Grilling Beef Tenderloin – How To Make It Delicious

Grilling enthusiasts often make mistakes when placing the wrong cut of beef on charcoal, gas, or electric grills. To ensure a high-quality experience, you need meat of the highest quality and a good choice of sides.

Which Beef Tenderloin Is Suitable For Grilling?

The cow uses its different body regions variably, which results in qualitative differences in the meat cuts. Especially tender meat is found in the beef back. Well-known cuts like rump steak are great for grilling. Cuts from the neck, chest, or belly are suitable to a limited extent for grilling. Grill the meat slowly to keep it juicy due to its fat content. Otherwise, the tissue becomes tough and the meat inedible.

These beef cuts are suitable for grilling:

Back:

Cote de Boeuf
Prime Rib:
Rib Eye Steak
Tomahawk Steak

Roast Beef:

Rump Steak
Club Steak
T-Bone Steak
Porterhouse Steak

Beef Tenderloin:

Filet Steak
Filet Mignon
Chateaubriand
Tournedos Steak

How To Prepare Beef Tenderloin For Grilling

Before the beef tenderloin hits the grill, wash it under running water and pat it dry with a cloth. Remove any unwanted fat tissue, the silver skin, and tendons with slow and even cuts without damaging the meat. The simplest method is to brush the beef tenderloin with oil and season it. Basic seasonings include salt and pepper. Be aware that pepper contains bitter substances released during long grilling, which can affect the meat negatively.

Which Marinades Are Suitable For Grilled Beef Tenderloin?

For an intense meat flavor and to delight your palate, marinate your beef tenderloin. Apply the marinade to the beef tenderloin before grilling.

For the basic preparation of a marinade, use cold-pressed olive oil, a lemon, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Chop the garlic cloves finely and mix them with olive oil, the juice of a lemon, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let each beef tenderloin bathe in the marinade before grilling.

Extra Tip: Combine nuts with tomatoes, oil, and honey or make a simple marinade out of honey and grainy mustard.

An aromatic enhancement occurs if you marinate the beef tenderloin in a mix of hops, malt, and spices. The meat becomes tenderer if you soak it in whiskey for several hours before grilling and only sprinkle it with pepper after cooking.

Here We Go: These Grills Are Suitable For Grilling Beef Tenderloin

In general, all grill types are suitable for grilling beef tenderloin. The classic choice is the charcoal grill, which gives the meat a smoky aroma. However, its biggest drawback is the smoke production, which irritates the respiratory tract.

With a gas grill, you are independent of the weather. The beef tenderloin gets a smoky note while grilling, but it is not as strong as with a charcoal grill.

The electric grill is considered safe for health. However, it often lacks the familiar grill smell, as this grilling method is closer to baking than to grilling with charcoal.

Suggestion:

For a rustic taste, use a stone grill. Fire it with fresh wood and avoid pre-made charcoal.

Grilling Beef Tenderloin: The Grilling Method

A juicy and tender grilled beef tenderloin is a true delicacy and a highlight for any meat lover. The right grilling method plays a crucial role in cooking the filet to perfection and bringing out its full flavor.

What Does Direct And Indirect Grilling Mean?

When you grill beef tenderloin, pay attention to where you place the meat on the grill grate. Direct grilling means placing the beef tenderloin directly over the heat source. In the case of an electric grill, the grill bars are evenly heated, so pay extra attention to the cooking level regardless of the meat's placement.

Indirect grilling means placing the meat next to the heat source so it can cook gently from the generated ambient heat.

Ideally, grill the beef tenderloin directly over the heat first to sear it and achieve a slight crust. Then move it to the side to finish cooking it with indirect heat.

Grill Time And Doneness Levels

When grilling beef tenderloin, you won’t need a clock to know if the meat is done. Press your thumb and forefinger together and use the index finger of your other hand to press on the pad of your thumb. Feel the firmness? This is how the beef tenderloin should feel when grilled if you want it rare with a crust. For each subsequent doneness level, move your thumb one finger further.

The following doneness levels can serve as a guide:

The steak is rare when it reaches 44–47 degrees Celsius. The filet is 75% raw after grilling.
Medium Rare happens at 54 degrees Celsius and the meat is 50% raw. Test the meat’s firmness as you would for rare steak, but this time press your thumb and middle finger together.
Medium is achieved at 56–59 degrees Celsius. Use your thumb and ring finger to feel the consistency the beef tenderloin should reach when grilling to medium.
Well Done is reached by heating to 60 degrees Celsius. The meat is fully cooked.

Why Does Meat Need To Rest For A Few Minutes After Grilling?

Once the beef tenderloin has reached the desired doneness level, let it rest on a plate. The outer crust seals the meat’s pores, allowing the juices to collect inside the tenderloin. The heat forces the juices to the center. To distribute this juice throughout the beef tenderloin, let it cool down slightly. For better flavor, slice it afterwards with a sharp knife into even pieces.

Tips For Sides With Grilled Beef Tenderloin

For the perfect side, buy seasonal ingredients. In summer, fresh, crisp salads with baguette or a watermelon salad with bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and feta cheese pair wonderfully with grilled beef tenderloin. In autumn, serve cooked pumpkin with caraway seeds. In winter, we recommend a combination of malt or cinnamon with baked apple.