On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 15:37:03 GMT, "Peter Aitken"
> wrote:



>
>I'll throw another opinion on the fire. Tenderloin is prized for its
>tenderness, but it is lacking in flavor compared with other cuts. That's why
>many preparations, such as Wellington, include other flavor elements. For
>the "ultimate" roast you want the beefiness to be the main theme, and I
>think the standard prime rib stands out here. As for roasting, low
>temperature is the key - but not for too long. I like to sear the meat on
>the stove top then roast at a low temp until medium rare. The result is meat
>that is medium rare throughout, essentially, and not one thjat is well done
>on the outside and rare in the middle.


My experience agrees with Peter, with a recent exception. Last year
for New Year's Eve I got steaks from the thick end of a large bison
tenderloin. They were stunning, done rare and very plain.

These are grass-fed animals from near the PA/NY border. Today I talked
with the farmer. He had slaughtered two small cows (stil bison) and
had the tenderloins whole. I took one and will try it this year.

I may well use some nice mushrooms with it, but he claims it will tast
like the other one, and he hasn't misled me in the past. He says to
roast it in a 250F oven, which wouldn't have occured to me, but maybe
with browning it in a pan first that would go.

I remember doing Wellington back in the 60s when we had just bought
the Julia Childs et al cookbooks. I don't really want to do that
again, but the duxelles part of it could be done with shiitakes and
even porcini, which we couldn't get then.



Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC

Let's Put the XXX back in Xmas