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Grilling 24x7 » Recipes » Pellet Grill Smoked Beef Tenderloin

Pellet Grill Smoked Beef Tenderloin

by Frank Campanella Leave a Comment

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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.

smoked beef tenderloin topped with sea salt and sliced scallions

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.

beef tenderloin sliced on a cutting board

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.
two tenderloins medium rare

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.
sliced beef tenderloin garnished with diced peppers chives and scallions
picking up a slice of beef tenderloin

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.
1 inch slice of beef tenderloin

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.

trimmed and tied whole beef tenderloin

Smoking Beef Tenderloin FAQs

Are beef tenderloin and filet mignon the same thing?

Beef tenderloin normally refers to the entire cut, whereas Filet Mignon refers to an individual steak cut.

Why is beef tenderloin so expensive?

There are only two tenderloins on a whole cow, so it is not as plentiful as a roast that can be portioned into many cuts. It's also the most tender making it highly valued by chefs and customers who enjoy that cut.

Is Smoked Filet Mignon The Same as Tenderloin

Filet Mignon is just the individual steak that is cut from a whole beef tenderloin. So yes, it's the same cut of beef, just portioned into individual steaks.

Should I let the tenderloin come to room temperature before Smoking?

No, Because we are using the reverse sear method and smoking at a low temperature, we want to make sure the beef tenderloin roast is cold so it has time to absorb more smoke.

How to Store Leftover Beef Tenderloin

The best way to store your leftover beef tenderloin is to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then store in a sealed container or ziplock bag. this will prevent the tenderloin for oxidizing and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

whole tenderloin smoked and sliced in half

Dont Forget to PIN This recipe and share with someone who loves smoked tenderloin

More Pellet Grill Smoked Beef Recipes

  • Smoked Prime Rib
  • Smoked Beef Short Ribs
  • Smoked Beef Eye Round
  • Smoked Chuck Roast
  • Smoked Beef Brisket
picking up a slice of beef tenderloin
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Smoked Beef Tenderloin

If you want to impress your guests Smoked Beef Tenderloin on the pellet grill is always a show stopper and great for large groups.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, BBQ
Keyword smoked beef tenderloin
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 2 hours hours
Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings 12
Calories 565kcal

Equipment

  • Pellet Grill

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs Beef Tenderloin Cleaned and Trimmed
  • 2 tbsp Beef Rub
  • 1 tbsp Avocado Oil
  • ½ stick Butter
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
  • 1 bunch Fresh Thyme

Instructions

  • Preheat 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 smoker to melt along with beef.
  • Rub down tenderloin on all sides with avocado oil then season liberally with beef rub seasoning. Place Tenderloin on the pellet grill and smoke for about 1 hour.
  • Brush with garlic butter after an hour of cooking then continue to smoke until tenderloin reaches and internal temp of 125 degrees F.
  • Once tenderloin reaches internal temp 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.
  • Brush tenderloin a secind time with remaining garlic butter and let the beef rest for 10 minutes befor slicing.

Notes

Serving size about 4 ounces. 1 inch Slice
For tips on trimming see video above.
Only slice what you intend to serve immediately. Leave the rest of the tenderloin whole. 

Nutrition

Calories: 565kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 151IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 5mg

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