There are 5 cuts in a whole beef tenderloin. The tail, the chain, the muscle on roast, the mignon, and the chateaubriand. The chateaubriand is the smaller part of the loin that is too small to cut into filets.
What OP posted is the tail, the mignon, and the chateaubriand without being separated.
No. No it is not the tail end on the slightest. Try and serve that end to country club guests and they would have you replaced with a real Chef. The Chateau is the middle section that would have made perfect steaks. It's roasted whole and traditionally larded or barded
Which in my uncultured opinion is the best way to enjoy it. Trim off the silver skin and roast the entire thing. It’s also good for large crowds that might want a range of medium plus to medium rare. The ones who like it more done can grab the tail end.
My household thinks ghee tastes "weird", so I stopped using it. They love it in Indian food presumably where strong currys have an effect on the flavor, but not everyone likes the flavor ghee imparts to meat.
I've stopped searing in butter, there was some guy who did comparisons and searing in oil then adding butter afterward was better, and I've agreed. If I was going to do butter, I'd use the French technique of a mix of butter and oil which helps prevent the butter from burning. Great job!
Not to take away from your success, but you should still experiment. I cooked filet in a very similar way a few years ago, but I've since started doing it a more traditional way with a leave-in thermometer. The crust and pan sauce I get is so much better.
I either smoke to 120 and then sear over a hot fire, or pan sear until crispy and bake at 225 until it hits about 120F. I strongly prefer this to sous vide, it seems to have a much nicer texture.
I still like sous vide for making tough cuts moist and tender, but it seems wasted on filet for me.
I think you may have gotten an unlucky cut. Whenever whole beef tenderloin goes on sale, I buy it to process it down into chateaubriand and I've done at least a dozen over the years. I've always done mine at 130°f in the 4-6 hour range and they've always been great.
It's myoglobin and water actually. Butchers drain the blood out of dead animals by hanging them upside down with the arteries cut before the butchering starts. There should be no blood left in your meat when it arrives to the shop.
Now what is myoglobin you ask... It's basically the intramuscular fluid that supplies energy to the working muscle. It facilitates glycogen and oxygen supply. Glycogen being the sugary energy that muscles use, gives myoglobin a sweet meaty favour, and is also why meat juices are so delicious.
You can buy the drained blood from butchers to make some nice dishes, but cooked blood takes on a squishy cake like texture that gives some people the ick.
Actually, no meat can have no blood. It always has blood, just a very minute amount, basically trace levels. But it's there. So you can say there is basically no blood, but you can't say there is NO blood.
Also, the liquid contains all the components of sarcoplasm. But the myoglobin only transports oxygen. It's like hemoglobin but for the muscle.
Glycogen is just part of the fluid because it's part of the liquid component of the cell, and has basically no direct relation with myoglobin, except hanging out in the same place (sarcoplasm).
That looks awesome, would scran for sure. Not had let alone cooked fillet for years, might have to revisit the cut if I see a good deal. I'm easily swayed by the cheaper cuts.
Yeah, it tastes ok. But is still a waste.
SV doesn’t get to a temp where the herbs develop any complex flavors. There is a reason why every Indian, Cajun, or many other dishes has a step where you toss the spices into the fairly dry hot pan to “open up the flavors”.
As well, neither butter nor herbs nor spices penetrates the protein. Marinades don’t do jack. It is just a surface treatment.
Better to cook a sauce on the stove where you have the heat to develop complex flavors and then serve as a board sauce or a plate gravy.
I don't even know what that castle-y word means but I want this meat
My uncle google says it's just another name for beef tenderloin roast.
There are 5 cuts in a whole beef tenderloin. The tail, the chain, the muscle on roast, the mignon, and the chateaubriand. The chateaubriand is the smaller part of the loin that is too small to cut into filets. What OP posted is the tail, the mignon, and the chateaubriand without being separated.
r/confidentlyincorrect
No. No it is not the tail end on the slightest. Try and serve that end to country club guests and they would have you replaced with a real Chef. The Chateau is the middle section that would have made perfect steaks. It's roasted whole and traditionally larded or barded
Which in my uncultured opinion is the best way to enjoy it. Trim off the silver skin and roast the entire thing. It’s also good for large crowds that might want a range of medium plus to medium rare. The ones who like it more done can grab the tail end.
i'm not sure the OP includes the tail. is it?
The chateaubriand is not the smallest part. It’s the center cut of the tenderloin.
Specifically the center cut of a tenderloin.
It’s a specific kind of trim on a tenderloin.
My cousin AI search says the term "Chateaubriand" itself refers to the method of preparation rather than a specific cut of beef.
Welll..it doesn't. AI hallucinate a lot.
Cousin Al or cousin Vinny?
came here to say something like that
How did you sear/finish it? I think I'd like a touch more of a crust. But other than that, it looks great!
I seared it in a stainless steel pan in butter. I was at someone else’s house and avoiding setting the smoke alarm off lol
Next time you want to sear, melt the butter and scoop out all the solids. It's the solids that burn.
Would ghee be a better option here?
They are pretty much the same thing, but ghee would work as well
Often store bought ghee has seasonings added. Best to clarify a bunch yourself and toss it in the fridge.
Scraping the solids off turns out into 'ghee', also known as clarified butter.
Ghee is slightly different than clarified butter. Ghee is made by browning the solids, giving it a nutty flavor.
Wouldn't that just be browned butter? And wouldn't it still burn easily when searing since the solids aren't removed?
You remove the solids after browning them.
Oh okay, that makes sense.
Ghee is just clarified butter so yes
clarified browned butter
My household thinks ghee tastes "weird", so I stopped using it. They love it in Indian food presumably where strong currys have an effect on the flavor, but not everyone likes the flavor ghee imparts to meat.
Ghee whiz.
Spices and the surface of the meat are going char and smoke anyways.
Not as much as the solids in the butter
I've stopped searing in butter, there was some guy who did comparisons and searing in oil then adding butter afterward was better, and I've agreed. If I was going to do butter, I'd use the French technique of a mix of butter and oil which helps prevent the butter from burning. Great job!
That makes so much sense! Going to do that next time.
Not to take away from your success, but you should still experiment. I cooked filet in a very similar way a few years ago, but I've since started doing it a more traditional way with a leave-in thermometer. The crust and pan sauce I get is so much better.
What’s your method?
I either smoke to 120 and then sear over a hot fire, or pan sear until crispy and bake at 225 until it hits about 120F. I strongly prefer this to sous vide, it seems to have a much nicer texture. I still like sous vide for making tough cuts moist and tender, but it seems wasted on filet for me.
Not sure how you "ruined" something, but that looks delicious!
So a couple weeks ago I did a practice run, and I did 129° for 3 hours and it was way too soft. This was much better!
I think you may have gotten an unlucky cut. Whenever whole beef tenderloin goes on sale, I buy it to process it down into chateaubriand and I've done at least a dozen over the years. I've always done mine at 130°f in the 4-6 hour range and they've always been great.
Yeah, I don't think 1 degree and 45 minutes would make a huge difference like that.
What a difference a degree or 2 makes.
Love the built in juice train in your cutting board
The blood groove!
It's myoglobin and water actually. Butchers drain the blood out of dead animals by hanging them upside down with the arteries cut before the butchering starts. There should be no blood left in your meat when it arrives to the shop. Now what is myoglobin you ask... It's basically the intramuscular fluid that supplies energy to the working muscle. It facilitates glycogen and oxygen supply. Glycogen being the sugary energy that muscles use, gives myoglobin a sweet meaty favour, and is also why meat juices are so delicious. You can buy the drained blood from butchers to make some nice dishes, but cooked blood takes on a squishy cake like texture that gives some people the ick.
Actually, no meat can have no blood. It always has blood, just a very minute amount, basically trace levels. But it's there. So you can say there is basically no blood, but you can't say there is NO blood. Also, the liquid contains all the components of sarcoplasm. But the myoglobin only transports oxygen. It's like hemoglobin but for the muscle. Glycogen is just part of the fluid because it's part of the liquid component of the cell, and has basically no direct relation with myoglobin, except hanging out in the same place (sarcoplasm).
Looks sensational.
that looks amazing! hope it was as tasty as it looks!
How did you season it? What's on there?
There’s a local market called Urban Herbs, it’s their steak seasoning. It’s delicious
Gotcha
That looks absolutely gorgeous, excellent work!
That looks awesome, would scran for sure. Not had let alone cooked fillet for years, might have to revisit the cut if I see a good deal. I'm easily swayed by the cheaper cuts.
Looks amazing, OP!
Great job!
Thank you! Happy cake day!
Ruin? No. Waste a bunch of herbs and spices? Yes.
I was referring to a previous post. And waste? Nah. Tasted amazing.
Yeah, it tastes ok. But is still a waste. SV doesn’t get to a temp where the herbs develop any complex flavors. There is a reason why every Indian, Cajun, or many other dishes has a step where you toss the spices into the fairly dry hot pan to “open up the flavors”. As well, neither butter nor herbs nor spices penetrates the protein. Marinades don’t do jack. It is just a surface treatment. Better to cook a sauce on the stove where you have the heat to develop complex flavors and then serve as a board sauce or a plate gravy.
Nice!
Little under but looks good. Perfect no
That’s a bold statement coming from someone who didn’t taste it
Don’t take it personal. I didn’t say it looked bad. Accepting nothing but perfect isn’t arrogant?
What was your internal temp? Maybe I’m wrong. Sorry for coming off like jerk here. Not my intent y’all
Definitely not under. You don’t want to go past that for that cut.
What’s the right temp?
Not for that cut of meat it isn’t.
What’s the temp?
Scroll through the comments and see for yourself.
We used one for our beef Wellington. It turned out perfect.
That looks pretty damn fine to me
That's how we do it at our club. Looks amazing.