Barbecue beef tenderloin can be a tender and flavor dish that can be prepared in several different ways to impress friends, family and guests. A tenderloin can be cooked whole, cut into filets or sliced into smaller pieces and cooked on skewers. It may be lightly seasoned with salt and pepper or rubbed with a blend of herbs and spices to give it more flavor. The cook also may wish to brush on a sauce during the last few minutes of cooking or serve it along with a sauce at the table. In general, beef tenderloin is best when it is served rare or medium-rare, though food safety should be taken into consideration.
Many cooks favor preparing barbecue beef tenderloin whole for the best presentation at the table. This method helps seal in flavor and lets diners have better control over their own serving size, but it only allows for one type of doneness. Once the tenderloin has been rinsed and dried, it should be rubbed with seasonings and allowed to come to room temperature while the grill is preheating. This will allow the meat to cook more evenly on the barbecue. Once it is on the grill, the cook may wish to use a probe thermometer to help determine when the tenderloin has reached the desired doneness, usually around 130° Fahrenheit (roughly 55° Celsius).
Another popular method of preparing barbecue beef tenderloin is to cut the whole tenderloin into filets and grill them as separate steaks. This method is useful if some diners want their beef cooked medium-well or well done, but it does require more preparation time. Freezing the tenderloin for a few minutes before slicing can help make it easier to get neat, even portions. Filets will get done on a grill much quicker than a whole barbecue beef tenderloin will, so the cook should keep a close eye on them to keep them from overcooking.
Cutting a tenderloin into small pieces and grilling those pieces on skewers is a good way to add more flavor to the beef or use up leftover portions from other meals. The tenderloin should be cut into 1-inch (2.54 cm) cubes and placed on skewers along with the desired vegetables or fruits. Citrus fruit, onion, pepper and tomato make good accompaniments to barbecue beef tenderloin. When using wooden skewers, the cook should soak them for 20 or 30 minutes before grilling to help prevent them from catching on fire. The skewered method is a good way to add vegetable or fruit servings without having to prepare a separate side dish.