This beef tenderloin steak recipe delivers a perfect sear, even doneness, and tender, juicy results every time. Perfect for date night, Valentine’s Day, or any special dinner at home.
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Recipe Highlights
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 10–12 minutes (plus 2 hours dry brine)
- 🍴 Serves: 2
- 👩🏽🍳 Difficulty: Easy
- 🎯 End Result: Perfectly seared beef tenderloin steak with a rich crust and tender, juicy center.
Beef tenderloin steaks are one of those cuts that feel fancy but are actually very easy to cook. They’re known for being really tender with a clean, rich, beef taste that doesn’t need a lot of "extras" to make it good.
Starting with a great cut really matters, which is why we always recommend working with your local butcher. Our go to spot is Bowman's Butcher Shop. They help us pick the right steaks and cut them to the thickness we want.
What we love most about beef tenderloin steaks is how straightforward they are to cook. A quick sear and finished in the oven, a little butter, and a short rest is really all it takes. No stress, no overthinking it... just tender, flavorful steak (chef's kiss).
Why You’ll Love This Beef Tenderloin Steak Recipe
- It's a quick cook that can be used for a weekday dinner or a fancy date night.
- Perfect, even doneness from edge to edge
- Oven finish makes it easier to control internal temperature
Jump to:
- Recipe Highlights
- Why You’ll Love This Beef Tenderloin Steak Recipe
- What is the difference between filet mignon and a beef tenderloin steak?
- Ingredients
- How to Make the Best Beef Tenderloin Steak
- Recipe Tips
- What Goes Good With Tenderloin Steak
- Storage and Reheating
- Beef Tenderloin Steak Recipe FAQs
- More Steak Ideas
- 📖 Recipe
What is the difference between filet mignon and a beef tenderloin steak?
Filet mignon and beef tenderloin steak both come from the tenderloin cut. Filet mignon is usually cut from the smaller, tapered end and is often thicker and more uniform. In this beef tenderloin steak recipe, you can use either cut since they cook the same way and deliver that tender, buttery texture.
Ingredients
- Beef tenderloin: Look for bright red color, fine marbling (small thin white streaks), and steaks that are similar in thickness for even cooking.
- Salt and Pepper: We like to use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt in our recipes. For the pepper, grind whole peppercorns before for the best flavor.
See the recipe card below for full information on the ingredients and quantities.
How to Make the Best Beef Tenderloin Steak
Step 1: Salt the steak and place it in the fridge uncovered. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400℉
Step 2: Sear the steak in a skillet.
Step 3: Transfer to oven and cooking.
Step 4: Remove from oven, season with pepper, and top with butter to finish.
Recipe Tips
- Depending on the thickness of your filet, you can dry brine the steak for up to 24 hours.
- You can toast your peppercorns before grinding them to enhance the flavor.
- Replace regular butter with a compound butter to add more flavor.
What Goes Good With Tenderloin Steak
This Beef Tenderloin Steak pairs great with cream corn, crab rice, Southern green beans and potatoes, or collard greens and cabbage.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerate up to 2-3 days
- Wrap well and freeze up to 2 months
- Reheat on the stovetop by bringing the steak to room temperature, then heating in a skillet over low heat with a little butter or oil.
- Alternatively, reheat in the oven by wrapping the steak loosely in foil and reheating at 250°F until warmed.
Beef Tenderloin Steak Recipe FAQs
Tenderloin is all about tenderness. It’s lean, buttery soft, and doesn’t have a lot of connective tissue, which is why it cooks quickly and stays fork tender.
No, beef tenderloin doesn’t need marinating. Salt, pepper, and maybe a little garlic or herb butter is more than enough.
About 1.5 to 2 inches is ideal. Thicker steaks give you more control and help keep the inside tender while the outside gets a nice sear
Use a meat thermometer for best results. For medium-rare, remove the steak around 125℉ and allow it to rest. This beef tenderloin steak recipe relies on carryover cooking to finish perfectly.
More Steak Ideas
Looking for more steak recipes? Try these:
If you try this Beef Tenderloin Steak Recipe or any other recipe on our blog, consider leaving us a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments!
📖 Recipe
Beef Tenderloin Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Beef Tenderloin Steaks (6-8 ounces each)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- ½ tablespoon neutral oil
- black pepper fresh cracked
Instructions
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 400℉.
Dry Brine the Steak
- About 2 hours before cooking, remove the steak from the package and pat it dry. Season all sides with kosher salt. Place the steak on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Remove the steak from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
Sear the Steak
- Heat a stainless steel or heavy-bottom, oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add the oil and butter. Pat the steak dry again, then place it in the pan.
- Sear for 2 minutes, flip, and sear for another 2 minutes. Continue flipping every 1–2 minutes until a deep brown crust forms, about 6 minutes total.
Finish the Steak
- Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125℉. (The steak will carry over cook to about 130–135℉ after resting.)
- Remove from the oven, season with freshly cracked black pepper, and top with a pad of butter. Let rest before serving.
Notes
- You can dry brine the steak for up to 24 hours for deeper flavor and a better crust.
- Pat the steak dry before searing to help develop a flavorful, golden crust.
- Use a meat thermometer for accuracy. Remove from oven at 125℉ for medium-rare and allow carryover cooking to finish it.
- Let the steak rest 5–10 minutes before slicing to keep it juicy.
- Finish with compound butter for extra flavor if desired.
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