A couple of years ago, I was asked to prepare the main dish for my family’s Christmas dinner. While this task initially filled me with feelings of dread, it’s a tradition I look forward to every year now. Brisket and smoked turkey are my staples for Thanksgiving so I wanted to change it up and do something a bit more special in December.
After scanning the pages of various holiday editions of of Bon Appetit and Food & Wine, I narrowed by choices to three cuts: Bone-in Rib Roast, Bone-in Pork Loin and Whole Beef Tenderloin. I listed a few pros and cons for each while making my decision and I’ve included those below in case your calculus leads you to a different conclusion than my own.
Bone-in Beef Rib Roast
Pros:
- Beautiful, imposing roast
- Carving appeals to dinner guests of all appetites
- Pairs well with hearty red wines that are perfect for cool winter days and nights
Cons:
- Prime Rib with its pockets of delicious fatty goodness, can be off-putting for some
- Cook time exceeds an hour (maybe 2 depending on the size of the roast)
Bone-in Pork Loin
Pros:
- Reminiscent but elevated version of the holiday ham
- Also carved, allowing variable portion sizes
- Light reds, dark reds, whites— give me all the wines
Cons:
- If you’re serving pork on New Years Day for the traditional New Year’s meal it might be nice to spread your palate around the animal kingdom
- Less time than the beef rib roast, but still looking at around 1.5 hours of cook time
Whole Beef Tenderloin
Pros:
- High-end cut that is sure to impress
- Actually very quick to prepare and grill (45 minutes)
- Doneness spectrum— the tenderloin muscle tapers into a tail which you tuck under and tie with butcher’s twine to even out the cooking. In my experience, the narrower end will be more done than the thickest section in the middle.
Cons:
- Not a lot of room for error on this cut, no bones to serve as a heatsink and very easy to overcook
I chose the whole Beef Tenderloin, mostly for the quick prep and cook time and the fact that I have a few picky eaters at my table who find a prime rib to be a little too fatty for their tastes. Here’s the recipe I use:
Oak Smoked Beef Tenderloin
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4-5 lb trimmed Beef Tenderloin
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2 tablespoons of kosher salt
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2 tablespoons of coarse ground black pepper
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Olive oil
Preparing the beef
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If you purchased an untrimmed tenderloin, remove the chain (weird fatty piece of meat), any silver skin and excess surface fat
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Lightly coat the beef tenderloin in olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper
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Tuck the narrow end of the tenderloin under and truss the roast in even segments with butcher’s twine
Grilling that beef— reverse sear, a touch of oak and a watchful eye
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Prepare a full chimney starter of your preferred charcoal, briquettes or lump will work here
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Prepare a two-zone fire by dumping the charcoal on one side of the grill
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Place 2-4 soaked oak chips on top based on your desired level of smokiness
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Place the tenderloin on the cool side of the grill and cook for 15 minutes
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After 15 minutes, flip and rotate the tenderloin to ensure even cooking. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes.
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Check for doneness — if it’s at 120-125 in the center, I begin searing
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Place on the hot side of the grill for 1-2 minutes per side to get a crisp crust
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Let rest for 30 minutes then carve
Santé,
John