Expert: Whitestag - 3/22/2004

Question
I bought a full tenderloin and could use some help on how to cut them for grilling sandwiches.  Is it as easy as cutting them into sandwich size sections and beating them with a tenderizor mallet?
Do I need to marinade and what is the best marinade for a red meat?

Thanks

Answer
The operative word in "tenderloin" is "TENDER!"  You don't need to do anything to make it more so -- it's the tenderest, juiciest, tastiest cut of meat you can buy.  You can almost cut it with a fork, so don't beat on it with a mallet!  This is the cut of meat that the filet mignon comes from.  Just rub the thing with a sliced clove of garlic and roast it whole with a little bit of salt and pepper to your desired degree of doneness (but no more than medium!)  It's a long, skinny cut of meat with the "grain" running lengthwise, so just cut across the grain -- in the center of the cut, you'll get pieces that are just the right size for a slice of bread.

Marinades serve two purposes: to tenderize a tough cut of meat, or to add flavor.  Tenderloin requires neither, so don't bother.  There are a few good sauces that you might want to serve on the side -- maybe a mild horseradish sauce, a mild mustard, or one of the fancier sauces like hollandaise or bearnaise (very tasty but a real pain to make).  All of these sauces enhance the flavor of the meat without overwhelming it.

Happy grilling!

BTW, when's dinner? 8-)

-- Whitestag