Beef tenderloin is one of the most delicious cuts you can purchase. In fact, filet mignon comes from beef tenderloin! It’s incredibly tender and will melt in your mouth. With sous vide, you can ensure it’s perfectly medium-rare so there’s no risk of overcooking what can be an expensive cut of beef.

Sliced sous vide beef tenderloin on a wood cutting board
Not to toot my own horn, but this photo makes my mouth water.

Sous vide is the best cooking method for anything that can be a little “finicky” to cook, like beef recipes you want to keep medium-rare or salmon that you don’t want to risk overcooking. Since the cooking environment is the exact temperature you want the inside of the meat to come to, you literally can’t overcook it!

I’m so glad you found this recipe!

I can’t wait to be a part of your sous vide cooking today, and hopefully more to come! 

I’ve been passionate about sous vide for almost a decade now. I take a different approach from other sous vide experts. While I love the science of sous vide, I want it to be an approachable cooking technique for everyone, and I don’t want you to sweat the details.

If you’re new to sous vide, make sure to read through this blog post or consider joining Sous Vide School. 

I also have two sous vide cookbooks I think you’ll love: Everyday Sous Vide and Sous Vide Meal Prep.

Got questions?

Leave a comment and I’ll get right back to you!

Shopping tips

A whole beef tenderloin roast might be difficult to find at your grocery store. Go to your local butcher and ask them to cut you one. For the best cut, ask for a center cut beef tenderloin and ask them to tie it up for presentation for you.

A heads up: this is an expensive cut. For a 2.5 lb tenderloin, I usually expect to pay around $70 from my local butcher. Even so, this cut is absolutely worth it for special occasions!

Seasoning recommendations

Save the marinades and flavor-packed rubs for cuts like flank steak: this unbelievably tender cut doesn’t need much to shine! For seasoning, I either do simple kosher salt and black pepper or my favorite herby kosher salt blend.

Beef tenderloin and kosher salt blend on white cutting board.
A simple seasoning is all you need.
Seasoning beef tenderloin with herby salt blend on white cutting board.
Season the beef tenderloin really well, making sure to get all sides.
Seasoned beef tenderloin on white cutting board.
It should be completely coated when you’re done.

Cooking tips

This process is easier if you have a vacuum sealer, but no worries if you don’t. I have lots of alternative air removal methods like the water displacement method for you!

Vacuum sealed beef tenderloin on pink surface.
Add the seasoned beef tenderloin to a vacuum seal bag and use your vacuum sealer to seal.

If you have a seasoned, vacuum sealed beef tenderloin in your freezer, you can sous vide from frozen. I love sous viding from frozen.

The easiest way to make sure you fill your water bath the right amount is to place the vacuum sealed tenderloin in your container with the immersion circulator, then fill above the minimum line.

A vacuum-sealed sous vide beef tenderloin is submerged in water inside a clear plastic container in a sink, with a sous vide immersion circulator and a stream of water running from the faucet.
Set your immersion circulator up in your water bath container, add the vacuum sealed beef tenderloin, then fill the container. This will help make sure you don’t over or under fill.
A vacuum-sealed, seasoned sous vide beef tenderloin is submerged in a clear water bath with a sous vide immersion circulator on a light pink surface.
Using your immersion circulator, cook at 133 degrees F for 2-4 hours.

For a perfect medium rare, I love to cook at 133 degrees for 2-4 hours. Don’t go longer than 4 hours, or the tenderloin can start to get mushy.

Two hands wrap slices of sous vide beef tenderloin in a sheet of white paper towel on a pink surface. The person is wearing a black smart watch and a gold ring.
Pat the sous vided beef tenderloin completely dry with paper towels or a clean dish cloth. This helps get the best sear.
A hand with a white-handled knife slices a seasoned, tied sous vide beef tenderloin on a white paper towel atop a light pink surface.
Once dry, cut the twine securing the tenderloin and remove.

After drying the tenderloin and removing the twine, you’ll sear the tenderloin in a screaming hot cast iron skillet.

I like to use ghee instead of butter because ghee has a higher smoke point than butter. The milk solids in butter are what burn first, and part of the process of making ghee is removing the milk solids.

Remove to a cutting board, let rest for a few minutes (it doesn’t need to rest as long as with traditional cooking methods!) and then slice the tenderloin.

Beef tenderloin on wood cutting board being sliced into rounds.
Slice the beef tenderloin 3/4 inch thick medallions for serving.

I like to serve the tenderloin with a compound butter like blue cheese butter or bordelaise sauce and a crunchy salad like my Warm Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad.

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    A sliced sous vide beef tenderloin with a seared brown exterior and pink interior rests on a wooden cutting board next to a chef’s knife with a red handle.
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    Get the Recipe:

    Medium-Rare Sous Vide Beef Tenderloin

    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Sous Vide Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
    Yield: 6 servings
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review
    Cook beef tenderloin to a perfect medium-rare with the help of sous vide. This cut will melt in your mouth!

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 1/2 lb center cut beef tenderloin, tied with twine
    • 2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
    • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, more to taste
    • 1 tbsp ghee, (clarified butter)

    Equipment

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the water bath with the immersion circulator to 133°F for medium-rare.
    • Season the tenderloin generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
    • Add the seasoned tenderloin to a vacuum seal bag and use your vacuum sealer to seal. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, use another air removal method.
    • Add the beef tenderloin to the water bath and cook for 2-4 hours. Do not cook longer than 4 hours.
    • Remove the tenderloin from the water bath and bag. Pat completely dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Cut and remove the twine.
    • Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Once smoking, add the ghee to the skillet. Once melted, add the tenderloin and sear on all sides for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until browned.
    • Remove to a cutting board and let rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing into 3/4 inch thick medallions.

    Notes

    You can use a salt blend instead of kosher salt and pepper.
    Ghee can be substituted with butter.
    This is excellent served with blue cheese butter or bordelaise sauce.
    The cook time doesn’t change much based on size; the 2-4 hour window works for tenderloins from 1.5 to 4+ pounds.
    Cuisine: American
    Course: Dinner
    Author: Chelsea Cole
    Calories: 302kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.2g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 879mg, Potassium: 674mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.002g, Vitamin A: 2IU, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @chel.seacole on Instagram or tag #aducksoven.