My Reverse Seared Beef Tenderloin will be your favorite holiday meal. This cut of beef is cooked to perfection on the Goldens’ and seasoned with two of my best-selling rubs. My tenderloin has a flavor profile that pairs well with any traditional side dish.
This recipe is just as beautiful as it is tasty. Fresh herbs and whole cloves of garlic add a burst of flavor and a touch of rustic charm. Your friends and family will be drooling with anticipation!
Don’t let its fancy appearance fool you; this Reverse Seared Beef Tenderloin is easy to make. With my foolproof method, you’ll have the perfect cut of meat every time. I ordered my tenderloin from The Butcher Shoppe in Pensacola, Florida. It arrived trimmed and tied, ready to go. I can’t recommend this business enough; I’ve also ordered prime rib with great results.
The Ingredients
You can’t beat a holiday dinner with less than 10 ingredients! This delicious tenderloin uses common pantry items to make one gourmet feast. You won’t use the entire container of rub, so you’ll have extra for your next great pit boss adventure. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart.
- Beef tenderloin. I fell in love with The Butcher Shoppes meat a while ago, and I’ve never looked back. This is my go-to for any fancy meal, such as prime rib, beef tenderloin, or wagyu. If you don’t want to spend much time prepping your meat, you’ll be glad to know these cuts come ready to grill. Remember that your cooking time will vary if your tenderloin differs in size from mine.
- Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub. This delicious rub combines my Garlic Jalapeño Rub and Roasted Garlic Butter Blend. Though this rub contains jalapeño, it’s mild enough that even children enjoy it. It's not just for beef; add it to your chicken, veggies, seafood, popcorn, and eggs.
- Heath Riles BBQ Hot BBQ. I used this blend of spices in the 2022 Memphis in May Competition. It helped me win that competition, and I know it’ll help you bring home trophies, too! This is a fabulous blend of brown sugar, paprika, and a few secret spices that pull it together. Use it on your ribs, turkey, fish, pork, or any cut of meat that needs a little extra color.
- Fresh rosemary and thyme. I love basting my tenderloin with a little fresh rosemary and thyme. The herbs infuse the beef with an exquisite flavor and make it look fancy.
- Butter. The butter and herbs mesh together, creating a rich basting mixture. This keeps the tenderloin moist and keeps the juices where they belong. I find two sticks of butter is the ideal amount. Any less, and you may not have enough to cover the meat.
- Garlic cloves. You can’t have a good holiday meal without garlic. Skip the powdered stuff and go for the real deal. Whole garlic cloves melt into the butter, only adding to its appeal. I use 12 garlic cloves; you can use more or less, depending on your preference.
- Olive oil. This beef tenderloin called for a mild binder, so I used olive oil. I recommend using extra-virgin olive oil because it has a high smoking point. The oil melts into the beef, adding an extra dose of moisture. With all the fats our tenderloin is bathing in, you can’t expect anything less than perfection.
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the leading equipment I used for this cook. You can find more of my grilling must-haves in the equipment and tools section.
- Grill. I cooked this tenderloin on the Goldens’ Cast Iron Cooker. This is a durable setup that doesn’t take up a lot of space. It includes shelving for easy meal prep, and you can purchase a searing plate that makes fabulous steaks.
- Charcoal/fire starter. I stoked my grill with Royal Oak Charcoal and Royal Oak Tumbleweed Fire Starters. I love Royal Oak Charcoal because it doesn’t have any fillers. All you get is the good stuff, just how it should be.
The Process for Making Reverse Seared Beef Tenderloin
You can find a detailed demonstration for this cook in the recipe card and video at the bottom of this post. Here’s a brief overview of how I pulled this recipe together.
- Fire up the grill. I stoked my grill with Royal Oak Charcoal and Fire Starter. I let the grill heat to a temperature of 275ºF-300ºF.
- Prep the tenderloin. I took the tenderloin out of the package and dried it off. My cut of meat came ready to go, but you may have to trim yours, so it cooks evenly.
- Melt the basting mixture. I put two sticks of butter, 12 whole garlic cloves, and fresh thyme and rosemary in a small skillet. I set the skillet on the grill to let the butter brown while I prepped the tenderloin.
- Bind and season. I drizzled the beef tenderloin with olive oil and rubbed it in. Then, I added a layer of Garlic Butter Rub, followed by a thin coating of Hot BBQ rub. I ensured I seasoned all sides of the tenderloin before moving to the next step.
- Sweat and cook. I let my tenderloin sweat in for 15-20 minutes. Then, I put the tenderloin on the cool zone of the Goldens’ and let it cook until it reached 115ºF internally.
- Sear and baste. Next, I opened the vent on the Goldens’ to crank the fire up. Then, I laid the tenderloin on the grill and used my herb bundle to baste the meat. I kept flipping the tenderloin and basting it until it hit 125ºF internally.
- Rest and serve. I tented the tenderloin with foil and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Then, I removed the string and sliced it up.
The Results
The beef tenderloin was perfectly tender and had a spectacular bark. Cooking it whole gave guests the ability to choose what slice they wanted. This recipe is an easy way to amp up your holiday meal.
Serving Suggestions for Reverse Seared Beef Tenderloin
If you’d like to create an entire BBQ menu, try one of these unique side dishes.
- Viral SweeTarts Cocktail. This simple drink makes holiday dinners a blast. It went viral on TikTok, so I had to try it myself!
- BBQ Charcuterie Board. Keep the main event the main event with this grazing appetizer. It features crackers, cheese, BBQ-ed meat, and pickles.
- Green Bean Casserole and Mashed Potatoes. You can find these recipes within my Thanksgiving menu. Both are basic dishes that pair wonderfully with our tenderloin.
Storing Reverse Seared Beef Tenderloin
You can refrigerate any leftovers for up to three days.
Equipment and Tools
Grill, charcoal pellets, fire starter, paper towels, cutting board, heavy-duty aluminum foil, cast iron skillet, instant-read meat thermometer, YETI Tundra 65 Hard Cooler, and insulated gloves for handling meat, ChefAlarm
