Christmas Châteaubriand Food

THE CLASSIC FRENCH CHATEAUBRIAND

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Evenly season the beef with salt and pepper.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) set over medium-high heat until cloudy and bubbly.
• Place the seasoned meat in the pan and brown for 3 minutes without moving the meat. Using tongs, carefully turn the tenderloin on its side and brown for 3 minutes more. Repeat the same browning process on all exposed surfaces of the meat.
• Transfer the tenderloin to a rack placed in a roasting pan and put in the oven. (Set aside the skillet with any accumulated juices for making the sauce.) Roast the beef to your desired doneness, about 15 minutes for medium-rare, 20 minutes for medium, and 23 minutes for medium-well.
• Remove the meat from the oven and transfer to a warm serving platter. Lightly tent the meat with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• While the tenderloin is resting, make the wine sauce. Combine the shallot with the juices in the skillet and sauté over medium heat until the shallot is soft and translucent.
• Pour the wine into the skillet and bring the sauce to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
• Continue boiling the sauce until it reduces by half.
• Add the demi-glace to the sauce and continue boiling the mixture until slightly thickened.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon softened butter and tarragon. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
• Slice the meat on the diagonal and serve with the wine sauce. Enjoy.

CHRISTMAS CHâTEAUBRIAND

Steps:

• Pat tenderloin dry and rub with celery salt and black pepper. Cut bacon into 1 1/2-inch pieces. In a heavy kettle just large enough to hold tenderloin cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Increase heat to moderately high and brown tenderloin on all sides, about 5 minutes total. With tongs transfer tenderloin to a plate.
• To kettle add wine, bacon, and rosemary and boil mixture 1 minute. Return tenderloin to kettle and cook at a bare simmer, covered, turning occasionally, 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center of beef registers 125°F. for medium-rare. With tongs transfer tenderloin to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
• While tenderloin is standing, cut bell pepper into 1/4-inch dice. With a slotted spoon discard bacon from cooking liquid. Add bell pepper and demiglace to cooking liquid and boil sauce over moderate heat until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 1/3 cups.
• Cut tenderloin into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on a platter. Spoon some of sauce over tenderloin and garnish with rosemary sprigs. Serve remaining sauce on the side.