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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I have made beef tenderloin for Christmas Day dinner every year for several years. I decided to make your recipe this year and it was out of this world delicious! The red wine sauce took the dish to a new level and I will never make beef tenderloin without it ever again. Thank you for this incredible recipe!
Well, Jenn, thank you so much. I made this yesterday for a group of friends and it went down a treat. My tenderloin (fillet of beef as we call it here in Ireland) was 1.6kg but I still only cooked it for 20 minutes so it was served rare. That’s how my friends like it though so they couldn’t get over the meat. I bought a beautiful piece of meat produced locally so that certainly helped.
I was really happy because yesterday morning, I bought a new roasting tin which turned out to be compatible with my induction hob. This mean I could cook the juices with some stock and add it to the gravy.
The lads absolutely loved the gravy and my home is still filled with the beautiful smells left over.
I served with garlic and Rosemary roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips and we had a scallop and black pudding starter.
Took a bit of planning but all paid off in the end. I plan to make it again for my inlaws on 7.1.23. I will be sure to take some photos and tag you on insta. Beware though, I will need to cook it to medium for them ☹️🤣🤌🤌🤌❤️❤️❤️
I made this recipe for Christmas. It turned out beautifully. Although some family members are not fond of rare beef, I simply put slices of tenderloin in a skillet with butter and heated until a more desired doneness. The wine sauce is a lovely deep brown sauce, and also delicious.
We made the beef tenderloin for Xmas this week….it was fabulous! The sauce was rich and paired perfectly with the beef! We will be making this again for sure!
Jenn you are awesome! This recipe was perfect and received rave reviews! Voted best Christmas dinner ever! That is high praise. I served it with your thyme roasted carrots, shallot green beans and mashed potatoes. Thank you!
I make this for Christmas every year and it’s always a hit! I have a lot of sauce left over and am wondering if I can use it with a pork tenderloin for NYE?
Sure!
I’m going to make this for 8 people New Years Eve. I would like to add wild mushrooms to the recipe. Should I sauté them first? Should they be added to the sauce?
Hi Regina, Yes, I’d season and saute them first and it’s fine to add them to the sauce before serving. Enjoy!
All is delicious. Can I freeze the red wine sauce as I need to serve all again in 2 weeks and have plenty of red wine sauce left over?
Glad you enjoyed it! Typically, I’d say to freeze it before you add the butter and flour mixture. I know you’ve already added it, but still think it’s worth freezing. Just make sure to stir it well when you reheat it.
Made this for Christmas dinner and both the sauce and beef were delicious. My tenderloin was 5lbs so the cooking time was more. I seared it in a large cast iron skillet and baked in the same. The sauce was so flavorful. This will be my go to recipe from now on
It was Excellent Jenn! Although I forgot to use the cast iron drippings after roast was done. I had already made the Red sauce which it would have definitely enhanced the flavor. Making it the first time with all that goes along with The Christmas activities I just forgot. The Roast was Fantastic and everyone complimented the Red sauce. I added some fresh sliced mushrooms ( in the sauce ) because my family loves them with their beef. It will be number one on my List for ever. Thank you for the Hit!
I’d like to find your prime rib recipe too. I grew up in fancy restaurants and the Prime rib we served is not the rib roast you find in Publix. I have been completely unhappy with those cuts because they just do not have the same flavor or texture. Any help would be appreciated whether I buy the cheaper rib roast or go for a Prime. Everyone else I seem to talk to have bought the cheaper rib roast and tell me it’s excellent. Thanks again
Hi Jack, If you haven’t been happy with the cuts at Publix, I think your best bet is to go to a butcher, where the meat will a little higher in quality.