A Note from Miss Kay■ Makes 8 to 10 servings
Beef
1 beef tenderloin (4 to 5 pounds), trimmed and tied
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt
3 teaspoons cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
Sauce
1 cup whipping cream, chilled
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 tablespoons bottled horseradish
1 tablespoon green peppercorns, drained
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1. For the beef: Remove the beef from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
2. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack inside the pan.
3. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and then rub lightly and evenly with the oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Place on the rack. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into the end of the tenderloin registers 130° to 135°F for medium-rare or 135° to 140°F for medium, for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes before carving. The internal temperature will continue to rise about 5°F as the beef rests.
4. For the sauce: In a large chilled bowl, with the chilled beaters of an electric mixer on high speed, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Fold in the sour cream, salt, horseradish, and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Just before serving, sprinkle with the chives.
5. Remove the strings from the beef and cut into thick slices. Serve with the sauce.
A Note from Miss Kay
Some grocery stores trim the excess fat from tenderloins and tie them with butcher string before putting them in the meat case. If not, you can ask your butcher to do this for you. Tying the roast helps it hold its shape while it roasts, which makes it cook evenly. Beef tenderloins are expensive and often made only on special occasions, so you want it to turn out right. Rely on an instant-read thermometer to tell you when it’s done.