Chateaubriand is one of my favorite holiday dishes and was a staple during my restaurant days. It takes time, but it’s truly worth the effort. Last Christmas I made this instead of turkey—my family likes to vary the menu since we serve turkey for Thanksgiving.
Why You’ll Love This Chateaubriand
The beef is meltingly tender and bright with herbs. A rich herb butter elevates the roast and can also be used on vegetables or potatoes. Serve it with mashed potatoes, a potato galette, or your favorite sides for a memorable main course.
How to Prepare Chateaubriand
1. Score the tenderloin and season generously with kosher salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour to draw out excess moisture and help tenderize the meat. Remove, pat dry, and briefly blow-dry on the cool setting for about a minute. Finish with seasoned salt.
2. Preheat an oven-safe pan over high heat for 3 minutes. Add a drizzle of olive oil and sear the tenderloin 2–3 minutes per side until well browned.
3. In a food processor, combine unsalted butter, chives, parsley, Dijon mustard, crushed red pepper, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce (or tamari), and a tiny pinch of salt. Pulse until smooth to make the herb butter.
4. Spread the herb butter all over the tenderloin. Roast in a 300°F oven until the internal temperature reaches 130–135°F for medium-rare (about 25 minutes for my roast). If you don’t have a working thermometer, use a reliable doneness test by touch.
5. Let the tenderloin rest to redistribute the juices before slicing.
6. In the pan used for roasting, sauté a minced shallot over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add red wine and beef bone broth, then simmer until reduced to about one-third. Stir in crème fraîche, cook for another minute, then remove from heat.
7. Slice the roast and serve over potato purée or your preferred side, spooning the sauce over the meat.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use any fresh herbs you prefer or have on hand—thyme, tarragon, or rosemary work well.
- Sour cream can replace crème fraîche if needed.
- White wine or non-alcoholic wine are fine alternatives to red wine for the pan sauce.
Chef Nadia’s Tip
Coat the tenderloin completely in kosher salt and let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour to draw out moisture and concentrate flavor. Wipe or pat off excess salt and moisture before searing.
Chef Nadia’s Tips
- Scoring the tenderloin helps the seasoning and butter penetrate and boosts flavor.
- Blow-drying the surface on cool helps achieve a better sear by removing surface moisture.
- For a true medium-rare, remove the roast from the oven at 130°F; it will rise a few degrees while resting to about 135°F.
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Common Questions
I use a commercial seasoned salt blend that I find reliable for seasoning beef. Use your preferred brand or sea salt combined with a pinch of garlic powder and paprika if you prefer to make your own.
White wine or a 0% alcohol wine work well. You can also use extra beef broth and a splash of balsamic vinegar for acidity if you prefer not to use wine.
Sour cream is a good substitute for crème fraîche in the sauce and will add a similar creaminess.
Chateaubriand Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb Centercut filet (chateaubriand). 3–4 lb works.
- 4 oz Unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp Soy sauce (or tamari)
- 3 tbsp Chives
- 1/4 cup Fresh parsley
- 1 tsp Crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 16 oz Beef bone broth
- 1 cup Red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon recommended)
- 1 Shallot, minced
- 1/3 cup Crème fraîche
Instructions
- Score the tenderloin and coat generously with kosher salt. Refrigerate 1 hour, then pat dry and blow-dry on cool for 1 minute. Season with your seasoned salt.
- Preheat an oven-safe pan over high heat for 3 minutes, add a drizzle of olive oil, and sear the tenderloin 2–3 minutes per side.
- Make the herb butter by combining butter, chives, parsley, Dijon, crushed red pepper, balsamic, and soy sauce in a food processor; pulse until smooth.
- Spread the herb butter over the tenderloin and roast at 300°F until it reaches 130–135°F internal temperature (about 25 minutes for a 3 lb roast).
- Allow the tenderloin to rest before slicing.
- Sauté the minced shallot in the roasting pan over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the red wine and beef broth and reduce to about one-third. Stir in crème fraîche and cook for another minute, then remove from heat.
- Slice the roast, serve over potato purée or your chosen side, and spoon the sauce over the meat.
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 4g,
Protein: 45g,
Fat: 67g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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