Holidays & Occasions Christmas Christmas Recipes Christmas Appetizers Perfect Beef Tenderloin 5.0 (1) Add your rating & review Beef tenderloin is a prized centerpiece for holiday meals. It also makes fantastic appetizers for parties. By Julia Reed Julia Reed A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Julia Reed was a well-known journalist, writer, commentator, and humorist. She was a contributing editor for Southern Living, Elle Décor, Garden and Gun and wrote for Vogue, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications. Julia was the daughter of Judy and Clarke Reed. Her mother was a native of Nashville; her father, a businessman and leader of the Mississippi Republican Party. Julia Reed covered a variety of topics that involved food, women's fashion, entertaining, Southern culture, etiquette, home design, and more. She was a born storyteller and a brilliant writer, and she used her talents to produce half a dozen books and hundreds of articles, including many for Southern Living. (1960-2020) Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 30, 2023 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Iain Bagwell Hands On Time: 10 mins Total Time: 50 mins Yield: 12 to 14 appetizer servings Beef tenderloin is the essential holiday meal, whether served as an appetizer or a dinner centerpiece. When seasoning roasts, this will generally do the trick: 1 tsp. of kosher salt per pound of meat. Plan on about 5 pounds of meat for every 12 guests. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 (5- to 7-lb.) beef tenderloin, trimmed 3 Tbsp. butter, softened 5 to 7 tsp. kosher salt 3/4 tsp. cracked black pepper Directions Season beef tenderloin: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place beef on a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan. Rub butter over beef, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake beef tenderloin: Bake at 425°F for 25 to 35 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 135°F (medium rare). Rest: Cover loosely with aluminum foil; let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Rate It Print