Beef Tenderloin

I know it has been a while, and I apologize for that.We did a lot of leftovers this week. But tonight we splurged and went for the tenderloin. If you haven't had tenderloin before it is worth the money. It is a fantastic cut of meat that is very tender, and easy to cook.

Ingredients:
Beef Tenderloin - any size you can afford, I used a 2 lb cut for this meal
1/2 TBSP green peppercorns - Black peppercorns can be substituted, but will have a stronger flavor
2 sprigs thyme (fresh)
2 sprigs rosemary (fresh)
1 clove garlic (fresh)


Procedure:

1. This may be a tough one for a lot of you, but, pull the cut of meat out of your fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. This will facilitate consistent cooking by allowing the meat to be the same temperature throughout. You wont have to cook it as long, and the juices tend to stick around better.
2. Bring your oven up to 475F - if your oven will not go this high, just take it as high as you can.
3. Prepare the rub - crush the peppercorns, finely chop the rosemary, thyme and garlic. Combine and set aside.
4. Dry off the cut of meat. This will allow the searing to be less smoky and give you a better sear.
5. Place a heavy pan, I used cast-iron, on your stove. Spray with PAM or other cooking spray and allow the pan to heat up. DO NOT PUT THE MEAT ON UNTIL YOUR PAN IS HOT. Once the pan is HOT place your meat inside. Leave it alone for 3 minutes to get a good sear. Flip the meat, without poking it, and repeat this on the other side. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a moment so you can handle the meat enough to rub the spices on it. 
6. Thoroughly rub the spices on the meat and place on your roasting pan (or a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack). Insert your baking thermometer into the thickest part of the cut. Do this at an angle and try to get the end of the probe into the middle the best you can.
7. Place in the oven and allow it to cook for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 125F. This gives you a slightly pink center. If you prefer it to be pinker, cut your time down slightly. Do not overcook the meat, this can make a fantastic cut of meat and ruin it faster than you realize. A pink center is done enough to kill and baddies in the beef. 
8. Enjoy!

I love the spices, and the tenderness of the beef. It would be fantastic with horseradish as well, but that could compete with the flavors that are already there.