Cold Beef Tenderloin with Tomatoes and Cucumbers
A elegant summer dish featuring perfectly grilled beef tenderloin served cold alongside fresh heirloom tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and fragrant basil. The meat is seasoned with crushed peppercorns and served with a bright vinegar drizzle and optional accompaniments of yogurt sauce or salsa verde.
Ingredients
- •¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- •1 piece beef tenderloin
- •3 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
- •2 Tbsp kosher salt
- •3 lb heirloom tomatoes
- •6 piece mini seedless cucumbers
- •1 cup basil leaves
- •to taste sherry vinegar
- •to taste flaky sea salt
- •to taste black pepper
- •to taste sauce for serving
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Prepare a grill for 2-zone heat (for a charcoal grill, bank two-thirds of coals over one side of grill and scatter remaining coals over the other side; for a gas grill, set one burner to high heat and the remaining burners to medium-low heat). Clean and lightly oil grate. Rub tenderloin with 1/4 cup oil and sprinkle with peppercorns and kosher salt. Grill over hottest part of grill, turning often, until lightly charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. Move to cooler part and continue to grill, turning often, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 120°F for medium-rare, 25-30 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and let cool.
35 min
- 2.
Just before serving, thinly slice tenderloin on a large cutting board you can also serve from (or transfer back to platter). Arrange tomato slices, cucumber slices, and basil alongside. Drizzle tomatoes and cucumbers very lightly with vinegar. Drizzle oil over everything and season liberally with sea salt and ground pepper. Serve with Lemony Yogurt Sauce and/or Grilled Serrano Salsa Verde alongside.
15 min
- 3.
Beef tenderloin can be grilled 1 day ahead. As soon as it is cool, wrap tightly in plastic (do not slice) and chill until ready to serve.
