27 September 2026
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World Kitchen Journal
Peppered beef tenderloin
The Kitchen
By Claire Beaumont, the Technique desk · Spain · 1 min ·

Peppered beef tenderloin

This peppered beef tenderloin is one of our go-to recipes, but since a good beef tenderloin isn't cheap, we reserve it for special occasions. The side dish is delicious, and so is the sauce.

Ingredients · Servings 4
  • 4 beef tenderloin medallions
  • 8 slices of bacon
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • A pinch of flaked salt
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • A beef bone
  • Some pieces of beef
  • The green part of [adjustable]1[/adjustable] leek
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery leaf
  • 1 piece of turnip —optional—
  • 400 g of water
  • Shall
  • 1 tablespoon of green or black pepper
  • 75 g brandy
  • 300g of beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
  • 50g of cream —whatever kind you have—
  • 1 teaspoon of butter
  • 12 side potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 16 tomates cherry
  • Some leaves of lamb's lettuce and arugula
  • A pinch of salt
Method · 35 min
  1. Peel, cut and chop the vegetables.
  2. Put the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the pieces of meat and vegetables.
  3. Add the bone, water, and salt to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain and set aside.
  4. Place the pepper in a saucepan over low heat and let it toast for a couple of minutes.
  5. Crush some of the grains and put them back in the saucepan.
  6. Add the brandy and let the alcohol evaporate for 2 minutes.
  7. Add the beef broth, and let it simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  8. Add the tablespoon of cornstarch and stir.
  9. Add the cream and let it reduce until it thickens slightly. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  10. Off the heat, add the room temperature butter and mix with a whisk.
  11. Put the potatoes in a saucepan with water to boil. If they are small, they will be ready in about 15 minutes. If you are in a hurry, you can cook them in the microwave for about 5 minutes.
  12. Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Flatten each potato with your hand, without peeling it, and place it in the pan. Add a pinch of salt and lightly cook them. The potatoes should have very thin skin; this way, you can eat the skin, and it's delicious.
  13. Sauté the cherry tomatoes as well.
  14. Remove the rind from the bacon—if it has one. Surround each portion of tenderloin with 2 slices of bacon and secure them with a piece of cotton kitchen twine.
  15. Heat the skillet or griddle where you'll be cooking the meat. Once it's hot, reduce the heat to three-quarters. Place the meat bacon-side down, holding it with your hand, and rotate it so it browns evenly, being careful not to burn yourself. Then, lay it flat and let it cook for 5 minutes on each side without touching it. Finally, add a little salt. The cooking time is approximate; it depends on the thickness of the meat, where you're cooking it, and your heat source. The meat you see in the photo cooks perfectly after this time.
  16. Serve the freshly cooked meat with the potatoes and tomatoes. You can also add a few leaves of lamb's lettuce and arugula, which will add color to the dish. Spoon some sauce over the meat and put the rest in a bouillon bowl for those who want more.

Recipe for peppered beef tenderloin

For the beef broth

For the sauce

For the garnish

Beef broth

The sauce

The garnish

The meat

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