dish, this broccoli casserole is great: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/cheesy-broccoli-casserole/
- and you might like to include a bread basket or a loaf of fresh bread on the side.
Enjoy!
Lyn-Anne Williams
This is absolutely delicious. I am making this every year from now on!!! Thank you for a fantastic recipe!!
Blair
Wonderful, Lyn-Anne! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! We serve this every year for Christmas too, and it's always a hit! 🙂 Happy holidays!
Barb
About how long does a larger tenderloin (7-8lbs) take to cook in the oven?
Blair
Hi, Barb! It's probably about 1 hour, but definitely use a meat thermometer to tell when it reaches 135 degrees F, since every piece of beef is slightly different in size/thickness. 🙂
Maureen
Look omg forward to trying this! I don’t have a grill but am thinking I could swear over high heat on the stove in either a large skillet or grill pan, then finish in the oven.
Blair
Perfect, Maureen! Let me know how it goes!
Denise D.
Hi Blair! I made this tonight in the oven with a tri tip and am blown away! So delicious and easy. I can’t wait to try it on the grill. Thanks for such a great recipe. Happy New Year!
Blair
Yay! I'm so glad that it was a hit, Denise! Happy New Year! 🙂
Norma
Made this last night and it was wonderful! Only had four hours to marinate, but it was still very flavorful. Went a tad shy on the amount of brown sugar, but otherwise made as per the instructions. Love the "bark" from grilling and the inside was very juicy! Very nice dish--husband was impressed!
Blair
That's great, Norma! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a note. 🙂