Easy Christmas Dinner Beef Tenderloin Roast

Rinse and pat the beef dry. Remove any silver skin if necessary. Combine 2 1/4 teaspoons Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and the baking soda and stir together. Liberally coat the roast all over including the ends with the seasoning.

Using 10" lengths of kitchen twine, begin tying off the roast directly in the center. Tie every 1 1/2" inches working your way outward from center to end to end. If an end is very thin, bend it back and tuck it alongside the roast, securing with the twine. You want the overall look of the roast to be equal from end to end, and the twine will aid in the even cooking. Snip off any long pieces of twine after tying and discard.

Allow roast to sit at room temperature for at least one hour for the salt to equitably draw, then redistribute moisture throughout the roast.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a meat rack into the roasting pan. Brush the roast with a tablespoon of olive oil and place the roast directly on top of the rack. No part of the roast should be touching the roasting pan. Load the roasting pan into the fully preheated oven and set the timer for 5 minutes. When 5 minutes is up, lower temperature to 300°F.

Roast the beef until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center shows 125°F for rare, then remove it from the oven. For additional doneness, keep cooking, checking every 6 minutes until it reaches your desired temperature. Once done, remove the beef, double wrap it in foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes to reach its "rest to" temperature, ensuring juices redistribute. This crucial step ensures perfect tenderness. After resting, remove the twine, slice in 1/2" slices and arrange on a pretty platter. Serve with this Creamy au Jus using the beef drippings, or my Whipped Horseradish Cream if desired. NOTE: Do not open the oven door during the roast all but for turning the roasting pan halfway through cooking to promote even doneness.

Variation: Adding Potatoes

In a roasting pan over a stove top burner, bloom the aromatics by first heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the scallions, garlic, smoked paprika, Aleppo pepper (if using), and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until fragrant.

Add the potatoes whole and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. As fond begins to build up on the bottom of the roasting pan, turn off the heat and add the water into the roasting pan, scraping the bits of fond to loosen. Place the potato mixture into the oven for 15 minutes uncovered.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. Reduce heat to 300°F. Stir and gather the potatoes into the middle of the roasting pan.

Brush the beef with a tablespoon of olive oil and place the roast directly on top of the potatoes. No part of the roast should be touching the roasting pan.

Place back into the oven. Roast the beef until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center shows 125°F for rare, then remove it from the oven. For additional doneness, keep cooking, checking every 6 minutes until it reaches your desired temperature. Once done, remove the beef, double wrap it in foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes to reach its "rest to" temperature, ensuring juices redistribute. This crucial step ensures perfect tenderness. After resting, remove the twine, slice in 1/2" slices and arrange on a pretty platter. Serve with this Creamy au Jus using the beef drippings, or my Whipped Horseradish Cream if desired. NOTE: Do not open the oven door during the roast all but for turning the roasting pan halfway through cooking to promote even doneness.