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Beef Tenderloin

Beef tenderloin is an expensive, delicate cut of meat that has been blessed with a lot of natural flavor. My thinking is that it needs only a little enhancing, not a total makeover. That’s why I don’t recommended injecting it. Instead I marinate it, just to add some flavor. One last detail: Beef tenderloin is tender to start with, and overcooking turns it tough. I repeat: Do not overcook this meat. It won’t be worth a damn if you do. If rare to medium-rare ain’t your bag, move on and cook a sirloin.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

1 2 3/4- to 3-pound beef tenderloin roast
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 12-ounce can Coca-Cola

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, pat the tenderloin dry. Mix the broth, vinegar, brown sugar, and Coca-Cola together in a large roasting pan. Submerge the tenderloin in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

    Step 2

    When are you are ready to cook the tenderloin, heat a smoker to 275˚F.

    Step 3

    Transfer the tenderloin to a clean aluminum roasting pan (discard the marinade). Put the pan in the smoker, and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature at the center of the tenderloin reaches 155˚F. Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.

    Step 4

    Cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and serve.

Cover of the cookbook Smokin' With Myron Mixon featuring the chef and a double rack of saucy glazed ribs.
Reprinted with permission from Smokin' with Myron Mixon by Myron Dixon with Kelly Alexander, © 2011 Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
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