Beef Tenderloin Steak
A simple beef tenderloin steak recipe that sears the steak in a hot cast iron skillet, then finishes it in the oven to your target doneness. Ready in 25 minutes.
Servings: 1 serving
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (6-ounce) beef tenderloin steak
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat the olive oil in a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds, until the oil shimmers.Pro Tip: Cast iron works best for searing and oven-roasting. Any heavy, oven-safe skillet will work as a substitute.
- Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.Pro Tip: A dry surface is what creates a crisp brown crust. A wet steak steams instead of sears.
- Sear the steak for 4 minutes per side in the hot skillet, until a deep golden crust forms. Don't move the steak while it sears.
- Roast in the oven for 3 to 10 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness (see the chart in the notes). Pull the steak when the internal temperature reads 5°F below your target, since it will keep cooking as it rests.
- Rest with butter. Place a pat of butter on top of the steak, cover the skillet loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Dry brine for a better crust. If you have 45 minutes to spare (or up to overnight), salt the steak and leave it on a plate in the fridge. The salt pulls moisture from the surface, then reabsorbs it with the salt dissolved in, giving you a drier exterior and seasoning all the way through.
Bring the steak to room temperature. Take the steak out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. A cold steak won’t sear as evenly and takes longer in the oven, which risks overcooking the edges while the center catches up.
Use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat better than stainless or nonstick, so the steak keeps searing instead of cooling the pan when it hits the surface. A heavy stainless skillet works as a backup.
Insert the thermometer correctly. Push the probe into the thickest part of the steak from the side, stopping in the center. Don’t let the tip touch the pan or it will read hot and give you an undercooked steak.
Rest on a warm surface, not a cold plate. A cold plate pulls heat out of the steak and stops the juices from redistributing. Rest the steak in the hot skillet or on a warm plate.
Beef Tenderloin Cooking Times By Doneness
Cooking times below are for a 6-ounce beef tenderloin steak about 1 inch thick. Sear for 4 minutes per side in a hot cast iron skillet, then finish in a 400°F oven using the oven times below. Pull the steak from the oven 5°F before your target temperature, since it will continue to cook as it rests.| Doneness | Internal Temperature | Oven Time After Sear |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120 to 125°F | 3 minutes |
| Medium-Rare | 125 to 130°F | 5 minutes |
| Medium | 135 to 140°F | 7 minutes |
| Medium-Well | 145 to 150°F | 9 minutes |
| Well done | 155°F+ | 10+ minutes |
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 512kcal | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 5mg | Vitamin A: 175IU | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg
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