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Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Mushroom Sauce Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 128 reviews
  • Author: Ethan
  • Total Time: 15 hours approx
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

This elegant Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Mushroom Sauce is a succulent, center-cut eye fillet roasted to perfection and served with a rich, velvety mushroom sauce infused with marsala wine and fresh thyme. The beef is dry-aged in the fridge to enhance flavor, seared for a flavorful crust, then slow-roasted to a tender medium-rare. Finished with a buttery mushroom sauce, it’s an impressive yet achievable dish perfect for special occasions or a luxurious dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef Tenderloin

  • 1 – 1.25kg / 2 – 2.5lb center-cut beef tenderloin (eye fillet), tied
  • 1 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Butter Slather

  • 75g / 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp garlic, finely grated or very finely minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

  • 150g / 5 oz white mushrooms, sliced 3mm thick
  • 1/2 tsp garlic, finely minced
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 3/4 cup marsala (Italian fortified wine)
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup thickened cream (heavy cream)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prep beef: Pat the beef tenderloin dry using paper towels. Sprinkle it all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons of cooking or kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place the beef on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 12 to 24 hours to dry-age and intensify flavor. This step can be skipped if desired.
  2. Butter Slather: In a bowl, combine 75g of softened unsalted butter with 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well to create the aromatic butter slather.
  3. De-chill: Remove the beef from the refrigerator about 2 hours before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature for even cooking.
  4. Sear: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in an ovenproof heavy-based skillet over high heat until just smoking. Quickly and aggressively brown the beef all over to develop a crust. After searing, place the beef back on the rack and let it cool for 15 minutes so the butter slather won’t melt immediately during application.
  5. Preheat oven: Set your oven to 120°C/250°F (suitable for both fan and conventional ovens).
  6. Butter: Place the beef back into the cooled skillet. Slather three-quarters of the prepared butter mixture onto the top and sides of the beef (avoid underside to prevent melting of butter onto the rack).
  7. Roast 40-50 minutes: Roast the beef for 15 minutes, then remove it from the oven and apply the remaining butter to the top and sides. Return the beef to the oven and roast for another 25 to 35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 53°C/127°F for medium-rare doneness. Adjust timing as needed for preferred doneness.
  8. Rest & serve: Remove the beef from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes, during which the temperature will rise to 56-58°C (133-136°F), ensuring medium-rare perfection. Slice thickly and prepare to serve with the creamy mushroom sauce.
  9. Creamy mushroom sauce – Roasting juices: Pour all the juices from the skillet into a bowl or jug. Allow the fat to separate and rise to the surface. Pour off 1/4 cup (60ml) of this fat back into the skillet, reserving the rest for later use.
  10. Cook mushrooms: Place the skillet on high heat. When the butter is hot, add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they begin to release moisture and soften. Add the thyme sprig and minced garlic, cooking for an additional 2 minutes to deepen the flavors.
  11. Sauce: Pour in 1/2 cup of low sodium chicken stock and allow it to reduce by half over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup marsala wine, 3/4 cup thickened cream, freshly ground black pepper, and the remaining reserved roasting juices. Simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes until it thickens and reduces by half. Taste and adjust seasoning; the sauce should be slightly salty to complement the beef. Serve the sauce alongside the sliced beef.

Notes

  • Note 1: Using a tied center-cut beef tenderloin ensures even cooking and maintains the shape during roasting.
  • Note 2: Fresh thyme adds a fragrant herbal note to both the butter slather and mushroom sauce.
  • Note 3: Marsala is a sweet fortified Italian wine, which adds depth and sweetness to the mushroom sauce. Make sure it’s dry or semi-dry for cooking.
  • Note 5: Dry-aging the beef in the fridge is optional but enhances crust formation and flavor concentration.
  • Note 6: Searing at high temperature locks in juices and develops savory crust.
  • Note 7: Low and slow roasting at 120°C ensures tenderness and even cooking inside.
  • Note 8: Use a meat thermometer for best doneness results; adjust roasting time for rare, medium, or well-done as preferred.
  • Prep Time: 14 hours (includes optional dry-aging plus active prep time 30 minutes)
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes roasting + 10 minutes resting + 10 minutes sauce cooking (total 70 minutes active cooking)
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Italian-inspired

Keywords: Beef Tenderloin, Mushroom Sauce, Roasted Beef, Marsala Sauce, Dinner Recipe, Center Cut Tenderloin, Elegant Meal

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Find it online: https://theethankitchen.com/beef-tenderloin-with-creamy-mushroom-sauce-recipe/