Welcome to my guide on how to clean and prepare a whole beef tenderloin. As a personal chef, I can tell you that a perfectly roasted beef tenderloin is a crowd-pleaser at any gathering. Today, I will share with you the essential steps to transform a whole tenderloin into a culinary masterpiece. Buying a whole tenderloin and cleaning it yourself is not only more economical, but it also gives you full control over how you portion and prepare the meat.
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Cleaning the Tenderloin
Begin by removing your whole beef tenderloin from its vacuum-sealed packaging. Expect some blood within the package -- this is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. Carefully line a baking sheet with paper towels, place the tenderloin on top, and pat it dry. Ensure you cut the packaging carefully, avoiding any accidental nicks in the meat. A small slip with the scissors can damage the surface of the tenderloin, so take your time here.
Removing Excess Fat and Sinew
The key to a tender and flavourful beef tenderloin lies in removing the excess fat, sinew, and connective tissue. Pay particular attention to the chain, a strip of meat and fat running along the side of the tenderloin. While not suitable for direct consumption as part of the roast, it is excellent for broths or can be trimmed further for skewers.
Use a sharp boning knife or fillet knife for this work. Keep the blade angled away from the main body of the tenderloin so that you are cutting into the fat and sinew rather than into the good meat. It takes a little practice to get comfortable with this, but the more you do it, the more intuitive it becomes. You will lose a small amount of meat in the process, but it is worth it for a cleaner, more even roast.
Eliminating Silver Skin
Silver skin is a tough connective membrane that does not soften upon cooking, making it necessary to remove. Using a boning or fillet knife, gently slide the blade under the silver skin and strip it away in thin layers. While this process may result in a slight loss of meat, it is crucial for ensuring the tenderness of your dish.
Here is the technique that works best: make a small cut to separate a flap of the silver skin from the meat. Then angle your knife slightly upward so the blade presses against the silver skin rather than cutting into the meat below. Pull the flap of silver skin taut with one hand while you slide the knife along beneath it with the other. Work in strips rather than trying to remove it all in one piece.
Flip the Tenderloin
Once the silver skin is cut away, flip the tenderloin over. On the underside of the tenderloin, there are going to be some flaps of meat and fat. This is where the tenderloin is connected to the skeletal structure of the animal. This needs to be cleaned up too.
All you can really do is cut it all away. Keep your knife as flat as possible and make long, smooth slices until the flaps are removed. The flaps can be used to make skewers or broth, so they are not going to waste. Take your time with this step -- there is no rush, and steady, controlled cuts will give you the best result.
What to Do with the Extra Pieces
At one end of the beef tenderloin, there are two extra pieces of meat. These can be left on, but in the interest of even cooking, it is better to take them off -- but of course, they are not going to go to waste. To cut the pieces away, use your knife and make long, smooth slices down the outside edge of the tenderloin. The separation between the tenderloin and the other meat pieces will be more obvious with the smaller piece than the bigger piece, but it should not be too difficult either way.
What you should have once those pieces are cut away is a fully cleaned beef tenderloin. The extra pieces are perfect for making quick stir-fry strips, beef skewers, or even a small batch of beef stroganoff. You can also dice them and use them in a hearty beef stew -- nothing goes to waste.
To Tie or Not To Tie
At this point, you can cut the tenderloin into steaks or tie it to be cooked whole. If you are cutting it into steaks, trim the tapered ends and add them to the scrap pile. This will help you get more equally sized steaks.
If you are roasting the tenderloin whole, as I prefer to do, you are going to want to tie it. This is not strictly necessary, but it helps the tenderloin keep its shape when cooked and helps it cook more evenly. Use butcher's twine to tie the tenderloin. Butcher's twine is a 100% cotton string that you can buy in most grocery stores.
Tying the Tenderloin
There are a few ways to tie the tenderloin. The first way is to cut 12 ten-inch pieces of twine and tie each one evenly around the tenderloin. The second way, and the one I prefer, is to use butcher's knots. Tie one end of the twine around one end of the tenderloin. Make a big loop with the twine and twist it twice. Thread the tenderloin through the loop and pull it tight. The loop will tighten around the tenderloin.
Do the same thing again and space the second loop out from the first one by about an inch. Repeat until the whole tenderloin is tied, then cut the string and tie it off with any basic knot. This technique takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes the easiest way to tie any roast. The same technique works perfectly for tying a herb and garlic roasted beef or a pork roast with maple Dijon gastrique.
The Scraps
Waste not! The scraps from your tenderloin, including the chain and trimmed fat, are perfect for making stocks or other dishes like skewers, stir-fries, or stroganoff. Every part of the tenderloin can contribute to a delicious meal. I like to separate the scraps into two piles: one for usable meat (skewers, stir-fry, ground beef) and one for fat and sinew (stock or discard).
Cooking the Tenderloin
Though this post focuses on cleaning, here is a basic cooking method to get you started. Rub the tenderloin generously with a mix of herbs (thyme, rosemary, and garlic work wonderfully), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven at 425°f or on a barbecue over indirect heat, ensuring you achieve the perfect internal temperature for your desired doneness:
- Rare: 120°f (49°c)
- Medium-rare: 130°f (54°c) -- my recommendation for tenderloin
- Medium: 140°f (60°c)
- Medium-well: 150°f (66°c)
Remember that the internal temperature will rise by about 5 degrees while the meat rests, so pull it from the oven a touch early. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. If you are looking for guidance on cooking meat to the right temperature, my post on a chef's guide to cooking meat covers this in detail.
Storing Beef Tenderloin
If you plan to store the tenderloin, it can be frozen either cleaned or uncleaned without losing quality. For optimal results, consider using a vacuum sealer or wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. A properly wrapped tenderloin can be frozen for up to six months. To thaw, move it to the fridge the day before you plan to cook it -- never thaw beef tenderloin at room temperature, as the outside can reach unsafe temperatures while the centre is still frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a whole beef tenderloin and a filet mignon?
A filet mignon is simply a steak cut from the beef tenderloin -- specifically from the narrower end of the muscle. When you buy a whole tenderloin and clean it yourself, you can cut it into filet mignon steaks, chateaubriand (from the thicker centre portion), or roast it whole. Buying the entire tenderloin and portioning it at home is significantly more economical than purchasing individual filet mignon steaks from the butcher.
How much does a whole beef tenderloin weigh, and how many does it serve?
A whole, untrimmed beef tenderloin typically weighs between 5 and 7 pounds (2.3 to 3.2 kg). After cleaning and trimming, you will lose roughly 1.5 to 2 pounds of fat, sinew, and chain meat. The cleaned tenderloin will serve approximately 8 to 10 people when roasted whole, or you can cut it into 6 to 8 generous steaks.
Do I need a special knife to clean a beef tenderloin?
A sharp boning knife or fillet knife works best for cleaning a tenderloin because their thin, flexible blades allow you to work closely around the meat without wasting it. That said, any sharp, thin-bladed knife will do the job. The most important thing is that your knife is properly sharpened -- a dull knife will tear the meat rather than cut it cleanly, and it is actually more dangerous because you have to apply more pressure.
Can I clean a beef tenderloin the day before cooking it?
Absolutely, and many chefs actually recommend it. Cleaning the tenderloin the day before gives you time to season it and let it sit uncovered in the fridge overnight. This dry-brining process helps the salt penetrate the meat and dries out the surface, which leads to a better sear. Just make sure to pat it dry again before cooking.
What should I do with the chain and trimmings from the tenderloin?
The chain meat and usable scraps are too good to throw away. You can dice them for stir-fry, thread them onto skewers, grind them for burgers, or use them in a beef stroganoff. The fat and sinew trimmings can be used to make a rich beef stock. Separate your scraps into two piles -- usable meat and fat or sinew -- so nothing goes to waste.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to properly clean and prepare a beef tenderloin is one of those skills that truly elevates your cooking. It saves you a significant amount of money compared to buying pre-trimmed steaks or a cleaned tenderloin from the butcher, and it gives you the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself. The first time might feel a bit intimidating, but by your second or third tenderloin, the whole process will feel second nature.
I hope this guide gives you the confidence to tackle a whole tenderloin at home. If you have any questions about the process, feel free to leave them in the comments below. I am always happy to help a fellow home cook level up their butchery skills.
Jodi Grundhoefer says
Thank you
Chef Ben Kelly says
It is truly my pleasure