Description
This Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Mushroom Sauce recipe features a perfectly roasted center-cut beef tenderloin slathered in a garlic-thyme butter and served with a rich and comforting mushroom sauce made with marsala wine, cream, and fresh herbs. Ideal for a special occasion or elegant dinner, the tender meat and flavorful sauce create a mouthwatering dish that's both impressive and easy to prepare with simple ingredients and classic techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef
- 1.25 kg centre cut beef tenderloin (eye fillet), tied
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Garlic-Thyme-Butter Slather
- 75 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp garlic, finely grated or very finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- 150 g white mushrooms, sliced 3 mm thick
- 1/2 tsp garlic, finely minced
- 1 thyme sprig
- 3/4 cup marsala (Italian fortified wine)
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
- 3/4 cup thickened cream (heavy cream)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Prep beef: Pat the beef dry with paper towels then sprinkle salt and pepper all over. Place beef on a rack on a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours for best seasoning results, or skip this step if short on time.
- Make butter slather: In a bowl, mix softened unsalted butter with grated garlic, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- De-chill beef: Remove beef from fridge 2 hours before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature for even cooking.
- Sear beef: Heat vegetable oil in an ovenproof heavy-based pan over high heat until smoking. Quickly and aggressively brown the entire surface of the beef on all sides. Then place beef back on rack and let cool for 15 minutes to prevent butter from melting on contact.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 120°C/250°F for roasting.
- Butter beef: Place beef back in the cooled skillet. Slather 3/4 of the garlic-thyme butter over the top and sides of the beef, avoiding the underside.
- Roast beef: Roast the beef for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and slather the remaining butter on top and sides. Return to oven and roast for an additional 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 53°C/127°F for medium rare.
- Rest beef: Transfer beef to a cutting board and rest for 10 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to 56-58°C / 133-136°F, indicating perfect medium rare. Slice thickly to serve.
- Make creamy mushroom sauce: Pour all roasting juices from skillet into a bowl or jug and let fat rise to the surface. Pour off 1/4 cup (60 ml) of fat back into skillet and reserve remainder for later.
- Cook mushrooms: Heat reserved butter fat on high heat, add sliced mushrooms and cook until they begin to sweat. Stir in thyme sprig and minced garlic, cooking for 2 more minutes until mushrooms soften.
- Prepare sauce: Add low sodium chicken stock and reduce by half. Then add marsala wine, thickened cream, black pepper, and the reserved roasting juices. Simmer over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces by half. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Serve: Spoon creamy mushroom sauce over sliced beef tenderloin and enjoy.
Notes
- For best results, use centre cut beef tenderloin as it cooks evenly and holds shape when tied but untied can also be used.
- If fresh thyme is unavailable, substitute with 1/2 tsp dried thyme crushed to powder for the butter slather and omit in the sauce to avoid specks.
- Marsala is key for flavor; use dry marsala, but it can be substituted with port, sherry, madeira, or white wine. For non-alcoholic, substitute marsala with extra chicken stock.
- Overnight salting enhances flavor and seasoning depth but can be skipped if time-constrained.
- A meat thermometer is highly recommended to ensure perfect doneness.
- Use a heavy, ovenproof pan like a cast iron skillet to sear and roast the beef.
- Different levels of doneness are achievable by adjusting roast pull temperature: rare at 50°C, medium rare at 53°C (recommended), medium at 56°C, medium well at 60°C. Always rest beef after roasting for carryover cooking.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended to preserve texture and flavor.
- Pre-salting the beef overnight significantly improves flavor penetration and meat texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
