Project Smoke

FUEL: I like cherry, but any

hardwood will do. You'll need

enough for 1 hour of smoking

(see chart on page 6).

INGREDIENTS

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.

plus extra for basting

Vegetable oil. for oiling the rack

Three Hots Horseradish Sauce

(recipe follows), for serving

1 whole beef tenderloin, trimmed

(about 4 pounds)

Smoked salt (see page 204) or

coarse salt (sea or kosher)

Cracked or freshly ground black pepper

GEAR: A remote digital

thermometer or instant-read

thermometer (see page 14) so

you can monitor the internal

temperature during smoking

and grilling

5. Transfer the tenderloin to the
   grill, with the thermometer probe
   still attached. Direct grill, rotating it
   like a log, until all sides are crusty,
   dark, and sizzling and the internal
   temperature in the thickest part of
   the tenderloin reaches 120° to 125°F
   (for rare beef) or 130° to 135°F (for
   medium-rare), 6 to 10 minutes. Brush
   the tenderloin with additional olive
   oil as it grills, and if you like, give it
   a quarter turn on each side halfway
   through grilling to lay on a crosshatch
   of grill marks.


6. Place the tenderloin on a cutting
   board and remove the strings. Cut the
   meat crosswise into lA- to Vfc-inch-
   thick slices. It just may be the best
   beef tenderloin you’ll ever taste.


7. Set up your smoker following the
   manufacturer’s instructions and
   preheat to 225° to 250°F. Add the
   wood as specified by the manufacturer.

SHOP: As always, use grass-

fed or organic beef when

possible. Ask your butcher

to trim it for you. (And tell

him you want to keep the

"chain"—a slender ropey

muscle that runs the length of

the tenderloin—for separate

use. It makes great shish

kebab.) A beef tenderloin is

comprised of three parts: head,

center, and tail. Tie the head

into a compact cylinder with

butcher's string. The slender

tail cooks faster than the rest

of the tenderloin, so unless you

like that section well done, fold

under the last 5 inches and tie

this section to the center.

2. Place the tenderloin on a rimmed
   baking sheet and season very
   generously on all sides with salt and
   pepper. Drizzle the tenderloin on all
   sides with olive oil, rubbing it into the
   meat.
   3. Place the tenderloin in the smoker
   and insert the probe of your remote
   thermometer (if using) through
   the thick end of the tenderloin into
   the center. (Alternatively, check for
   doneness toward the end of cooking,
   using an instant-read thermometer.)
   Smoke the tenderloin until the
   internal temperature is about 110°F,
   45 to 60 minutes. Transfer it to a
   platter and let it rest for 10 minutes.

!

I

WHAT ELSE: Here's how to

choreograph the smoking and

cooking of the tenderloin. If

working on a charcoal kettle

grill, set it up for indirect

grilling (use a half chimney

of coals plus wood chunks or

chips) to smoke it. If working

offset smoker, smoke

NOTE: Upright barrel smokers

like the Pit Barrel cooker (see page

263) work great for smoking beef

tenderloin. Hang the tenderloin head

end up from the meat hook. You

smoke and cook it simultaneously—

there’s no need for separate smoking

and grilling. (The PBC runs at just

shy of 300°F.) Cooking time will be

45 minutes to 1 hour. Use a kamado-

style cooker the same way.

4. Meanwhile, set up your grill for
   direct grilling and preheat to high.
   Brush and oil the grill grate. If you
   happen to be smoking on a charcoal
   grill, rake the coals into a mound,
   after the smoking is completed,
   adding fresh coals as needed, to build
   a hot fire.

can

.

on an

the tenderloin in the smoke

chamber, then finish it on a

grate over the firebox (if your

smoker has one) or on a hot

charcoal or gas grill.

'

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BEEF | 77