Roast Filet of Beef (Beef Tenderloin)
from The New Meat Lover's Cookbook by Janeen A. Sarlin and Diane Porter

Use this recipe as a guide. If you want to add herbs, rub them on the filet before roasting.

1 whole untrimmed filet of beef, 6 - 7 pounds
1 - 2 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper

Trim the meat of all visible fat, silver skin, and connective tendons. Remove the side strip (which runs along the whole tenderloin - the chain) and use it for another purpose, such as stir fry. Rub the filet with pepper. Fold the thin tail end under and tie with kitchen cotton string at 2 - 3 inch intervals. (For detailed instructions for trimming and tying the tenderloin, see Trimming a Beef Tenderloin.)

Let the filet stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before roasting.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Put the filet in a low-side roasting pan and place in the oven. Reduce heat to 450 degrees F. and roast for exactly 25 minutes.

Remove the filet from the oven and place it in parchment paper. Wrap it tucking in the sides of the parchment paper as you roll. Roll the wrapped filet in several thicknesses of newspaper and let it rest for at least 20 minutes. Unwrap the filet, remove the strings, and slice to desired thickness.

The filet of beef is now ready to serve as is, with or without a sauce, hot, cold, at room temperature, almost any way.