Beef Tenderloin is a pretty classic and basic dish to serve guests on Christmas Eve, from what I understand and I can definitely see why. For one thing, it is pretty easy to cook. Just stop when it hits the desired temperature (138 this year, though typically, I would go for 135, since I like a strict medium-rare. Sometimes I go a few degrees higher when entertaining guests) and that’s pretty much it. Of course, if you can introduce a few added touches, like mashing some dry-roasted garlic with olive oil and rubbing it into the meat and then coating with pepper, even better. So, that’s what I did. Then you really should sear the outside if at all possible. The recipe I consulted called for doing so in a skillet, but since this was a 3.5 lb. tenderloin and I didn’t want to set-off the smoke alarm in the kitchen, I actually took it out to my Big Green Egg while it was still around 500 degrees and seared it there, about 30 seconds a side. Add some lobster tails and you get one of the best surf and turfs I personally have ever had. I marinated the lobster in some apple wine, honey and veggie stock for about an hour and then smoked them along with the beef when it was about 1/2 hour from being done. Delicious. I really should have taken a picture of our guests, though, since they were what really turned a good meal into a great time.
