Expert: John Langenfelder - 4/9/2009

Question
I'm not sure this is in your field of expertise, but thought we'd try.  I along with several others in the family bought beef tenderloin because it was being sold at a very good price in a local market..this only happens about 3 times a year.  Someone told a relative of mine that her husband cuts it into a roast, filet mignon, steaks etc.
How does one do this. All I see is one long pile of meat. Do you know how to butcher meat? can you suggest where we can find a diagram or video etc. on how to do this.  If we go to a butcher, they charge a fee, but that wouldn't make sense because the low price is why we bought it in the first place.  thank you

Answer
I just finished cutting up a beef tenderloin a few minutes ago.  I do it very simply.  There is a narrow end and a fat end on a tenderloin.  One side will have a strip of fat and the silver skin.  Remove as much as possible.  The silver skin is very tough.  There maybe a chain of fat(and some meat) that runs the length of the meat.  You can cut that away - maybe cut it into cubes.  If you don't see it, don't worry about it.  Some have it some do not.  I then cut out the middle third of the meat as wide as I can, maybe even the middle half of the meat.  This is the "chateaubriand" of the tenderloin.  Now you can leave this as it is or cut it into steaks as "filet mignon" or a little of both.  This is the most tender of the tenderloin.  The two ends can be cut up into filet mignon steaks or into cubes for stroganoff or other meat dishes.  Enjoy.