Pellet Grill Smoked Beef Tenderloin

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Smoked Beef Tenderloin is one of my favorite recipes to make when Im having people over that I want to impress. This was always one of my restaurants most popular dishes and I would sell out almost every night.

Need something sweet to go with this beef Tenderloin? You have to try this Twix Cake right away!!

Why This Beef Tenderloin is the Best

The key to a perfect beef tenderloin is to develop a flavorful crust on the outside and nail the internal temperature so it's juicy and delicious. This smoked tenderloin recipe has been mastered over many years, so you can confidently recreate it at home.

Whether it is barbeque season, holiday season, or just a special dinner for loved ones, this smoked tenderloin recipe is the only way to go.

If you are going to spend your hard earned money on a whole beef tenderloin than you want to make sure to read this entire recipe so you have every step planned out.

Smoked Tenderloin Ingredients

• Beef Tenderloin: For this recipe, you will need 5 lbs of beef tenderloin, cleaned and trimmed. Check out your local grocery store, meat counter, or butcher shop because you can buy a beef tenderloin trimmed if you don't want to trim it yourself. I recommend buying a tenderloin at least 5 pounds because you'll lose some weight when trimming.
• Beef Rub: You can make your own or buy your favorite store-bought beef rub! Either way, you will need 2 tbsp to season your tenderloin.
• Oil: I prefer using avocado oil, but any cooking oil you have handy will work just fine.
• Butter: Use ½ stick of butter and baste with herb garlic butter. It is key because it will add to that richness.
• Garlic Cloves: Roasting the garlic in the butter infuses amazing garlic goodness into the beef that you definitely don't want to sleep on.
• Fresh Rosemary: Rosemary will give your steak an earthy flavor to the garlic herb butter.
• Fresh Thyme: This is a great herb to infuse with garlic butter to add even more flavor to the beef tenderloin.

WATCH: Prepping for Smoking a Beef Tenderloin

How to Smoke Beef Tenderloin

1. Preheat. Preheat your pellet grill to 200 Degrees F. Place rosemary, thyme, garlic cloves, and butter in a heat-safe dish or cast iron. Place in the corner of the smoker to melt along with beef.
2. Prep the meat. Rub down tenderloin on all sides with avocado oil then season liberally with beef rub seasoning.
3. Smoke the meat. Place Tenderloin on the pellet grill and smoke for about 1 hour.
4. Add butter. Brush with garlic butter after an hour of cooking then continue to smoke until the tenderloin reaches an internal temp of 125 degrees F.
5. Rest and then sear. Once tenderloin reaches internal temperature let the beef rest for 10 minutes while you raise the smoker temp to 400 degrees F. Sear the tenderloin on all sides cooking for about 2 minutes per side.
6. Add butter and rest again. Brush tenderloin a second time with remaining garlic butter and let the beef rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
7. Slicing Tip: Remove all of the butcher's twine and start slicing. You can make thick slices for serving as Filet Mignon steaks or thin slices perfect for making sliders. It's all up to you on how thick you prefer to cut the beef tenderloin roast.
8. Serving Tip: I like to sprinkle a pinch of coarse finishing salt over the filet to bring out that savory flavor. Kosher salt is fine as well if you have that on hand.

Smoked Beef Tenderloin Recipe Tips

• Slicing: Because beef tenderloin is so tender, it can be a little harder to slice, especially when it's super rare. I like to smoke the tenderloin to about 135 internal temp whisk is closer to medium. It's still incredibly juicy but easier to slice thin. Also, only slice what you intend to serve. Leave the rest of the tenderloin whole to slice as needed.
• Seasoning: Filet Mignon doesn't have the fat content that a prime rib or a strip steak has, so that's why I think a good amount of seasoning and smoking the meat is so important. Don't be shy with the beef rub; it can handle it. You can also add extra black pepper if you want to create an even spicier crust.
• Resting: Because we smoked the beef at a low temp, you don't need to rest the tenderloin as long as you would a chuck roast or a brisket. The higher the temp, the longer the resting time. If you are worried about the steak cooling down, you can tent it with aluminum foil and keep a digital thermometer in the meat to maintain the desired temperature.
• Sauces: I think that tenderloin is at its best when served with a good sauce. My Horseradish Aioli is Classic, and my Chesapeake Crab Butter Sauce is what you make when you want to really impress the guests. My personal favorite is my classic Steak Madagascar Sauce.

What to Serve with Smoked Tenderloin Beef

My grilled french fries are always a hit, especially when you see them with my Mississippi comeback sauce.

Roasted new potatoes, crispy zucchini fries, or even smoked mac and cheese are all great sides with beef tenderloin too.

If you are looking for a perfect sauce to serve with the tenderloin, make sure to check out my creamy horseradish sauce.

Smoking Beef Tenderloin FAQs

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More Pellet Grill Smoked Beef Recipes

• Smoked Prime Rib
• Smoked Beef Short Ribs
• Smoked Beef Eye Round
• Smoked Chuck Roast
• Smoked Beef Brisket