Smoked Whole Beef Tenderloin.
Smoke a whole tenderloin low and slow until the crust chars black and the center stays pink enough to slice into steaks
Smoke a whole tenderloin low and slow until the crust chars black and the center stays pink enough to slice into steaks
Ingredients
Ingredients
- FOR THE TENDERLOIN:
- 1 whole beef tenderloin
Method
-
01
Preheat smoker to 200°F
15 minSmoker heats while you prep the meat.
-
02
Season tenderloin with Cattle Drive rub
5 minDust evenly and pat gently for coverage.
-
03
Smoke tenderloin at 200°F to 130°F internal
180 minTime varies by size; 9 lb took ~3 hours.
-
04
Rest tenderloin for 10 minutes
10 minLet that meat sit on the cutting board uncovered — the carryover heat is still working, and resting lets the juices redistribute so you don't lose them when you slice. You'll see the surface firming up and the meat relaxing.
-
05
Slice into 1.5-inch steaks and re-season
8 minChain Reaction first, then Cattle Drive after 10 min wait.
-
06
Sear steaks over very high heat
8 minCaramelize rub on both sides to 135-140°F internal.
-
07
Serve with horseradish
2 minSlice thick against the grain, pile it on a platter, and let folks top their own slices with horseradish cream or prepared horseradish — that heat cuts through the richness of the smoke and beef fat perfectly.
From Mike's Notebook
Tenderloin's thin end cooks faster — rotate it away from heat source after first hour.
Don't slice until it hits 130°F internal — carryover heat during rest gets you to 135°F.
Re-season after the 10-minute rest — the surface dries out and takes rub better than warm meat.