How to Expertly Cut Beef Tenderloin With Seido Knives

Beef tenderloin is famous for its tenderness, texture and taste, but cutting beef tenderloin steak takes a degree of skill. This article will cover the steps in how to cut beef tenderloin into steaks and minimize waste.

What Is Beef Tenderloin?

Beef tenderloin is named after a long and thin muscle that lies next to a cow's spine in an area known as the psoas major. This cut of beef is so tender because the tenderloin muscle does not bear any of a cow's weight. Beef tenderloin can either be roasted or cut into tenderloin steaks, tournedos steaks, filet mignon and chateaubriand.

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Essential Tools Needed

You will find cutting a beef tenderloin much easier and less stressful if you gather everything you need before you start.

Boning Knife

The knife you use to cut beef tenderloin should be extremely sharp. A boning knife made out of high-carbon stainless steel will work best. Our 8-piece Japanese Master Chef Knife Set includes a 6-inch boning knife that would be perfect.

Cutting Board

You can use any kind of cutting board to trim a beef tenderloin, but a board made out of wood would be best. Wood is a soft material, so it won't dull the edges of your knives.

Chef Knife

Most of your beef tenderloin trimming will be done with a boning knife, but you will need a traditional chef's knife for some cuts. This Shujin 5-Piece Butcher Knife Set includes an 8-inch chef knife made of VG-10 Japanese stainless steel.

Bowls

You will need two bowls when cutting a beef tenderloin because you will place scraps of good meat in one bowl and silverskin and excess fat in the other. You can use the good meat scraps to make a stir fry, or you can grind them to make hamburgers.

Prepping Your Beef Tenderloin

Before you start cutting a beef tenderloin, the chain and silverskin must be removed. The chain is a loosely attached strip of fat and meat that runs the length of a tenderloin, while silverskin is a tough, chewy membrane. Once this is done, you can trim off any excess fat. If you pat the tenderloin down with paper towels before you begin, it will be less slippery and easier to hold.

Step-by-Step Carving Process

A beef tenderloin is made up of a center cut, the butt and the tail. The center cut has a consistent thickness and is usually roasted or cut into steaks. The tail and butt are suitable for grilling, stir-frying, or making carpaccio. They are too small to be cut into steaks.

Trimming the Tenderloin

Cutting a beef tenderloin is a fairly straightforward process. Use your boning knife to remove the butt and tail from the center section. Once this is done, use your chef's knife to cut the center section into tenderloin and filet mignon steaks.

Portioning the Tenderloin

Most people use the center section by cutting the beef tenderloin into steaks and using the butt and tail to make hamburgers or fajitas, but you can leave the center section uncut and roast it instead if you prefer. If you decide to roast the center section, wrap it in butcher's twine first to maintain its shape.

Alternative Cuts

The two most common beef tenderloin alternatives are ribeye roasts and sirloin butt roasts. Neither of these cuts will be as tender as beef tenderloin, and both will take much longer to cook because they are not nearly as lean.

Pro Tips for Precise Cuts

If you want your cuts to be as precise as possible, your knives must be razor-sharp. If you can't put an edge on your current knives, you may want to upgrade to our Caveman Butcher Knife Set.

Cut Above the Rest: Master the Art of Tenderloin Cutting

In the process of cutting tenderloin, you may find that doing it yourself instead of asking a butcher will save you money and give you a feeling of accomplishment. It's a fairly simple procedure, and following it will give you a chance to put the best knives for your favorite meat dish to good use.

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