Beef Tenderloin is the most classic of holiday fare. I can not even begin to count how many Beef Tenderloins I have prepared over the years… maybe 100’s. It is the perfect entree for a dinner party, and sliced thinly as an hors d’oeuvres, it is the perfect special item at a cocktail party. Elegant, easy, impressive… everything you want at a Holiday Party. As a caterer, I loved to serve beef tenderloin at dinner parties because it is so easy. I could prepare it before the party in minutes with the butter and seasoning, it would go into the oven 45 minutes before dinner, then I would slice it just before it was served. To make it really special, serve it with this warm blue cheese cream sauce – it is so, so easy. Be sure to clean your oven before the party – heating it to 500 degrees can really get it smoking! 
Beef Tenderloin serves 10 for dinner, or 25 canapes 5 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed & tied 4 tablespoons of butter, softened 2 tablespoons of sea salt 2 tablespoons of cracked black pepper Blue Cheese Cream Sauce Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If it has not already been done by your butcher, trim the fat off of the tenderloin. Tie the tenderloin together with twine, every 3 inches, folding in the ‘tail’ (the end that gets really narrow) so the beef is all the same size around. Spread the softened butter on the entire tenderloin, then coat in salt & pepper. Place the tenderloin on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Place in a 500 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the beef. Watch it carefully, a little too much time can make it too done. If the beef is much larger, it could take 30 minutes. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer – it should read 135-145 degrees. Remove from the oven, then cover with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Slice in thick slices and serve.