Serves a Crowd

Mustard-Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Sauce Robert

December  2, 2013
4.5
4 Ratings
Photo by Tom Hirschfeld
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

This is one of those recipes where store-bought broth just won't work. So you have two choices: make the stock yourself and reduce it or go to D' Artagnan and purchase their veal demi-glace, which is actually a real good deal. —thirschfeld

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Ingredients
  • 1 whole beef tenderloin, cleaned (the butcher can do this for you), 6 to 8 pounds
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups reduced beef stock (it should have body and be a little thick)
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, minced
Directions
  1. At least 24 hours before you want to cook it, place the beef tenderloin on a wire rack and salt it. Let it sit in the fridge uncovered overnight. If you plan to leave it in the fridge for longer, cover it loosely with plastic wrap. Dry is one thing, jerky is another and we want dry so the tenderloin caramelizes.
  2. Heat the oven to 375? F.
  3. If the tenderloin is too big for your pan, cut it in half, or thirds. I like to truss the tenderloin so it holds a nice round shape. It also helps it cook more evenly.
  4. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Pepper the tenderloin with freshly ground pepper. Add a glug or two of oil to the pan, just enough to give a good coating. Sear the meat quickly but make sure it is browned. Remove it from the heat.
  5. Combine the panko bread crumbs with half the melted butter, season it with salt and black pepper and half the parsley, and combine it all with a few stirs of a spoon.
  6. Once the tenderloin has cooled a bit, use three tablespoons of the mustard and smear it across three sides of the tenderloin, then take the tenderloin and roll the three sides into the breadcrumbs, creating a crust.
  7. In a sauce pan, add the remaining butter. Place the pan over medium high heat and sweat the shallots. Do not brown them. Once the shallots are tender, add the wine and let it reduce to 1 tablespoon or so. Add the stock and the mustard and reduce the volume by half. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon nicely. If it's too thick add a splash of water.
  8. Place the tenderloin, uncrusted side down, on a baking sheet with sides.
  9. Bake the tenderloin about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  10. Add the parsley to the sauce and warm it, add a splash of lemon juice, then ladle the sauce onto the bottom of a warm serving platter and fan out the tenderloin. Serve immediately.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

16 Reviews

Windtryst December 10, 2013
How do you take the 6.5 oz Demi glaze and turn it into your lovely sauce exactally.

thirschfeld December 11, 2013
The demi-glace allows you to skip the reduction part of the process. So you would sauté the shallots, deglaze with the wine and reduce the wine, then add the mustard and demi, whisk and keep it warm. If it seems a little thin you might want to reduce it but then you just finish it with the spritz lemon and parsley.
Windtryst December 9, 2013
Could you go into more detail regarding the sauce please.
thirschfeld December 9, 2013
if you could be a little more specific I would be glad to answer any questions.
Oui, C. December 8, 2013
I tip my hat to you, my friend...this is lovely. Vive La Grande Dame!
thirschfeld December 9, 2013
Thanks Oui! Hope your having a great holiday and a great new year!
arcane54 December 5, 2013
thirschfeld -- this looks delicious and decadent. With such assertive flavors in the beef and mustard what dishes do you serve alongside? Do tell...
thirschfeld December 7, 2013
Celery root and potato gratin or just potato, roasted brussel sprouts or sautéed spinach, typical steakhouse side.
CondimentQueen December 3, 2013
You had me at Grande Dame!
thirschfeld December 3, 2013
I hear ya dpoc33
dymnyno December 3, 2013
I love cooking a whole tenderloin. It is so impressive and much easier than one would imagine. Because of its mild flavor, it takes well to wonderful sauces like Sauce Robert. Delicious!
thirschfeld December 3, 2013
Thanks dymnyno.
ChefJune December 3, 2013
Actually, thirschfeld... have you seen/tried More Than Gourmet's new stocks in boxes? They're on the shelves at Whole Foods, and they're definitely reduceable. The quality is excellent. Of course, nothing beats home made, but.... Oh, and I love your Sauce Robert!
thirschfeld December 3, 2013
I have not but I will be looking for it!
ellenl December 3, 2013
Can't wait to try this for New Year's Day!
thirschfeld December 3, 2013
I hope you enjoy it!