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How to Trim a Whole Beef Tenderloin

You’ll save money per pound and get meat for 3 meals

Elaine Johnson
1 /9 Annabelle Breakey

Make the most of the cut

At upwards of $25 a pound, the 2 1/2- to 3-lb. center-cut beef tenderloin for our Gorgonzola-Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce (pictured) or Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Herbs is one pricey roast. But you can get a price break per pound if you start with a whole tenderloin and trim it yourself down to the fancy cut. It's easy, and while you'll spend about $10 more to start with for the bigger piece of meat, you'll wind up with meat for two more meals. Here's how.

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Center-cut tenderloin for 6 to 8

Trim the wide end

Start with a 4 1/2-lb. whole, untrimmed beef tenderloin. Working at the wider end, cut through the main muscle where it tapers down to about 2 1/2 in. wide. Save this scrap for the rice bowl meal.

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Remove the chateaubriand

Still at the wider end, cut off this large side muscle. Save it for the steaks meal.

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Trim the narrow end

Cut through the other end of the main muscle where it tapers to about 2 1/2 in. wide. Save the scrap for the rice bowl meal. Now you have a 2 1/2-lb. center-cut tenderloin. Trim off any large chunks of fat, and it's ready to use in our Gorgonzola-Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce or Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Fresh Herbs recipe.

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Steaks for 4

Cut the chateaubriand

First trim off any silverskin or sinew, then slice the meat across the grain into 4 pieces, each about 1 1/2 in. wide. You'll have 3 steaks that are about 5 oz. and 1 that's about 4 oz. (Note that these weights can vary, depending on the tenderloin you start with.)

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Tuck in tails

This makes uniform steaks.

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Tie each steak with string

Pull butcher's twine snug enough so it begins to pucker; knot, then trim ends of string. Generously season steaks with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Grill over hot coals or sear in a cast-iron skillet.

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Thin slices for a rice bowl for 2

Slice the end scraps

First trim off any silverskin or sinew, then thinly slice the meat across the grain.

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Cut wider pieces in half again (optional)

You'll have about 8 oz. meat, ready to use in a half-recipe for our Korean Beef Rice Bowl, Sichuan Steak and Asparagus, or Beef with Tomatoes, Pasta, and Chili Sauce dishes.