Beef Tenderloin Oscar

Spring flowers from our yard are earlier than usual so Bev made a bouquet.

I had a butt-end beef tenderloin in the freezer and had been wanting to cook it as a roast – a first - and since we enjoy Steak Oscar, we decided to give it a try using the roast.

The complete meal was:

An appetizer of Gouda Fondue using the recipe from Food.com with pears, apples, bread, and boiled baby potatoes as dippers. 

Caesar Salad with homemade dressing and croutons.

The main course consisting of the roast, steamed asparagus, lump crab meat (Chicken of the Sea Premium), and Bearnaise Sauce.

A dessert of Chocolate French Silk Pie provided by guest David and Laurie.

For the beef, I trimmed it to remove the external fat and all of the silver skin, including between the three muscles, tied it with butcher twine, and gave it a good coat of Montreal Steak Seasoning.

I cooked it in a 225F oven to an internal temperature of 115F (took about 90 minutes), then wrapped it in foil, laid it in a pre-warmed cooler, and covered with a couple of towels for an hour.

While it was in the cooler, I made the Bearnaise Sauce using the recipe from Epicurious

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

3 tablespoons minced shallots

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

Preparation:

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vinegar is evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking shallots, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer shallot reduction to a small bowl and let cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, fill a blender with hot water to warm it; set aside. Melt remaining 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is foamy. Transfer butter to a measuring cup.
3. Drain blender and dry well. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in warm, dry blender. Purée mixture until smooth. Remove lid insert. With blender running, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream of droplets, discarding milk solids at bottom of measuring cup. Continue blending until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in shallot reduction and tarragon and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. (I just used the immersion blender in a tall narrow container for the blending),

4. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

We steamed the asparagus and warmed the crab in a plastic bag in simmering water.  I added the roast back to a 550F oven for 10 minutes to add the crust, let it rest a few minutes, carved, plated the meals, and served – this is Laurie's and mine.

Let's eat.

I thought the beef was cooked about perfectly, providing more support for using the reverse sear method and the smaller end provided plenty for those that prefer theirs a little more done.  Mine was more rare than it looked in the shot and I got so busy I forgot to take an out-of-the-oven shot and a shot of the cut.  The roast provided just the right amount for the five of us.

I enjoyed the meal but believe Oscar works better with the increased crust flavor of a steak so next time I’m thinking mushroom pan sauce with the roast.  All-in-all though it was a really good meal and good times spent with friends.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry

2/19/17 Meal Date