beef tenderloin for a buffet?

[katydid510]

I'm having a buffet lunch for about 20 people this weekend. I was planning to make two big pots of soup (one is pork posole and the other is a vegetarian chile) and a bunch of side dishes (a couple of robust salads, a butternut squash gratin, a frittata, etc.) and a few desserts. But I'm beginning to think that this menu is not meaty enough and that I should add something like a beef tenderloin (or maybe roasted turkey breast?). I'm wondering how a beef tenderloin would hold up on a buffet table. I know it can be served room temp but can I just leave it on the table for a couple of hours? If I do that, should I cook it in advance and chill it and then let it come to room temp again for serving or just cook it soon before I put it out and let it cool? I'm thinking mostly of the food safety issues but it would be useful also to hear opinions about how the taste and texture would be affected.

Thanks for any thoughts or ideas.

[katydid510]

Thanks everybody for your ideas and encouragement!

[AdamD]

I think you could absolutely do it. Perhaps as an appetizer-sliced and served on toast rounds with watercress and a horseradish (or something else) sauce.

[Heatherb]

My mother used to do a beef tenderloin every Christmas Eve when I was a kid - she'd coat it in dijon mustard (don't know what it was mixed with) and roast it that way. It was a consistent hit every year with our family, but what I really remember loving was having it for sandwiches for the rest of the week afterwards. Oh yum.

[katecm]

I learned a trick for beef tenderloin from a friend. In order to ensure nice even, thin slices, take your whole raw tenderloin and place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes so the outside begins to freeze. You can cut it in VERY thin slices, about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through. Then use twine to tie it all back together. It sears and cooks perfectly normally this way. Then, when it is done, untie the twine and it opens into a flawlessly sliced tenderloin instead of thich, jagged slices.

[alanbarnes]

I agree that your menu sounds great as-is, but if you want to gild the lily, a beef tenderloin will do the trick. It's good hot, warm, room temperature, or cold, so you don't really have to worry much about that.

If you choose to cook it ahead of time, food safety isn't much of an issue unless you mishandle the meat after it comes out of the oven. Let's face it, you've got a solid muscle, so there aren't any germs on the inside (if there were, serving it rare would be unsafe). And the outside has just been blasted with heat, so it's sanitary too.

Once you've sliced it, and especially once it's out on the buffet table, the clock starts ticking. Possible sources of contamination such as the knife blade, people's fingers, coughs and sneezes, etc. have come into play. To be on the safe side, figure a couple of hours at room temp, then it needs to get back into the fridge. (Personally I'd go three or even four hours without worrying too much, but I'm notoriously cavalier about these things.)

I like it sliced thin with a horseradish cream sauce. Serving small rolls alongside so that your guests can make mini-sandwiches will make this expensive piece of beef go a lot further.

Speaking of cost, your best value is usually on a whole PSMO (peeled, side-meat on). Cook the main muscle for your guests and you've still got the head (which makes a nice little roast for a couple of people) and the chain (which I grind for steak tartare). Alton Brown has a good video on how to break down a tenderloin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7-_ka... (start around 4:00).

[mamachef]

AB, you always give such good advice and tips!

[alanbarnes]

Aw, shucks [grinds toe on ground].

[monavano]

Tenderloin is delicious warm or room temp, served with a horseradish dip, for example.

[mamachef]

Beef tenderloin will hold up fine on your buffet. Expensive though. I think the turkey option? Or some roasted chicken?

[GretchenS]

I would cook it the day before (sear on stovetop, finish in oven) and let it come up to temp a bit (but not all the way) before serving BUT I don't think you need to. If you really think you might not have enough, make a bit more soup. Your menu sounds great as it is, and everyone will love it but if you also have a big chunk of beef that will go first and you'll be eating pozole for a month!

[LindaR]

I've been to several parties recently that served beef tenderloin as an appetizer. It was cubed and wrapped with half a snow pea and skewered onto half an eggplant. There was a dip on the side that was probably dijon, sour cream and mayo.