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!
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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!
Beef Tenderloin Rub Recipe
You see, Mr. Braxton is the father of my husband’s childhood best friend. Somehow… my husband must have sweet-talked him out of the secret rub recipe, and our Sunday dinners have NEVER been the same.
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!
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.
- 1/4 cup dried Thyme
- 3 Tablespoons Paprika
- 1/4 cup dried Rosemary
- 1/2 tablespoon Kosher Salt (table salt is fine too)
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
(Easily reduce, double, triple, and quadruple, the batch as needed)
Why beef tenderloin is 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!
How to cook beef tenderloin on the grill
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!
- Preheat grill to 450 degrees
- 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.
- Rub all sides of the beef tenderloin with the spice rub recipe that I shared above.
- 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.
- 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 when checked with a meat thermometer.
- 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!)
- This cooking process will result in a “medium-rare” cooked beef tenderloin and we feel like it’s the perfect temperature for tenderloin!
- Note: the thickest part of the tenderloin ends up being a medium-rare finish, and the outside edges, a medium temperature.
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!
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
The BEST Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound beef tenderloin with the silver cut off
Beef Tenderloin Spice Rub:
- 1/4 cup dried thyme
- 3 Tablespoons paprika
- 1/4 cup dried rosemary
- 1/2 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
- On a cutting board, slice in to small pieces and place on a platter to make it easier to serve a crowd!
- This cooking process will result in a “medium-rare” cooked beef tenderloin and we feel like it’s the perfect temperature for tenderloin!
- Note: the thickest part of the tenderloin ends up being a medium-rare finish, and the outside edges, a medium temperature.
Nutrition
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.
Rhonda R. says
so when exactly do you wrap it in foil?
Jessica says
Hi Rhonda! Wrap it in foil, as soon as you take it off of the grill! 🙂 I hope that helps!
Pam rombach says
Can this be done in the oven? Directions please!
Pam
Michelle says
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.
Diane says
Hi Michele how long did you cook at 325?
Darlene says
This sounds great can’t wait to try it.
Jessica says
Thank you! I hope you get a chance too! Definitely one of our favorites!
Carol says
Do you use fresh or dried spices?
Jessica says
Hi Carol! We use dried! We’ve tried fresh, and the dried works so much better!
Jessica says
What are the directions if you want to smoke it?
Jessica says
Hi Jessica! I’m not actually sure what the directions are for smoking this. We have only cooked it on the grill.
JP says
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
Connie says
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?
Jessica says
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!
Susan says
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!
Jessica says
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. 🙂
Debbie Miles says
basil or oregano are both excellent substitutes for the time and work well with the rosemary. I prefer basil. It’s a little milder.
Jessica says
Thank you Debbie!!! That’s super helpful!
Tv says
This sounds amazing, might have to find a butcher that’s open today??
Jessica says
Haha!! Thank you! Yes you should, you should!! 🙂
Mary says
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for sharing your receipe.
How Long do you leave the rub on the meat
before grilling?
Mary
Jessica says
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! 🙂
Debbie says
Hi there, how long do you cook it for medium well??
Jessica says
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!
Brian says
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?
Jessica says
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!
Kerri says
Can you make this in a crockpot? If yes how long? Thank you
Jessica says
Hi Kerri! I’ve never made this in a crockpot, so I’m not sure how long it will take! I’m sorry!
Lori says
Thank you! I’m trying this tonight!
Jessica says
Yay! I hope you love it Lori!