Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin Recipe

A tenderloin is a cut of meat that has a thick, long strip of the loin muscle. It’s very lean, with a high percentage of protein when compared to other cuts of beef. As such it’s not what most people would consider “juicy” or “tender,” but a quick sear in sous vide can get them there in just 30 minutes!

This easy-to-make sous vide tenderloin recipe will make a juicy, tender, and delicious piece of beef tenderloin for you, your family, and friends to enjoy.

• Related article: Steak Cuts for Sous Vide Cooking

Sous Vide Tenderloin Recipe

Tenderloin is a very lean cut, but since it’s very lean, it lacks in flavor.

To boost the flavor, we will create a dry marinade before cooking it. It will take away any kind of smells and give the meat new flavor.

After this process, we will cook the meat, and resulting in a tasty and flavorful beef tenderloin.

A pro tip is to buy the greasiest tenderloin available, since some will get removed after the marinade.

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Prep Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Cook Time 4 hrs 30 mins

Total Time 7 hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

Equipment

• Sous Vide Cooker
• Sous Vide Container
• Vacuum Sealer
• Vacuum Seal Bags
• BBQ Grill or Skillet

Ingredients

  

• 14 Ounces Beef Tenderloin (400 g)
• 1 tbsp Juniper Berries
• 1 Anise Star
• 2 tsp Sichuan Pepper
• 7 Ounces Salt (200 g)
• 4.4 Ounces Brown Sugar (125 g)
• Spices (i.e., Dried Rosemary, Dried Sage)

Instructions

 

• Wash the tenderloin.

  Don't cut or discard any fat or other parts yet.
• Dry the tenderloin and place it in a bowl.
• Mix the salt and the sugar together, and cover the tenderloin with it.
• Let it sit for 2 hours in the fridge.

  Note that it’s possible to make it rest and marinade for a maximum of 12 hours. After this time, the meat will be too dry and too salty to be consumed.
• When it's about the time for you to take the tenderloin out of the fridge, preheat the sous vide cooker to 59°C / 138°F.
• Take the beef out of the fridge.

  Wash it again, and this time remove all traces of fat and loose parts
• Place the beef into the vacuum seal bag.
• Add the Sichuan pepper, anise star and juniper berries in the sous vide bag.
• Cook in the sous vide container for 4hours.
• Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the vacuum bag.

  Dry it and then rub it with the spices.
• Roast on the BBQ grill to get a nicely browned surface.
• Serve with sauce of your choice and sous vide vegetables. Enjoy!

Notes

This cut is recommended for any athlete that has a diet packed with proteins, thanks to its low content of fat.

Keyword Beef, Tenderloin

What is beef tenderloin?

Beef tenderloins are located in the middle of steers’ backs. Tucked between the sirloins and the ribs, they’re very tender because there’s less movement than other muscles. Filets mignons are the most tender cuts of beef.

Tenderloin steak is a very tender beef steak. It has a mild flavor, minimal fat and can be cut into pieces. This steak can be served as a main course or appetizer.

How much beef should I plan on serving per person?

You should always buy enough meat for your entire family. When you’re planning a meal, you should consider buying more than you think you need.

6-8 ounces per person is a good estimate when buying meat. Don’t forget to think about the side dishes you’ll be serving as well. Any additional salads, vegetables, mashed potatoes, bread, etc? 

If you’re going to have lots of sides, you can lower the estimate to about 4 ounces per person. 

How long does it take to sous vide beef tenderloin?

You should allow 1 hour per inch of meat. A typical loin is around 3-4 inches thick. So you should allow 3-4 hours total minimum. 

Best Way to Sear Beef Tenderloin After Sous Vide

Searing is by far the key step in cooking sous vide. If you want your food to look as if it was cooked at a high-end restaurant, then you need to get a deep, rich sear. Otherwise, people will think you’re cooking at a cheap place.

To sear the tenderloin, take it out of the bag after it’s finished sous vide cooking. Pat the beef tenderloin dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until it’s extremely hot. Add the tenderloin and cook for about 60 seconds minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Let it sear a little longer if you’re not getting the sear you want. But be careful of not searing too long as searing could potentially cook the meat further, which would toughen the meat. 

Tools and Equipment to Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin

The tools and equipment needed for sous vide beef tenderloin include a sous vide cooker (immersion circulator), sous vide container with a lid, vacuum sealer, and a vacuum seal bags.

A vacuum sealer seals food tightly, which helps retain moisture and flavor. An immersion circulator keeps the water temperature consistent throughout the cooking process in the container. The container lid will prevent the water from evaporating, so there’ll always be water to submerge and cook the food in. 

For more delicious sous vide recipes, check these out:

• Sous Vide Short Ribs Recipe
• Sous Vide Rib Eye Recipe