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Tenderloin is the boneless, bottom part of the Short Loin, and the most tender cut in the entire cow. Because it is so valuable, the whole Tenderloin is generally removed before any other cuts are made from the Short Loin.

The whole strip can be treated as a roast, or it can be sliced into smaller roasts or into steaks. The strip is shaped like a long tapering cylinder, about 18 inches long (45 cm), with one end of the strip larger than the other. The diameter of the strip varies from 6 inches (15 cm) down to about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm.) The larger end is called the "bull nose"; the narrower end is where Filet Mignons are cut from.

The Tenderloin is highly coveted, but it isn't as flavourful as other beef cuts, so often fancy French sauces are made to go with it. In addition to its not having the flavour of other roasts, some feel that the meat is too soft, and not very juicy, as the meat is so lean.

Nevertheless, it remains a very expensive cut of meat.

Beef Wellington is a whole Tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry and baked.

Cooking Tips
Never cook beyond medium-rare, as it will dry out past that and toughen. Many people cut off the small end before roasting, and use the small end for other purposes, as the small end would cook much faster than the rest of the roast and be ruined.

Nutrition
Per 3 oz, cooked. 280 calories, 20g protein, 22g fat.

Also called:

See Also:

Beef Wellington, Chateaubriand Roast, Filet Mignon, Tournedos Rossini

Other entries for:

Beef Tenderloin
Chateaubriand Roast, Coeur de Filet, Filet Mignon, Tenderloin Steak, Tournedos

Other entries for:

Beef Short Loin
Club Steak, Delmonico Steak, Porterhouse Steak, Shell Roast, Strip Loin Steak, T-Bone Steak

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Beef
Baron of Beef, Beef Brawn, Beef Brisket, Beef Chuck, Beef Cuts Illustrated -- North American, Beef Flank, Beef Leg, Beef Plate, Beef Rib, Beef Roasts, Beef Round, Beef Shank, Beef Sirloin, Beef Steaks, Braising Beef, Bresaola, Chianina Beef, Chipped Beef, Cube Steak, Ground Beef, Kobe Beef, London Broil, Minute Steak, Montreal Smoked Meat, Oxtail Brawn, Oxtails, Pastrami, Pork, Pot Roasts, Salisbury Steak, Steak, Steamship Round, Stewing Beef, Wadschinken, Wagyu Beef

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Meat
Affettati, Buffalo, Cap On / Cap Off, Game, Goat, Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications, Minced Meat, Offal, Paillards, Potted Meats, Poultry, Roasts, Sausages, Sheep, Veal, Venison, Yak