Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
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This beef tenderloin looks fancy, but it couldn’t be easier to make. It cooks up perfectly every time, and the rich red wine sauce takes it over the top. A total showstopper for any special dinner.
This beef tenderloin recipe is my #1 go-to for holidays and special occasions. It never fails to impress, and my foolproof method ensures perfectly cooked beef every time, with no guesswork. The tenderloin is paired with a red wine reduction sauce made by simmering wine, broth, and aromatics until the flavors concentrate, then finished with butter for a silky, gorgeous sauce that rivals anything you’d order at a fine restaurant. Yes, it’s fancy!
A great bonus is that the sauce can be prepared mostly in advance, so there’s very little fussing at the last minute. Similar to my pork tenderloin, this recipe is truly the best of both worlds: simple to prepare yet incredibly delicious.
“Voted best Christmas dinner ever!”
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
- Beef tenderloin: The most tender and expensive cut of beef, this is the whole piece before it’s sliced into steaks, which are known as filet mignon (great for recipes like steak au poivre or pan-seared steaks). As a general rule, plan for about ½ pound per person for a generous serving. Your tenderloin may be tied with butcher’s twine near the tapered end to keep it evenly thick; leave the string on until after it is cooked. If it’s not tied, no worries—no tying is necessary.
- Butter: A portion is used for sautéing shallots, while the rest is combined with flour to create a beurre manié, which thickens the sauce.
- Shallots: Adds a mild onion flavor to the sauce.
- Red wine: Adds rich, fruity flavors and depth of color to the sauce. Any variety, such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Red Zinfandel, will work. When cooking with wine, choose an inexpensive bottle that’s still enjoyable to drink. Avoid supermarket “cooking wines,” which often contain salt and additives.
- Beef broth: Provides a savory base for the sauce; also used to deglaze the pan after roasting the beef.
- Thyme sprigs: Adds earthy, aromatic flavor to the sauce.
- All-purpose flour: Mixed with butter to create a beurre manié, a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the shallots over medium-low heat until soft. Add the wine, broth, thyme, salt, pepper, and sugar, then bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes until reduced by half. In a small bowl, mix a few more tablespoons butter with flour to form a paste. Gradually whisk the paste into the sauce and simmer until thickened. The sauce can be made a few days ahead up to this point.
Sear & Roast the Beef Tenderloin: Season the beef with kosher salt and freshly ground black 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 until well browned with a nice crust on all but one side. Turn the tenderloin so that the un-seared side is down and transfer the skillet directly to a 400°F oven. I recommend using a leave-in meat thermometer with a remote monitor to keep an eye on the roast. These are ideal for cooking pricey cuts like tenderloin (they’re great for other dishes too, like turkey).
Roast until cooked to your liking, keeping in mind that the the internal temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees after being removed from the oven—this is known as carryover cooking.
Rare: 115°F-120°F
Medium Rare: 120°F-125°F
Medium: 130°F-135°F
Medium-Well: 140°F-145°F
Well Done: 150°F and above
Finish the Sauce and Carve the Beef: Set the pan on the stovetop, add the broth, and bring to a boil, deglazing by scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add this flavorful broth to the wine sauce and bring it to a simmer.
Carve the roast into slices and serve, passing the red wine sauce at the table. The tenderloin is wonderful served over mashed potatoes with a simple vegetable, like French green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts.
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Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ¾ cup finely chopped shallots, from 2 to 3 large shallots
- 1¼ cups red wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the Beef
- 1 (2 to 3 lb) center-cut beef tenderloin roast
- Kosher salt (½ teaspoon per pound of beef)
- Freshly ground black pepper (¼ teaspoon per pound of beef)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup beef broth
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 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 and soften in the microwave, if necessary (it should be soft but not melted). Add the flour and, using a small spoon, mix into a smooth paste.
- Once the wine mixture is reduced, reduce the heat to low and remove the thyme sprigs. Whisk the flour-butter paste, a tablespoon at a time, into the simmering liquid, and simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Set aside. (The sauce can be made up to this point and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead of time.)
For the Tenderloin
- Let the beef stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting. Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Season the beef all over with kosher salt and pepper. 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 the preheated oven. (If your pan isn't oven-proof, transfer the beef to a lightly oiled roasting pan.) Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 120°F to 125° (49°C to 52°C) for medium rare, about 15 minutes, or until done to your liking (115°F to 120°F/46°C to 49°C for rare, 130°F to 135°F/54°C to 57°C for medium). Keep in mind that these temperatures account for the fact that the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees while the meat rests.
- Transfer the meat 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. Place a dishtowel or oven mitt over the handle of the roasting pan to remind yourself that it's hot.
- Meanwhile, carefully discard the fat from the roasting pan (remember that the handle is hot!). Set the pan on the stovetop and add the ¼ cup (60 ml) of broth. Bring the broth to a boil and, using a wooden spoon, scrape the fond, or brown bits, from the bottom of the pan. Add the flavorful broth to the red wine sauce, and then bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Carve the tenderloin into ½-inch (13-mm) thick slices. Serve the beef, passing the red wine sauce at the table.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Jenn, do you purchase the whole tenderloin and cut the small end off? If I cook mine whole should I tie the small end under? Also, I have different preferences for doneness from medium to well done. Should I cook the center to medium and hope the ends are well done?
Thank you
Hi Pam, Yes, that’s fine to tie the small end under. And it should work out perfectly with your different preferences for doneness; if you cook the center to medium, the ends will definitely be med-well to well-done.
Hi Jen, I made this beef last X-mas and it was so delicious and easy to make! This year, I’m preparing it for a crowd of people and just bought a 6 pound beef tenderloin. This is too big of a piece to roast in a pan. Should I just cut it in half before roasting or would I ruin it by doing so? Thank you!
Hi Lynn, Do you have a flame-proof roasting pan? If so, you can sear it in that and then transfer it to the oven. If not, I would just transfer the roast to a roasting pan before roasting.
Hello! I am planning to make this for Christmas. I am planning for 8 people with leftovers so I was thinking a 5lb beef tenderloin. However would you suggest 2 2.5lb centercut tenderloins instead of one larger one? Would the cooking time be the same for 2 vs 1? And the sauce I was thinking I should double, would you agree? Thanks! Really looking forward to trying this!
Hi Jackie, You could go either way but a whole tenderloin will work fine. The cook time will be a bit longer for two center-cut roasts (or a larger tenderloin); I definitely recommend using a thermometer so you don’t have to guess. And yes I would double the sauce. Enjoy!
I have a 4 pound tenderloin. Can I do this recipe in a cast iron skillet?
Thanks!
Sure, Sharon – if it won’t fit, you can cut it in half.
Hello Jenn….This tenderloin and red wine sauce looks fabulous! I will be making this for our Christmas dinner. I don’t have an over proof skillet so I will be transferring to my roast pan do I cook on a rack in the pan? For the wine sauce, if I can’t find fresh thyme can I use dried and if so how much? Do I strain it after? Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Debbie, No need to cook the beef on a rack (you actually want it to have it on the surface of the pan so that it allows the brown bits (fond) from the meat to adhere to the bottom). and If you use dried thyme, I’d recommend about 1/2 tsp. Hope you enjoy!
I made this for Christmas last year for just 8 people and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Not to be outdone, I’ve decided to make it for 25 people this year. About 10 of them are teenagers so I’m making 25lbs (and, leftovers). The oven is big enough for all 5 tenderloins but do you think the extra moisture in the oven will cause a problem? You think I could do 1-2 of them in a counter top oven?
Wow, that’s a lot of meat! I don’t think the moisture will have a negative impact, but do think that your suggestion of cooking 1 or 2 of them in a countertop oven is a good one. Hope everyone enjoys!
HI Jenn,
I have a gluten free relative and I would like to make this for Christmas dinner — would you recommend corn starch for the buerre manié? Or do you have another suggestion? Thanks in advance!
Hi Sara, I think cornstarch or gluten-free flour would work here. Enjoy!
I’m planning to make this for Christmas & am concerned that making the sauce ahead of time may cause it to break when reheating. Assure me that is not the case 🙂
Hi Janet, no worries – it reheats nicely – just give it a stir or two to combine if you see any separation. Hope you enjoy and happy holidays!
Jenn, I have had this recipe at a friend’s dinner party. Here’s the funny part: I was raving about the tenderloin and he was raving about the pumpkin cookies I brought. We asked each other for the recipes and found out they were both from your blog! Since this was so delicious, I would like to make it for Christmas Day. I was wondering if I could use pork tenderloin with the sauce instead. Thank you!
That’s funny, Tonya! 🙂
Yes, I think this sauce would also be good over pork tenderloin. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I made some slow braised short ribs and served this sauce with them. An excellent sauce that would work with any kind of beef. Delicious over Yorkshires or potatoes. This is now my go to sauce.