Crockpot Beef Tenderloin Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

Should beef tenderloin be cooked fast or slow? ›

Slow-roasting in a low oven cooks the tenderloin evenly from edge to center. Basting the tenderloin with browned butter flavored with thyme and shallots enhances browning and gives it more flavor.

Baking soda. Here's where it gets science-y: The baking soda raises the pH on the outside of the meat as it marinates, in a process known as velveting (which can also be done with a cornstarch slurry). This makes it so the proteins have a harder time bonding to each other when it's time to cook the meat.

Tenderloins have a narrow end and a thick end. To ensure consistency, roasts & steaks are typically cut from the thick end. Roasts can be made from the thin end by cutting the smallest portion off and trussing it to a thicker portion using butcher's twine. The thin end can also be sliced for beef medallions.

“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.

Simply add the meat to your slow cooker with aromatics, stock and sauces and cook either on High for 4-5 hours or on Low for 5-8 hours. How do you make meat tender in a slow cooker? Choosing a cut of beef best suited for low and slow cooking is the ideal way to get extra tender meat.

Salt the roast evenly with the proper amount of salt on all sides. Place on a wire rack and place into the refrigerator (uncovered) overnight. This will season the roast deep into the meat providing the perfect amount of seasoning in every bite.

Just as you would with dry brining, rinse your meat until it's (mostly) free of all the baking soda.

Work Faster with Baking Soda

Tenderizing with a baking soda solution is faster than using a saltwater brine. Meat only has to sit in a baking soda solution for 15 to 20 minutes, but a brine solution can take at least 30 minutes to start working.

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

Beef tenderloin is where you'll find filet mignon. But because filet mignon is just a portion of the full tenderloin, it's more expensive per pound than the beef tenderloin itself. However, that doesn't make the beef tenderloin a cheap piece of meat.

What is better beef tenderloin or filet mignon? ›

A trimmed tenderloin features only the tenderloin portion, which has a similar flavor to filet mignon. However, an untrimmed tenderloin will include parts of the short loin, too, which tends to have a richer flavor than the tenderloin. There's no wrong choice when it comes to beef tenderloin vs. filet mignon.

It's actually fairly easy to figure out how much you need to buy: Simply purchase 8 ounces (1/2 pound) of meat per person. So if you're feeding 6 people, you'll need three pounds of meat. For a larger crowd, say 12 people, you'll need closer to 6 pounds of meat.

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

Yes, you can add raw steak to a slow cooker to cook it to your desired doneness level. Slow cooking steak is a convenient way to cook steak over several hours, tenderizing it and adding exceptional flavor along the way.

While slow cooker recipes are designed to cook for extended periods of time, they can still become overcooked if left on the wrong setting for too long. In general, it's best to stick to the indicated cook time on the recipe you're following.

Roast until a meat thermometer registers 130°F (about 25–30 minutes) for medium-rare doneness or 140°F for medium doneness (about 30–35 minutes). Remember, your roast will continue to warm after removing it from the oven. Transfer your roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

The best cooking methods for these cuts are dry heat methods such as grilling, broiling, or pan-searing. These methods help to enhance the natural flavor and tenderness of the tenderloin. When cooking these cuts, it's important to avoid overcooking as it can result in dry and tough meat.

This slow roasting method at low heat is good for tougher cuts of beef; the lower heat prevents gristle from getting too tough. Roast beef made this way is easy, relatively inexpensive (compared to other cuts of beef), and you get great leftovers for roast beef sandwiches.

slow and steady will always win the race—and it can all be explained with science! Slow Cooking will result in that fall-apart, tender beyond belief, melt in your mouth type of BBQ! The reason is simple. Connective tissue in meat contains collagen, which makes the muscle fibers of meat tough and constricted.