It’s official we’re less than a week out from this impending holiday.
No, we’ve never let up on stuffing ourselves like the Thanksgiving Turkey or the Christmas Ham.
Instead we landed here: in our new favorite bathrobe + stuffing ourselves with the Christmas tenderloin.
Yes, you heard me: the Christmas tenderloin.
No standing rib roasts, glazed hams, or heaven forbid another turkey.
None of those will be making an appearance till next holiday, thank you very much.
Like I said, we’re keeping it simple + staying in our bathrobes.
No complicated holiday dinner:
just give that tenderloin a good scrub in a pink + black pepper rub then boil, smash, + roast some taters.
Oh, and let’s not forget the most delicious of Winter’s vegetables: the carrot.
These carrots are blanched then slathered in coconut oil and put under broiler until you’ve got good scold on em. Squeeze some meyer lemon juice over top + add some salt.
In under 2 hours you’ve got a damn fine meal for damn fine holiday.
Now let’s eat, shall we?
Okay, so maybe there’s a wee bit more than simple.
All the components are dang simple y'all just got to get the timing right.
Here’s the menu:
Beef Tenderloin with Pink + Black Peppercorn Rub
Smashed + Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Anchovy Compound Butter
Roasted Carrots
Now don’t go getting all weird on me about the compound butter.
It will blow y'alls dang mind as these might be the best potatoes you’ll ever wrap your lips around.
Here’s the recipes + schedule:
The night before give that tenderloin a scrub with the rub.
Yes, that rhymes. Not intentional but just roll with it.
It’s best to let absorb the rub anywhere from 2 hrs to overnight.
It’s fabulous at 2 hours + fan-freakin-tastic overnight.
It’s up to y'all however you want to tackle this holiday’s eats.
While we’re at it let’s do the Anchovy Compound Butter.
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp onion powder
In a small bowl, mash all of the ingredients to together until well combined.
Next, grab the plastic wrap and tear off a piece. Spoon the butter mixture onto the center of the plastic wrap. Now take the bottom half of the plastic wrap + lay over top of the butter then do the same with top half. Grab both the left + right side ends of plastic wrap, lift up into the air and get it a good twirl, this will twist the ends closed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Beef Tenderloin with Pink + Black Peppercorn Rub
Prep time: nil – only time involved is letting the rub its magic.
Cook time: 30 mins
Yield: 3 lb tenderloin
The Rub:
2 TBSP whole pink peppercorns
2 TBSP whole black peppercorns
2 TBSP sea salt
1 TSP onion powder
4 dried chiles de arbol
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp coconut oil
Go ahead + rub down the tenderloin with coconut oil. Set aside.
Now’s the time to break out the coffee/spice grinder + coarsely grind both peppercorns, sea salt, onion powder + chiles. Sprinkle rub onto a plate.
Add minced garlic, give it a few good tosses then roll y'alls tenderloin in the rub. Get in there, scrub that bad boy down.
Refrigerate up to overnight.
NEXT DAY.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Set tenderloin out on the counter + bring down to room temp.
While the tenderloin is coming to room temp, start the sides.
First + foremost break out two, 6 quart stock pots.
Fill one 2/3 way up with water + bring to a boil over medium heat.
This pot is to blanch y'alls carrots…
Smashed + Roasted Yukon GoldPotatoes
2 lbs small yukon gold potatoes
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp coconut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced.
4 oz goat asiago, grated
salt
parsley, finely chopped
In a 6 quart pot add water + small potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 25–30 mins until tender.
Once they’re tender, drain.
Now toss in the carrots to the pot of boiling water.
Blanch 2 lbs whole carrots for 4 to 6 mins until tender.
Drain.
Now break out two sheet pans + line with aluminum foil.
Place potatoes on one + carrots on the other.
With a potato smasher carefully smash down each individual potato
Drizzle a bit of coconut oil over em, sprinkle some salt. set aside.
The carrots?
Drizzle those with a a few TBSP of coconut + sprinkle salt over top.
Set aside.
HERE’S the REST of the TENDERLOIN RECIPE:
Break out a 10" cast iron skillet + coat with a few TBSP of bacon grease.
Sear the tenderloin on all sides, cover then transfer to the oven for 25-30 mins. Allow the meat to rest up to 10 minutes before serving.
Back to the potatoes + carrots:
You can slide the sheet pan of potatoes into the oven with tenderloin during the last 10 minutes of cooking. This will brown em up, nicely.
Once the tenderloin + the potatoes are out of the oven crank it up to broil + put a mean scold on those carrots. This only takes a few minutes.
And once they’re good + browned a bit. Remove from the oven, give a squeeze of meyer lemon juice over top. Sprinkle some salt. And c'est fini.
Carrots, done!
Add a tiny amount of anchovy compound butter to each smashed + roasted potatoes then sprinkle garlic, asiago, and parsley over top.
Thinly slice the roast beast + y'all are ready to eat.
Happy Holidays, y'all!