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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    The BEST Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Rub Recipe

    By: Jessica · Posted: Sep 8, 2021 · Updated: Dec 7, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    3.80 from 156 votes
    The BEST Beef Tenderloin Recipe

    This easy beef tenderloin recipe is coated in an amazing rub and is then grilled to perfection!

    Using common pantry ingredients like thyme, rosemary, paprika, salt, and pepper… it creates a rub recipe that is perfect for grilling and provides TONS of flavor!

    Grilled Beef Tenderloin

     
    Jump to:
    • Why is Beef Tenderloin so Good?
    • How to Cook Beef Tenderloin on the Frill
    • What to Serve with Beef Tenderloin
    • More Tenderloin Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    I need to thank the creator… the man the myth the legend… Mr. Braxton, for allowing me to share the rub recipe with you all. Without a doubt, this is the BEST Meat rub recipe AND Beef Tenderloin Recipe, we have ever used and I know you’ll love it too!

    If you love tenderloin recipes, don’t miss the roasted pork tenderloin and the fried deer tenderloin recipes!

    We put this spice rub blend on just about every type of meat that we bake in the oven, smoke in the smoker, or grill on the grill! Especially on recipes like smoked chicken tenders, steak cooked in the oven, and have even been known to cook pork steaks in the oven with it! It really adds to the flavor of the meat!

    Rub on Beef Tenderloin

    First, I’ll share the rub recipe with you, and then you can also see the grilled beef tenderloin recipe in the recipe card below!

    The following amount covers a 4-5 lb tenderloin.

    • ¼ cup dried Thyme 
    • 3 Tablespoons Paprika 
    • ¼ cup dried Rosemary
    • ½ tablespoon Kosher Salt (table salt is fine too) 
    • 1 teaspoon Pepper

    (Easily reduce, double, triple, and quadruple, the batch as needed)

    Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Rub

    Why is Beef Tenderloin so Good?

    If you REALLY want to impress the heck out of your guests or have a special occasion to celebrate, like a holiday meal, cooking a beef tenderloin as a main course is an amazing choice.

    It’s a cut of beef that is incredibly tender and is usually one of the most popular cuts of meat that gives amazing flavor!

    It is an expensive cut of meat so we don’t have it TOO often but it’s definitely a great choice when entertaining or for holidays like Christmas!

    And personally, we think grilling a tenderloin is the best way to cook it!

    Sliced beef tenderloin on white platter

    How to Cook Beef Tenderloin on the Frill

    First, if you’re picking up a good beef tenderloin from the butcher, ask if they can cut the silver skin off for you.

    Or, if you’re buying a whole tenderloin, pre-packaged from the grocery story, it’s best to cut off the silver skin and any extra fat it may have on it, before rubbing the spice blend on. See full recipe card at the bottom of this post for easy-to-read instructions!

    1. Preheat grill to 450 degrees
    2. For best results, allow the whole beef tenderloin to come to room temperature (but not a must, if you don’t have the time) before you cook tenderloin.
    3. Rub all sides of the beef tenderloin with the spice rub recipe that I shared above.
    4. Sear the tenderloin over that direct, high temperature on the grill for 15 minutes. This will help give it even more flavor and char and help seal in the juices.
    5. Lower grill temp to 325-350, (we shut two burners off, and leave the other two on) and grill for another 45 minutes over indirect heat.
    6. Pull the tenderloin off of the grill when the internal temperature reaches between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit when checked with a meat thermometer.
    7. Remove from grill and let tenderloin rest, wrapped in aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes, and serve. (On a cutting board, slice in to small pieces and place on a platter to make it easier to serve a crowd!)
    8. This cooking process will result in a “medium-rare” cooked beef tenderloin and we feel like it’s the perfect temperature for tenderloin!
    9. Note: the thickest part of the tenderloin ends up being a medium-rare finish, and the outside edges, a medium temperature.
    Sliced pieces of grilled beef tenderloin

    What to Serve with Beef Tenderloin

    If you’re cooking for a crowd, make sure you check out my other easy recipes so you don’t have to stand in the kitchen all day! Or since the grill is already heated up, these grilled seasoned vegetables will be easy to cook alongside the tenderloin.

    But our favorite side dishes to have with beef tenderloin are this side salad recipe, this easy green bean casserole, and this cold pasta salad when we’re having a summer cookout!

    Beef Tenderloin Sliced on White plate

    More Tenderloin Recipes

    Being huge fans of any kind of meat, especially tenderloin, I want to make sure you also know about this baked pork tenderloin recipe that has amazing flavor and rave reviews!

    But if you’re also a hunter or have venison in the freezer, make sure to check out our deer steak recipes, especially how we fry deer tenderloin and grill venison steaks (or tenderloin) with this deer marinade!

    If you tried this recipe, I’d LOVE to hear and would always love a star review so you can help others decide if this recipe is great too!

    Recipe

    Beef Tenderloin Recipe

    The BEST Beef Tenderloin

    Jessica Burgess
    Beef Tenderloin Recipe: This easy recipe causes our guests to come running when they hear what's on the grill. Using an incredible "rub," this beef tenderloin will be the hero of your table!
    3.80 from 156 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Resting Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 631 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 4-5 pound beef tenderloin with the silver cut off

    Beef Tenderloin Spice Rub:

    • ¼ cup dried thyme
    • 3 Tablespoons paprika
    • ¼ cup dried rosemary
    • ½ Tablespoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat grill to 450 degrees
    • Rub all sides of the beef tenderloin with the Braxton Rub Spice Blend
    • Sear the tenderloin over direct heat on the grill for 15 minutes
    • Lower grill temp to 325-350, (we shut two burners off, and leave the other two on) and grill for another 45 minutes over indirect heat.
    • Pull the tenderloin off of the grill when the internal temperature reaches between 120 and 125 degrees fahrenheit.
    • Remove from grill and let sit, wrapped in aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes, and serve.
    • This will result in a “medium-rare” cooked beef tenderloin
    • This cooking time and process gives us thick middle parts that are medium rare, and the outside edges, a medium.

    Notes

    1. On a cutting board, slice in to small pieces and place on a platter to make it easier to serve a crowd!
    2. This cooking process will result in a “medium-rare” cooked beef tenderloin and we feel like it’s the perfect temperature for tenderloin!
    3. Note: the thickest part of the tenderloin ends up being a medium-rare finish, and the outside edges, a medium temperature.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving (about ½ pound of meat) | Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 756mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 1315IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 6.1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords beef tenderloin on grill, easy beef grilling recipe, meat rub for grilling
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

      3.80 from 156 votes (156 ratings without comment)

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    1. Lori says

      April 17, 2020 at 7:57 pm

      Thank you! I’m trying this tonight!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 18, 2020 at 9:07 am

        Yay! I hope you love it Lori!

        Reply
    2. Kerri says

      December 13, 2017 at 11:01 am

      Can you make this in a crockpot? If yes how long? Thank you

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        January 16, 2018 at 10:21 am

        Hi Kerri! I’ve never made this in a crockpot, so I’m not sure how long it will take! I’m sorry!

        Reply
    3. Brian says

      July 15, 2017 at 6:32 am

      When you turn the heat down to 350, are you also removing it from direct heat? Seems like it might burn unless in indirect heat?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        July 15, 2017 at 9:01 am

        Hi Brian! Great question, thank you! I actually just updated this recipe if you want to take a look. I believe it will answer your question. But if not, please feel free to let me know. 🙂 Thanks for asking, and I hope you love it!

        Reply
    4. Debbie says

      June 11, 2017 at 9:03 pm

      Hi there, how long do you cook it for medium well??

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        June 17, 2017 at 8:11 am

        Hi Debbie! I found a GREAT resource for cooking temps here: https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/kitchen/doneness.php
        As far as how long to cook it though, I’m not quite sure because we’ve never wanted to cook it that long. It may not hurt to check it for trial and error every 5 minutes or so after our cook time! I hope that helps!

        Reply
    5. Mary says

      June 02, 2017 at 7:21 pm

      Hi Jessica,
      Thanks for sharing your receipe.
      How Long do you leave the rub on the meat
      before grilling?
      Mary

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        June 02, 2017 at 9:23 pm

        Hi Mary! Great question! He actually throws it on the grill right after he rubs it on, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to sit for a bit before grilling to really let that spice soak in! I hope that helps! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Tv says

      May 28, 2017 at 8:16 am

      This sounds amazing, might have to find a butcher that’s open today??

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        May 28, 2017 at 8:42 pm

        Haha!! Thank you! Yes you should, you should!! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Susan says

      December 22, 2016 at 9:41 pm

      What can you substitute for the thyme? My husband can’t even stand the smell of it, even if you can’t taste it. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 22, 2016 at 10:23 pm

        I’m not sure what would be a good substitute for thyme. You could try leaving it out and seeing if it would have enough flavor still! We’ve never tried it without it, so I’m not sure how it would turn out. 🙂

        Reply
        • Debbie Miles says

          June 17, 2017 at 5:52 pm

          basil or oregano are both excellent substitutes for the time and work well with the rosemary. I prefer basil. It’s a little milder.

          Reply
          • Jessica says

            June 19, 2017 at 7:16 pm

            Thank you Debbie!!! That’s super helpful!

            Reply
    8. Connie says

      August 09, 2016 at 12:16 pm

      Can this be cooked in the oven? I only have a charcoal grill. Can’t regulate temp to well. What temp., if done in oven?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        August 13, 2016 at 11:37 am

        Hi Connie! We’ve never made it in the oven, but I’m sure it wouldn’t turn out bad! It’s hard to make this cut of meat & spice combo, turn out less than tasty! 🙂 Good luck, and keep me posted if you try it!

        Reply
    9. Jessica says

      June 03, 2016 at 10:24 am

      What are the directions if you want to smoke it?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        June 04, 2016 at 1:32 pm

        Hi Jessica! I’m not actually sure what the directions are for smoking this. We have only cooked it on the grill.

        Reply
      • JP says

        December 20, 2021 at 10:43 am

        tenderloin has so little fat smoking tends to end up very dry in my experience compared to other cuts i have tried. i wouldn’t recommend personally

        Reply
    10. Carol says

      April 16, 2016 at 9:41 am

      Do you use fresh or dried spices?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 16, 2016 at 9:42 am

        Hi Carol! We use dried! We’ve tried fresh, and the dried works so much better!

        Reply
    11. Darlene says

      March 13, 2016 at 1:23 pm

      This sounds great can’t wait to try it.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        March 15, 2016 at 4:35 pm

        Thank you! I hope you get a chance too! Definitely one of our favorites!

        Reply
    12. Rhonda R. says

      March 08, 2016 at 10:31 am

      so when exactly do you wrap it in foil?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        March 08, 2016 at 10:34 am

        Hi Rhonda! Wrap it in foil, as soon as you take it off of the grill! 🙂 I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Pam rombach says

          November 15, 2018 at 7:33 am

          Can this be done in the oven? Directions please!
          Pam

          Reply
          • Michelle says

            February 23, 2020 at 9:22 am

            Yes it can, broil to sear 15 min watch and turn so it doesn’t burn, then roast at the 325 temp in oven until meat is at desired temp, 125 is my personal target temp. Remove from oven, cover in foil and let meat rest 10-15 min. Slice and serve.

            Reply
            • Diane says

              December 19, 2020 at 9:16 am

              Hi Michele how long did you cook at 325?

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