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    Grits and Pinecones » Recipes » Main Dish

    Easy Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce

    November 26, 2022 by Sharon Rigsby, Updated April 16, 2023 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest pin showing a sliced whole beef tenderloin on a cutting board.

    Nothing says the holidays like a showstopping, melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly cooked whole Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce. 

    Elegant and impressive oven-roasted tenderloin is a classic entrée for Christmas dinner or a special occasion. And when cut into medallions or bites, it makes a great appetizer or topping for canapes for a holiday or New Year’s Eve party. 

    A whole beef tenderloin sliced on a cutting board.

    Like my recipe for Roasted Whole Beef Tenderloin with Onion Blue Cheese Sauce, this delicious and easy-to-make recipe with its tasty gorgonzola sauce is perfect for feeding a crowd. And it’s guaranteed to impress your family and friends!

    It only takes a few minutes to prep, then you pop the beef tenderloin roast in the oven for under an hour, and your oven takes over the heavy lifting.

    Not only is the make-ahead Gorgonzola dipping sauce for the beef tenderloin delicious, but it’s as easy to make as they come. First, you throw everything in your food processor and let it do its magic. Then, you can sit back and bask in the compliments!

    For a more traditional twist, try this recipe for Creamy Horseradish Sauce.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredient notes:
    • How to prepare a beef tenderloin roast:
    • Beef tenderloin temperature chart:
    • How to trim and tie a beef tenderloin roast:
    • Recipe FAQs:
    • Sharon’s tips:
    • More beef recipes for special occasions:
    • 📋 Recipe:

    Ingredient notes:

    A whole beef tenderloin plus ingredients, gorgonzola cheese, cream cheese and sour cream to make a dipping sauce.
    • Center-cut beef tenderloin roast – is the tenderest of all beef, and you can practically cut it with a fork. If your roast is trimmed and tied, it will cook more evenly.
    • Butter – is there anything more delicious than this popular condiment? It adds moisture and a delicious buttery taste to the beef.
    • Kosher salt and ground black pepper – season the tenderloin, which enhances its bold, beefy flavor.
    • Gorgonzola cheese – a type of salty, earthy blue cheese, is the main ingredient in the dipping sauce. You can substitute a different kind of blue cheese, such as Stilton or Roquefort.
    • Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream – combine to form the base of the sauce, and each ingredient adds its unique flavor.
    • Worcestershire sauce – with its savory and tangy umami essence- contrasts with the other creamy ingredients.
    • Green onions – sometimes known as scallions add a lovely mild onion flavor and a pop of green.

    How to prepare a beef tenderloin roast:

    1. About an hour before you cook it, remove the trimmed and tied beef from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
    A whole beef tenderloin tied and trimmed.
    1. Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
    2. Place beef on a wire rack on a baking sheet with sides. Rub butter all over the beef and season generously with salt and pepper.
    A beef roast covered with butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.
    1. Insert a leave-in meat thermometer probe with an alarm into the thickest part of the beef.
    A meat temperature probe inserted in a beef roast.
    1. Bake until the meat thermometer registers five degrees below your desired temperature (see temperature chart below). It should take about 35-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the tenderloin and its internal temperature when it goes into the oven.
    2. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let the meat rest for at least 10-15 minutes.
    3. While the beef rests, make the gorgonzola sauce by placing all sauce ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal s-blade.
    A food processor bowl full of scallions, gorgonzola cheese, cream cheese and sour cream.
    1. Process until smooth and creamy.
    A food processor bowl full of processed gorgonzola sauce.
    1. Slice the roast into half-inch or larger slices and serve with the gorgonzola sauce.
    Slices of beef tenderloin on a cutting board with a dipping sauce in a bowl beside it.

    Beef tenderloin temperature chart:

    Beef tenderloin is one of the most expensive cuts of meat and is best served rare or medium rare.

    While the beef rests, the internal temperature of the meat will increase by about five degrees, so it’s essential to remove it from the oven when it’s about five degrees below your desired temperature.

    • Rare – bright purple-red cool center: remove the roast from the oven at 120 °F to serve it at 125 °F.
    • Medium Rare – bright red, warm center: remove the roast from the oven at 130 °F to serve it at 135 °F.
    • Medium – rich pink center: remove the roast from the oven at 140 °F to serve it at 145 °F.

    How to trim and tie a beef tenderloin roast:

    When you purchase a whole tenderloin, you can ask your butcher to trim and tie it for you or do it yourself. Tying keeps the meat even all around and ensures that the roast is the same thickness and will cook evenly.

    • To do it yourself, first, use a sharp thin knife to slice or “trim” off any “silver skin” (a thick layer of silvery connective tissue) or any excess fat. I like to use a fish fillet knife.
    • Then use cotton kitchen twine or butcher’s string to “tie” the beef. The simplest way is to wrap the string around the roast and tie it snuggly about every one and a half or two inches until the entire thing is neatly tied and in a nice even cylinder. If your roast has a thin tail, fold it under and tie it to the tenderloin.

    Recipe FAQs:

    What to serve with it?

    I like to serve this delicious special occasion entree with side dishes such as Baked Cauliflower with Gruyere Cheese, Baked Pineapple Cheese Casserole, Southern Sweet Onion Casserole, Ultimate Blue Cheese Potatoes Au Gratin, Parmesan Potatoes Au Gratin, or Twice Baked Potatoes.

    A lovely salad, such as my Cornbread Salad, Apple Pecan Salad, Fall Harvest Salad, Romaine Wedge Salad, or Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Pecans, would round things out nicely, along with either my Cheesy Texas Toast Garlic Bread or my Southern Cheddar Biscuits.

    For a scrumptious sweet ending, my Homemade Strawberry Sherbet, Pecan Pralines and Ice Cream, Vanilla Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries, or my Lemon Tart with Gingersnap Crust would be perfect.

    How much beef tenderloin per person?

    Of course, it all depends on who you are serving, how many sides you will serve, and the appetites of your family or guests. You can figure roughly six to eight ounces of raw meat per person. You will lose about two ounces of that when it is cooked.

    What grade of beef should I buy?

    The standard grades of beef you will see in the grocery store are Prime, Choice, and Select, which relate to tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Choice has a little less marbling than Prime, but it is still high quality and it is what you are most likely to find in the grocery store.

    Sharon’s tips:

    • For the best flavor, be generous in seasoning your tenderloin with salt and pepper. I like to use either kosher or sea salt.
    • Be sure to let your meat “rest” lightly covered with foil before you cut it. The beef will continue cooking, and the temperature will increase by about five degrees. This also gives the juices a chance to redistribute, ensuring your roast is juicy and tender.
    • This entree is best served rare or medium-rare. However, if you have family members or guests who like their beef medium well or well done, consider cutting off a separate piece and cooking it to the desired temperature.
    • Invest in one if you do not have a good instant-read meat thermometer. I like and use a DOT Oven Alarm thermometer with a temperature probe. I like it because I can insert the probe into the meat, place it in the oven or grill, and set the temperature. Then the alarm beeps when that temperature is reached.
    • Of course, there are lots of other instant meat thermometer options available. The important thing is to use one and test the thickest part of the roast!
    • The gorgonzola sauce can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. It is best served at room temperature.

    More beef recipes for special occasions:

    • Chili Rubbed Ribeye Steak topped with three pats of Maple Bourbon Butter on a white plate.
      Chili Rubbed Ribeye Steak with Maple Bourbon Butter
    • A filet mignon topped with blue cheese on a cutting board.
      Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon Steak
    • Two fillet mignons topped with red wine mushroom sauce.
      Filet Mignon with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
    • New York Strip Roast – Oven Roasted

    ★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

    Thanks so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

    📋 Recipe:

    A sliced beef tenderloin on a cutting board with gorgonzola dipping sauce.

    Easy Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce Recipe

    Sharon Rigsby
    Elegant and impressive oven-roasted tenderloin is a classic entrée for Christmas dinner or a special occasion. And when cut into medallions or bites, it makes a great appetizer or topping for canapes for a holiday or New Year's Eve party. 
    4.44 from 16 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Resting time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 672 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Beef Tenderloin

    • 3 pounds beef tenderloin, center cut, trimmed and tied
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Gorgonzola Sauce

    • 6 ounces gorgonzola cheese
    • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 1 bnuch green onions or scallions, green parts only, trimmed and sliced
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

    Instructions
     

    Beef Tenderloin

    • About an hour before you are ready to cook it, remove beef from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
    • Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
    • Place beef on a wire rack on a baking sheet with sides. Rub butter all over the beef and sprinkle liberally with kosher or sea salt and pepper. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast.
    • Bake until the meat thermometer registers five degrees below your desired temperature (see temperature chart below). It should take about 35-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the tenderloin and its internal temperature when it goes into the oven.
    • Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let the meat rest for at least 10-15 minutes.

    Gorgonzola Sauce

    • Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Serve at room temperature.

    Notes

    Beef tenderloin temperature chart:
    Beef tenderloin is one of the most expensive cuts of meat and is best served rare or medium rare.
    While the beef rests, the internal temperature of the meat will increase by about five degrees, so it’s essential to remove it from the oven when it’s about five degrees below your desired temperature.
    • Rare – bright purple-red cool center: remove the roast from the oven at 120 °F to serve it at 125 °F.
    • Medium Rare – bright red, warm center: remove the roast from the oven at 130 °F to serve it at 135 °F.
    • Medium – rich pink center: remove the roast from the oven at 140 °F to serve it at 145 °F.
    How to trim and tie a beef tenderloin roast:
    When you purchase a whole tenderloin, you can ask your butcher to trim and tie it for you or do it yourself. Tying keeps the meat even all around and ensures that the roast is the same thickness and will cook evenly.
    • To do it yourself, first, use a sharp thin knife to slice or “trim” off any “silver skin” (a thick layer of silvery connective tissue) or any excess fat. I like to use a fish fillet knife.
    • Then use cotton kitchen twine or butcher’s string to “tie” the beef. The simplest way is to wrap the string around the roast and tie it snuggly about every one and a half or two inches until the entire thing is neatly tied and in a nice even cylinder. If your roast has a thin tail, fold it under and tie it to the tenderloin.
    Tips:
    • For the best flavor, be generous in seasoning your tenderloin with salt and pepper. I like to use either kosher or sea salt.
    • Be sure to let your meat “rest” lightly covered with foil before you cut it. The beef will continue cooking, and the temperature will increase by about five degrees. This also gives the juices a chance to redistribute, ensuring your roast is juicy and tender.
    • This entree is best served rare or medium-rare. However, if you have family members or guests who like their beef medium well or well done, consider cutting off a separate piece and cooking it to the desired temperature.
    • Invest in one if you do not have a good instant-read meat thermometer. I like and use a DOT Oven Alarm thermometer with a temperature probe. I like it because I can insert the probe into the meat, place it in the oven or grill, and set the temperature. Then the alarm beeps when that temperature is reached.
    • Of course, there are lots of other instant meat thermometer options available. The important thing is to use one and test the thickest part of the roast!
    • The gorgonzola sauce can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. It is best served at room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 672kcalCarbohydrates: 0.2gProtein: 41gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 174mgSodium: 2437mgPotassium: 696mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.01gVitamin A: 177IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today! Mention @gritspinecones or tag #gritspinecones!

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Leigh

      December 19, 2017 at 5:39 pm

      Can the Gorgonzola sauce be made earlier in the day and brought back to room temperature?

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        December 20, 2017 at 10:16 am

        Hi Leigh, yes it can! Hope you enjoy it!
        Sharon

        Reply
    2. Kerri Mohar

      September 21, 2017 at 1:08 pm

      We cooked this one on our Big Green Egg grill and it turned out perfect! Our Supper Club was impressed with this one and the sauce was amazing! This is a great dish for a holiday or when you’re trying to feed a large group.

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        September 23, 2017 at 12:57 pm

        Hi Kerri,
        Thanks so much for sharing and I’m so glad you like the recipe!

        Reply
        • Elise

          December 17, 2017 at 9:29 pm

          What can I use for the sauce other then a good processor? Blender? Wire wisk in my KitchenAid?

        • Gritsandpinecones

          December 18, 2017 at 1:57 pm

          Hi Elise,
          I’ve never done it, but I think you should be able to make the gorgonzola sauce in your blender. I don’t think the wire whisk would be able to pulverize the green onions so you end up with a smooth sauce.
          Hope this helps and Merry Christmas!
          Sharon

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    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, recipe developer, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and I like nothing better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

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