Tenderloin: Always a good decision

If I want someone to propose to me, I will make him this. If I want someone to forgive me, I will make him this. If I want peace in the Middle East, I will make them this. Though maybe I should just leave that to negotiators who actually know what they are doing. Still, you see where I am going with this.

I am back in Atlanta for my Dad's birthday and I wanted to make something especially special for the occasion. About a year ago, my best friend linked me to this and I have been desperate to make it ever since. So, I called my mom and told her to get sirloin cut Chateaubriand at the butcher. For a number of reasons, we ended up with tenderloin - it is never a problem to have tenderloin. Also, since I have an almost pathological aversion to cilantro, I had to tweak the sauce a bit.

I really cannot adequately express to you how delicious this is. Nor can I describe my glee when I managed to cook it perfectly (medium rare, cooked evenly). And I really cannot convey the look of unadulterated bliss on my Dad's face. The tangy topper compliments the buttery meat so well that it's just sinful.

You really need to make this. Right. Now.

Tenderloin with Caramelized Onion Pan Sauce

1.5 - 2 lbs tenderloin (should be about 3 inches thick)
1 large onion; diced
4 tbs Butter; divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup White Wine
1 lemon; juiced
Salt & pepper to taste

1) Salt and pepper the tenderloin and allow to come to room temperature (at least 30 min, but probably closer to an hour).

2) Melt 2 tbs of the butter in a heavy skillet over low heat (recommend cast iron)

3) Place the tenderloin in the pan. Cook on low for 15 minutes. Flip steak, and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer, and continue cooking (flipping every five minutes to ensure even cooking) until internal temperature reaches 130° (This took me another 20-35 minutes. I lost track of the specifics because I was paying more attention to maintaining a 5 min interval). Remove steak from pan and cover with foil to rest.

4)To make the pan sauce, add the white wine to the pan and deglaze and reduce wine by 1/2. Add the remaining 2 tbs butter and the onions. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized; about 3-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, lemon juice and salt to taste and heat for about 1 minute.

5) To serve, spoon the sauce over the tenderloin.

I served broccoli and mashed sweet potatoes as side and the sweetness of the potatoes helped counter the tartness of the onion pan sauce. I highly recommend it.