Fillet of Beef

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Narrow flexible boning knife
• •Cotton butcher's string
• •Shallow roasting tin with fitted rack
• •Instant-read or leave-in digital thermometer
• •Warm oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim the fillet

   Keep the beef cold while you work. Slip a narrow, flexible knife beneath the first firm silver sheet, angle the blade slightly toward the sinew, and draw it along in short strokes. Remove the second envelope in the same manner, taking the tough membrane without shaving away the red meat beneath it. Do not chase every pale seam into the flesh; the two sinewy coverings must go, but unnecessary trimming only makes this lean joint drier.

   If the blade begins cutting deeply into the meat, turn its edge upward toward the sinew. A few shallow nicks do no harm, but long gouges create thin spots that overcook.
2. 2

   Season and bard

   Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the middle. Dry the fillet thoroughly, then season it evenly with the salt and pepper. Lay the bacon or fat slices on the board with their edges slightly overlapping, set the fillet across them, and wrap the slices snugly around the meat. Tie with cotton butcher's string at 1½-inch (4 cm) intervals, tucking the narrow tail under itself if necessary to make the roast even. This barding replaces the protection lost during trimming; it is the intent of larding without the larding needle.

3. 3

   Roast with fierce heat

   Set the barded fillet seam-side down on a rack in a shallow roasting tin. Roast at 450°F (230°C), beginning to check the centre after 18 minutes. Insert the thermometer from the side into the thickest part and remove the beef at 118 to 122°F (48 to 50°C); it should take roughly 22 to 30 minutes, but the thermometer decides. The fierce heat colours the fat covering before the lean centre dries. If one patch darkens too quickly, shield only that patch with a small piece of foil and continue roasting.

4. 4

   Rest without rushing

   Transfer the fillet to a warm platter and cover it loosely with foil, leaving room for the exterior to remain dry. Rest it untouched for 20 minutes; the centre should rise to about 126 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) while the juices settle through the meat. Do not cut into it to check. If an early cut releases a flood of juice, stop. Ça se rattrape: place the cut faces together and rest the remaining roast for another 10 minutes before continuing.

5. 5

   Attend the sauces

   While the beef rests, set the finished Horse-radish or Albert Sauce (No. 119) warm in a sauceboat, or set the finished Horse-radish Sauce (No. 138) very cold in a chilled bowl. These are alternatives, each a complete preparation from its own entry, and they remain apart from the meat until each guest takes some.

6. 6

   Carve and serve

   Snip away every piece of string without disturbing the barding. Carve the fillet across the grain into generous ¾-inch (2 cm) slices, keeping any crisp bacon or fat with the corresponding slice. Arrange the rosy pieces on the warm platter, spoon over any resting juices, and pass the chosen horseradish sauce separately. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for a centre-cut fillet of even thickness, with the loose side chain removed. A tapered whole tenderloin gives you several degrees of doneness at once; useful for mixed company, but less precise than the even joint used here.
• •Thin unsmoked streaky bacon is the practical home barde. Strong smoke or sweet curing overwhelms the mild beef, while fresh beef fat is closest to the other protection described in the source if your butcher can slice and flatten it.
• •The source pairs large English-style roast joints with Yorkshire pudding, grated horseradish, or horseradish sauce. For this smaller fillet, choose either warm Horse-radish or Albert Sauce (No. 119) or cold Horse-radish Sauce (No. 138); serving both is generous but not required.
• •A probe or instant-read thermometer matters more than any roasting timetable. For guests who require fully cooked beef, prepare a separate portion to 145°F (63°C) and hold it there for at least 3 minutes rather than drying the entire fillet.
• •Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them for up to 3 days. Slice the beef cold for sandwiches or warm thick slices very gently; hard reheating turns tenderloin from rosy to dry with remarkable efficiency.

Advance Preparation

• •The fillet may be trimmed, barded, and tied up to 8 hours ahead. Keep it on a tray on the lowest refrigerator shelf, then remove it 30 minutes before roasting.
• •Horse-radish Sauce (No. 138) may be finished a day ahead because it is served very cold. Horse-radish or Albert Sauce (No. 119) is best finished close to serving and held according to its own entry.
• •Do not roast the fillet ahead and reheat it whole. This cut has too little internal fat to forgive a second cooking; prepare the sauce and bard the beef ahead, then roast shortly before the meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 230g)