These days, it is more rare that my husband and I eat Beef, but as summer is now encroaching, barbecue season means a few steaks will be hitting the grill.
Beef tenderloin is a lower fat cut of beef, and is already tender. You don't need to do too much to this cut to make it an incredible meal. I was lucky enough to find a sale on a full Beef Tenderloin and as it had not been completely butchered, I was able to save additional dollars by doing the work myself.
I am not a butcher, but having worked in a few restaurants, I have learned a few tips. Beef Tenderloin is irregularly shaped, and it's an expensive cut, so, I made the most out of the ingredient. You can create a Baseball Style Steak with the thinner part of the Tenderloin.More on that below.
You really do wish to clean all of the silvery skin off of a cut of tenderloin. It is an unpleasant texture and it's not edible.
You will require a very sharp knife, patience and don't worry if you cut away too much of the tenderloin away, when creating a smooth edge. You can use the slivers of meat in other dishes and you can create a different type of steak with the smaller pieces. You want to have Steaks without jagged edges and free of the sinew and fat.
With the Tenderloin I bought, after I cleaned away the silvery tissue and rough cuts I managed to get :8 Tenderloin Steaks
4 Tenderloin Baseball Steaks *** Gourmet Hints
2 Cups of "Slivered" Tenderloin, which can be used for Stroganoff or another dish I choose to create in the future.
The remaining cuts from removing the sinew and fat, I roasted in the oven, using Bay Leaves and Whole Garlic as seasoning. The cuts did have enough beef entwined in them, that it could be used to create another meal as well.Roasting the remnants is an excellent way to create a stock as well as melt away the fat from the remaining meat. You can use any remaining slivers of Beef from these cuts to create a soup or stew with. This is a very economical way to cook and there is far less waste when you learn to make something out of "nothing".
I used the thinner portion of the Tenderloin to create Baseball Steaks. I took the smallest portion and rolled into into the centre of another small cut, then I tied the portions securely. This is a great way to create another portion of steak which is equal to the size of the thickest end of the tenderloin.
Tips for Cooking a Gourmet Steak
*** To Make a Fillet Mignon, after you have rolled the Baseball Steak, wrap bacon around the edge, prior to tying it. Season it simply with Salt Pepper and Garlic. Ready for the Grill!
*** Any of the Steaks above can be turned into a Steak Diane by rolling the edges in Crushed Peppercorns, Black, White, Green and Pink. Additionally use a hint of Garlic and a pinch of Salt. No Bacon!
The total cost of the Tenderloin was $53.56 CND. You can do the calculation on the final results if you wish. I know what I'd pay if ate this at a fine dining restaurant. I personally think the savings is there.
The work was worth the effort and we have a treat for the long weekends and any other day we choose to grill Beef Tenderloin over the next 5 months. Spring and Summer is short where I live. I like to make the most of it.
I used the remnants to make a Beef and Bean Soup. I did not write out the exact ingredients on this soup as it is one I chose to make on a whim. I don't like to waste anything. Cumin, Coriander, Tomato Chick Pea and various vegetables went into the Pot, as well as Roasted Garlic and Bay Leaf.I made enough to create 10 individual bowls of Soup.
In total, counting the two cups of Slivered meat, that means the tenderloin portions create 24 individual meals. I'm Okay with that, and my neighbours got the benefit of a few portions of Beef and Bean Portuguese Soup.
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| Dinner! |
This is just an example of how you can get creative, save a few dollars, but still indulge on even a premier cut of Beef.
Happy Barbecuing!
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