Cook the Perfect Chateaubriand in 5 Easy Steps (2024)

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French Mains

Rebecca Franklin

Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.

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Updated on 10/19/23

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Diana Rattray

Tested byDiana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Rest Time: 15 mins

Total: 65 mins

Servings: 2to 3 servings

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The meaning of the French term chateaubriand can be confusing. Depending on whom you ask, it can either refer to a cut of steak or the method of roasting a beef tenderloin. Despite this confusion, rest assured that when you order a chateaubriand from a French restaurant menu, you will receive a beautiful center-cut piece of beef tenderloin (usually enough to serve two), along with a classic red wine sauce.

Cook the Perfect Chateaubriand in 5 Easy Steps (2)

Beef tenderloin is one of the most expensive pieces of beef but for a good reason. The cut lives up to its name, providing the most naturally tender, succulent piece of beef available. Note that a filet mignon, another pricey steakhouse cut, is from the smaller end of the beef tenderloin.

This chateaubriand recipe is a traditional version of the restaurant favorite. The lusciously tender beef is seasoned very simply, roasted to perfection, and then sliced on the diagonal. Be sure to make the easy shallot and wine sauce to accompany the meat and serve with chateau potatoes for authenticity. Chateaubriand is a perfect roast for the French Christmas table.

What You'll Need to Make This Chateaubriand Recipe

A Durable Cast Iron Skillet

A Wireless Meat Thermometer

A Dependable Roasting Pan

"The seared tenderloin was a perfect medium-rare after 15 minutes in the oven. For the sauce, I used fresh tarragon, a packet of French-style demi-glace concentrate, and pinot noir for the red wine. It was amazing! I will probably use the sauce recipe whenever I cook a beef roast or steak." —Diana Rattray

Cook the Perfect Chateaubriand in 5 Easy Steps (6)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 pound beef tenderloin (center cut)
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup medium-bodied dry red wine
1/2 cup demi-glace
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Evenly season the beef with salt and pepper.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) set over medium-high heat until cloudy and bubbly.
Place the seasoned meat in the pan and brown for 3 minutes without moving the meat. Using tongs, carefully turn the tenderloin on its side and brown for 3 minutes more. Repeat the same browning process on all exposed surfaces of the meat.
Transfer the tenderloin to a rack placed in a roasting pan and put in the oven. (Set aside the skillet with any accumulated juices for making the sauce.) Roast the beef to your desired doneness, about 15 minutes for medium-rare, 20 minutes for medium, and 23 minutes for medium-well.
Remove the meat from the oven and transfer to a warm serving platter. Lightly tent the meat with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.
While the tenderloin is resting, make the wine sauce. Combine the shallot with the juices in the skillet and sauté over medium heat until the shallot is soft and translucent.
Pour the wine into the skillet and bring the sauce to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Continue boiling the sauce until it reduces by half.
Add the demi-glace to the sauce and continue boiling the mixture until slightly thickened.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon softened butter and tarragon. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
Slice the meat on the diagonal and serve with the wine sauce.Enjoy.

Tips

If you do not have demi-glace, you can substitute with one (16-ounce) can of top-quality beef consommé or beef broth, reduced by half.
It is essential to let the chateaubriand rest. This will allow the meat juices to be reabsorbed and redistributed in the meat and enable clean slicing.

What Is a Medium-Bodied Wine?

Wines with an alcohol content between 12.5% and 13.5% are considered medium-bodied.

Helpful Links

Different Types of Kitchen Thermometers and Their Uses
Steak Doneness—From Rare to Well

French Mains
French Food
Beef Mains
Beef Recipes
Vegetable Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
766	Calories
60g	Fat
9g	Carbs
39g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2to 3
Amount per serving
Calories	766
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 60g	77%
Saturated Fat 24g	122%
Cholesterol 165mg	55%
Sodium 873mg	38%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 39g
Vitamin C 4mg	19%
Calcium 49mg	4%
Iron 6mg	33%
Potassium 864mg	18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

tenderloin
entree
french
christmas

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Cook the Perfect Chateaubriand in 5 Easy Steps (2024)

Tips

What Is a Medium-Bodied Wine?

Helpful Links

References