Whole Beef Tenderloin

Season, Sear, and finish in a hot oven until it hits the temp you want it at. Put the probe in the thickest part and cook that to rare. That way the smaller pieces will be a bit more done for the ladies.

Tuck the tail under and tie it so it is an even shape....leave it out at room temp for a while so it's not ice cold when it goes into the oven. Rub with something pungent: mustard; a paste of garlic, black pepper & rosemary; neutral oil & whatever spice blend tickles your fancy & complements the rest of the menu.

I like to roast hot & fast, as I prefer a bit of crust and a rare middle.

It will taste better on the grill as the manner of cooking is vastly different in an oven. Personally I would trim off the two or so inches that make up the tail and use it to make a sauce. Definitely buy it trimmed at the store by a legit butcher and throw that into the stock pot too.

I like to let it sit in a marinade of:
Light olive oil
Kitchen Bouquet
Montreal steak seasoning

Before the beef purists erupt, the bouquet really makes the outside of that tenderloin caramelize well. I agree it needs to be seared but my fear in cooking one whole is that if I sear it too much, Im going to have some really well done outside cut, while the center will be too rare for some people. The KB just helps you out a bit with that good crust.

Oh and I like to grill these, sear on hot direct and cook through remainder on indirect. I usually pull mine at 130 dead center so people of all persuasions have a steak they prefer.

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Personally, I'd boil that thing with some old bay.

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Ok so let's hit the microwave, peanut butter, chili, italian dressing, ranch, ketchup, cream cheese, jalapeno, and bacon, and crab boil jokes so we can move on with the real responses.

Oh and I should go Prime, right? Frick a choice tenderloin.

I would go prime given the choice. You won't be devastated by going choice because it is still a tenderloin after all. So if for whatever reason you can't get prime, choice will still be excellent.

It's post by number. People post it because it always gets posted. I'm sure there are plenty of people who post it who don't even know from whence it came.

Mine from Christmas, just salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Rosemary would be nice also...

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Prime is a waste of money in a beef tenderloin IMO. It's great, but so is choice. Not worth the premium you have to pay.

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That's overstated. Your point is well-taken though. Given that what one expects in a tenderloin is different than what one expects in a prime rib, the distinction between prime and choice can be much smaller than it is in the prime rib cut.