Roast Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

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Perfect for special occasions, this sear-roasted beef tenderloin served with a rich red wine sauce is easy to make and super elegant.

This recipe for roasted beef tenderloin is my go-to for special occasions. It never fails to impress, and using a leave-in meat thermometer with a remote monitor makes it easy to cook the beef to the perfect level of doneness—no guesswork! The tenderloin is accompanied by a red wine reduction sauce, which tastes like something you’d order at a fancy French restaurant. It’s made by simmering a mixture of butter, shallots, red wine, beef broth, and thyme until the flavors intensify. A buerre manié, or flour and butter paste, is then whisked in to thicken the sauce and give it a glossy sheen. What’s more, the sauce can be made mostly in advance, so there’s very little fussing at the last minute. This dish is surprisingly easy, exceptionally elegant, and always delicious.

What you’ll need to Make Roast beef tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

The recipe calls for a beef tenderloin roast, which is the most tender (and most expensive) cut of beef available. “Beef tenderloin” refers to the large cut of beef before it is sliced into steaks. Once cut, those steaks are referred to as filet mignon, which is used in recipes like steak au poivre or pan-seared steaks. Package labeling can vary depending upon where you shop. For example, you will sometimes find it labeled Chateaubriand or filet mignon roast, so if you’re uncertain about what you’re buying, just ask the butcher.

Your tenderloin may have some kitchen twine tied around one end of it; butchers often tie tenderloin up near the tapered end so that it is the same thickness all the way around. If yours comes that way, leave the string on until after it’s cooked.  If it doesn’t, no worries—no need to do any tying.

When selecting a wine for the sauce, you can use any red, such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Red Zinfandel, that you have in the house. Don’t overthink it or use anything too pricey; when using wine for cooking, always select a bottle that’s inexpensive but still good enough to drink.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Sauce

Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan.

Add the shallots.

Cook over medium-low heat until soft and translucent, 7 to 8 minutes.

Add the wine, beef broth, thyme sprigs, salt, pepper and sugar, and bring to a boil.

Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half.

While the liquid is reducing, place the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Soften in the microwave (if necessary), then add the flour. Using a spoon, mix together into a paste. This is called a buerre manié, and it’s used to thicken sauces.

Once the wine mixture is reduced, reduce the heat to low and remove the thyme sprigs. Whisk the flour-butter mixture, a tablespoon at a time, into the simmering liquid, and simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce is thickened. The sauce can be made up to this point and refrigerated several days ahead of time.

Step 2: Roast the Beef Tenderloin

The best way to cook beef tenderloin is a two-step process: sear, then roast. The tenderloin gets a nice crusty brown exterior, which adds delicious flavor and texture to an otherwise lean cut.

Begin by seasoning the beef with kosher salt and pepper. Don’t be shy with the seasoning; it needs a lot.

Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Cook, turning with tongs, until well browned on all but one side, about 10 minutes total.

Turn the tenderloin so that the un-seared side is down and transfer the skillet directly to a 400°F oven.

Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 120ºF-125°F for medium-rare, 15 to 20 minutes, or until done to your liking. (Note that a perfect medium-rare roast will register around 130°F, but the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise 5-10°F after it is removed from the oven, so it’s best to pull it out a little early to account for the carry-over cooking.) If you prefer your roast cooked to medium, pull it out of the oven at 130°F.

Step 3: Finish the Sauce & Carve the Tenderloin

Transfer the roast to a carving board (preferably with a well for collecting juices) and let it rest, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute from the outside of the roast throughout the whole roast, making the tenderloin juicy. If you slice it too soon, the juices will pour out of it.

Meanwhile, pour off the fat from the roasting pan. Set the pan on the stovetop and add the beef broth. Bring the broth to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape the fond (brown bits) from the bottom of the pan.

Add the flavorful broth to the red wine sauce, and bring the sauce to a simmer.

Carve the roast into 1/3-inch-thick slices.

Serve the beef, passing the red wine sauce at the table.

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