Southern cook Paula Deen is known for preparing delicious down-home dishes. This week, Paula goes non-traditional this Thanksgiving with a gorgeous beef tenderloin!
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Peppercorn Tenderloin
(serves 6-10)
1 Whole 5-7lb beef tenderloin
1/2 cup whole peppercorns
1 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tbsp. orange zest, 1/4 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Cooking twine
Clean any extra silver skin and fat from your tenderloin with a paring knife and let it come up to room temperature.
Put your peppercorns in a large cast iron skillet. Start crushing the peppercorns with another heavy flat object (we used a small cast iron melting skillet). The trick is to rock the crushing object side to side to break the peppercorns up.
Add 3/4 cup olive oil to your skillet and cook over low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
Pour into a fine mesh strainer and rinse. Add peppercorns to a bowl with the remaining olive oil.
Mix salt, baking soda and sugar together and coat all of the tenderloin.
Now apply the peppercorn mixture to the tenderloin.
Fold the last 1/4 of the tenderloin under itself and tie with twine every 2 inches.
Sprinkle orange and lemon zest over the top and grate a little nutmeg to finish off.
Transfer to a raised roasting pan and cook in a preheated oven at 300° for 50 to 70 minutes.
A remote thermometer really helps here! CHECK OFTEN! You are looking for an internal temperature of:
120°-125° RARE, 125°-130° MEDIUM RARE, and 130°-140° MEDIUM. DO NOT COOK PAST 140°!
Let rest (covered with foil) for 20-30 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Smashed Broiled New Potatoes
1 10 lb. bag of red (new) potatoes
1 1/2 cup kosher salt
1 stick melted butter
1 cup malt vinegar
salt and pepper
In a large stock pot, add whole potatoes and 1 1/2 cups of kosher salt. Add enough water to cover potatoes by at least 2 inches and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking until done.
Check to see if potatoes are done by inserting a paring knife into one of the larger potatoes. The knife should slide out fairly easily.
Drain potatoes and place them on a large cookie sheet.
Smash potatoes to about 3/4-inch thickness. Baste with the melted butter then the malt vinegar.
Add fresh ground pepper over the top and a dash of salt.
Broil on low until golden brown and crispy. (about 8-12 minutes)
Horseradish Sauce
16oz Sour Cream
3 tbsp. prepared horseradish
2 tsp seasoning salt
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Mix all ingredients together and adjust seasoning to your taste.
Return to refrigerator for at least on hour to firm up and intensify the flavor.