Chateaubriand with Marchand De Vin Sauce

This is the steak you bring out when you mean business. A whole 2.5-pound beef tenderloin, rubbed down with crushed garlic, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon, then left to sit at room temperature until it’s ready for the fire.

The char comes first: screaming hot grill, two to three minutes per side, just enough to build a deep, smoky crust.

Then into the oven to roast gently until the center hits that blushing medium-rare that makes a tenderloin worth every penny.

Sliced thin on the diagonal and drizzled with Marchand de Vin, a classic French red wine and shallot reduction, this is old-school fine dining you can pull off at home.

Pro Tips

• Let the steak rest at room temperature for the full hour. Cold meat from the fridge cooks unevenly, giving you a grey ring around a raw center.
• Get the grill as hot as it will go before you sear. You want aggressive char in under 3 minutes, not slow cooking.
• Use a meat thermometer. Pull the tenderloin at 125F internal for medium-rare. It’ll climb another 5-10 degrees while resting.
• Rest before slicing. Give it 10-15 minutes loosely tented with foil so the juices redistribute. Cut too early and they’ll run all over the board.