How To Cook Beef Tenderloin On A Pellet Grill
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Beef tenderloin, that tender, special occasion cut of beef from which we get filet mignon, is deliciously cooked on the Traeger pellet grill. And there are many ways you can do it. You can smoke it low and slow from start to finish, roast it like you would an oven (but with the addition of epic wood-fired flavor), or perhaps best of all, reverse sear it, meaning you smoke it first then finish it on high heat to get a nice crust. And, if you cut steaks from the tenderloin, you can grill them quickly over high heat. Ultimately, how to cook beef tenderloin depends on how much wood-fired flavor you want and how much effort you want to put it into it.
Read on for more about this epic cut of beef and all the ways to cook it.
What is Beef Tenderloin?
Beef tenderloin is a large, luxurious cut that’s so tender you can cut it with a butter knife. Cut from the loin, below the spin of the cow, the muscle does not see much work, which accounts for its delicate texture. Filet mignon famously comes from the tenderloin, the steaks being sliced from the thinner end of the tenderloin.
A whole, trimmed beef tenderloin can weigh between 4 and 6 pounds, though it can be cut into smaller roasts, most famously Chateaubriand, which is cut from the center of the tenderloin. Coming in at over two feet long, a whole beef tenderloin can feed 8 to 12 depending on how it’s trimmed.
How to Trim Beef Tenderloin
Speaking of trimming, you can buy a whole tenderloin already trimmed, but you can easily trim a whole beef tenderloin yourself, which not only saves money, but allows for custom cuts. For example, you can cut a smaller roast from it and also freeze steaks to enjoy at a later date. You will generally find whole, untrimmed tenderloin (often called unpeeled) packed in cryovac.
How To Cook Beef Tenderloin
There are a few ways to go about cooking a whole beef tenderloin from smoking, roasting, or grilling.
How to Roast Beef Tenderloin
Perhaps the easiest and most hands-off would be to roast it at a steady temperature until cooked to your desired doneness, between 350°F and 450°F. This is easy to do on the Traeger because the convection grilling can act like an oven, evenly heating the roast all over. Just set it and forget it.
How to Smoke Beef Tenderloin
Smoking a whole beef tenderloin is a great way to impart delicious wood-fired flavor while keeping the meat juicy and tender. And your Traeger makes smoking easy. To start, pick your pellet. Hickory and mesquite offer the most smoke flavor, perfect for beef. Our limited edition Meat Church pellets offer a mix of both hickory and the classic oak.
Once you have your pellet selected, simply set the grill temperature to a good smoking temperature (usually between 180°F and 225°F). For the most smoke flavor, use Super Smoke, if available, but know that it will only work up to 225°F. For the easiest monitoring of the internal temperature, insert a wired leave-in meat thermometer or a wireless one like MEATER, into the thickest part of the roast. Then just place the roast directly on the grill grate and let the Traeger do its magic. You can smoke the meat from beginning to end or you can finish it with a sear (on a hot grill grate, a heated sear grate or the Flatrock) to give it a dark, flavorful crust. This method is known as reverse searing and is often used for cooking steak but works great with tenderloin, too (especially if you want to achieve the perfect medium rare). If searing after smoking, take the tenderloin off the grill when it reaches 120°F.
This same process may be used to cook steaks cut from a beef tenderloin, such as filet mignon. Just know the smaller cuts will smoke to 120°F in less time and just need to be seared on two sides.
How To Grill Beef Tenderloin (Steaks)
We will get into more detail about how to smoke and then sear a tenderloin, but let’s address grilling. If we think of grilling as a quick, high-heat method of cooking, it does not make much sense for a whole tenderloin, which is a large piece of meat. The high heat would overcook the exterior before the interior is cooked. That said, if the tenderloin is cut into steaks, they can certainly be grilled the same way you would grill a rib-eye or other thinner cut.
If you are cooking a whole beef tenderloin though, check out these tips for success:
Beef Tenderloin Cooking Tips
Tie your roast to make it more evenly sized.
If you are cooking a whole beef tenderloin, there are a few things to consider before the meat meets heat. A smaller roast cut from the whole might be an even thickenss, but a whole tenderloin has two ends of different thicknesses. The wider end called the nose or butt and the tail end. To make the roast more evenly sized, you can cut away that loose hunk of meat on the butt end and cook it another time. Of course, this means your roast will feed fewer people. Or you can leave the hunk on but tie it snugly with twine in a few places to make it more compact. For the tail, you can once again either cut off a couple inches where it’s very thin (but save that meat—it’s expensive!) or you can tuck the thin part under and tie twine around it to make that end thicker.
Season your roast.
The seasoning for beef tenderloin can be as simple as kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Spice rubs are also great. You can simply sprinkle them all over the roast or coat the roast first with a binder like mustard or Worcestershire sauce, which will also add a bit of flavor. Among our favorites rubs for tenderloin are Beef Rub, Prime Rib Rub, Blackened Saskatchewan, and our Coffee Rub. Even better, go with a combo of two or more of them.
What Temperature Do You Cook Beef Tenderloin To?
What temperature to cook beef tenderloin to depends on how you like it cooked. Check out our Steak Temperature Guide to see which internal temperatures go with which doneness.
For medium rare, it’s best to pull a whole beef tenderloin off the grill at about 125°F. This is because it’s larger than a steak and so needs some rest time for the juices to redistribute. During that time, the internal temperature will continue to increase by about 5 degrees bringing it to about 130°F.
When temping the tenderloin, you want to insert a meat thermometer, such as a MEATER, into the middle of the thickest section. Keep in mind that any thinner sections will cook a little more, but that means there’ll be a slice for everyone’s preference.
How To Tell When Beef Tenderloin Is Done
A meat thermometer is the best way to tell when meat is cooked to your desired doneness. But it’s also a good idea to learn what the meat feels like when it’s cooked right. To practice, give your tenderloin a poke at different times during cooking and see how it feels when done. When medium rare, it should offer some slight resistance when poked. You can also try sticking a metal cake tester or thin skewer into the center of the tenderloin and pulling it out. Touch the tip to your wrist. If cold, the meat is very rare. If it’s about body temperature, the meat is likely medium rare. If hot, you may have overcooked your meat.
Can You Sear Beef Tenderloin?
Yes, you can sear beef tenderloin. If you like a crisp, beautifully browned crust, try the reverse sear method. For a reverse sear, you smoke the meat to a slightly lower temperature, usually around 120°F. Then you finish it by searing it either on the grill with the temperature turned up high, or in a hot skillet or on a hot griddle, such as the Traeger Flatrock. Not only does searing add color and texture but also those deep toasty notes you get from the Maillard reaction.
If you intend to sear beef tenderloin either at the start or end of cooking, you may want to cut it in half crosswise into two pieces that will fit better in a pan and be easier to handle. Coat the meat with a little oil, then add it to the hot pan or griddle. Let it cook until nicely browned on one side, then turn it to cook other sides until cooked to your desired internal temperature. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest before slicing.
Best Beef Tenderloin Recipes
Porcini Crusted Tenderloin with red Wine Mushrooms Sauce
When the goal is to impress, make this elegant dish. The mushroom sauce also goes well with other cuts of beef.
Sear-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Herb Sauce
A tangy-sweet herb sauce adds bright flavor and a burst of color to a simple but perfectly cooked beef tenderloin that makes any dinner a special occasion.
Slathered with a mix of mustard, bourbon, and black pepper then reverse seared, this roast will become your go-to recipe for special occasions.
Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Blue Cheese and Peppercorn Butter
Twenty-five 5-star reviews can’t be wrong. Cut some steaks from your whole tenderloin then top them with a blue-cheese spiked garlic butter for rich, savory flavor.
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Mustard Cream Sauce
A tangy mustard sauce takes this herb and spice-rubbed beef over the top.
Roasted Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin
Bacon makes everything better, including beef tenderloin.
Smoked Beef Tenderloin
by Traeger Kitchen
50 Reviews
Prep Time
15 Min
Cook Time
1 Hr
30 Min
Serves
4
Pellets
Mesquite
We’re taking smoked beef tenderloin to the next level with a mustard, garlic, bourbon marinade, a peppered outer crust, and an hour-long blast of pure hardwood smoke.
Ingredients
main
| 1 | (2 to 2-1/2 lb) Beef Tenderloin Roast, trimmed |
| 1/2 Cup | Dijon mustard |
| 2 Clove | garlic, mashed into a paste |
| 2 Tablespoon | bourbon or strong cold coffee |
| To Taste | kosher salt |
| To Taste | coarse ground black and green peppercorns |
1
Lay the tenderloin on a large piece of plastic wrap.
2
In a small bowl, combine the mustard, garlic, and bourbon. Slather the mixture evenly all over the tenderloin. Wrap in the plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3
Unwrap the plastic wrap and generously season the tenderloin on all sides with salt and coarsely ground pepper.
4
When ready to cook, set the Traeger temperature to 180℉ and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes. For optimal flavor, use Super Smoke, if available.
5
Insert a leave-in meat thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin. Place the tenderloin directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and smoke for 60 minutes.
6
Remove the tenderloin from the grill. Increase the grill temperature to 400℉.
7
Once the grill is hot, place the tenderloin back on the grill, close the lid, and roast until the internal beef tenderloin temperature reaches 130℉, 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the tenderloin. Do not overcook.
8
Remove the tenderloin from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
