Thought of as a truly luxurious cut of beef, the beef tenderloin, or filet mignon, really is a perfect centerpiece for any feast.
But, ordering beef tenderloin at a restaurant and preparing one for all your guests are two different things!
Luckily you’ve come to the right place if you’re looking to prepare beef tenderloin for your next event of get together.
Here we go through exactly how much beef tenderloin is needed per person, how much you’ll need for 5, 10, 25, 50, or even 100 people, and some expert tips for serving beef tenderloin for a crowd. Sit back and relax. We’ve got you covered.
Ahh the prized possession. Who would have thought a steak so humble in it’s size could be so pristine and tender. Yup, we have to be talking about filet mignon, or beef tenderloin.
Of course, cooking beef tenderloin for yourself can already be a daunting task by itself. So when it comes to cooking beef tenderloin for a crowd, well, things can seem quite overwhelming.
Whether you are preparing a beef tenderloin roast, or a filet mignon steak, start off simple. The first step to preparing any food for any guests is getting your portions right. After all, you don’t want anyone to go without enough food, particularly when it’s as amazing as beef tenderloin.
So, to ensure you have enough meat prepared for everyone, you will need half a pound of beef tenderloin per person, taking into account that the meat reduces in size and weight over the course of the cook.
This amount doesn’t change no matter how you are cooking your beef tenderloin, whether it’s whole or as a filet mignon steak. But, this is assuming beef tenderloin is your main dish and is the main food on the plate for every guest too!
How Much Beef Tenderloin For 5 People
Luckily, when you’re cooking for 5 people it’s a lot more laid back, and you tend to be in the moment more. Here, you’ll really only need 2.5 pounds of beef tenderloin for 5 people.
If you are serving a lot of other foods you can get away with a bit less, but this will also account for any second servings or leftovers which can sometimes be just as good as when it’s first cooked!
How Much Beef Tenderloin For 10 People
Cooking for 10 people can seem a bit stressful. If it’s your family and friends then things tend to be a bit more laid back, but if it’s for someone’s event then you’ll have to turn it up a notch.
To feed 10 people you’ll need 5 pounds of beef tenderloin, which is basically one beef tenderloin strip. This allows half a pound per person.
How Much Beef Tenderloin For 25 People
As soon as your guest list hits 25 people, it officially goes from feeling like a family function or party with your friends, to full-blown caterer mode.
In order to be sure you’ve got enough meat for everyone, be sure to prepare 12.5 pounds of beef tenderloin for 25 people.
How Much Beef Tenderloin For 50 People
Applying the general rule that you’ll need half a pound of beef tenderloin per person, for 50 people you will need 25 pounds of beef tenderloin, which is about 5 whole beef tenderloin strips.
How Much Beef Tenderloin For 100 People
When you’re looking to serve beef tenderloin for 100 people, initial nerves can quickly become overwhelming. Especially when you start seeing everyone arrive!
But you’ve got this. Just be sure you’ve got at least 50 pounds of beef tenderloin for 100 people, which is enough for half a pound of tenderloin per person.
Tips For Cooking Beef Tenderloin For A Crowd
Cooking a filet mignon perfectly even just for yourself is enough of a challenge. After all, filet mignon isn’t like a New York strip or other classic steaks.
So, when it comes to cooking beef tenderloin for a crowd you’d better put some good effort into the preparation to be sure the cooking and serving process goes smoothly.
Background Knowledge
Beef tenderloin is a very lean cut of beef. Be prepared with a hot grill or pan, and preheat the oven to finish the meat off to everyone’s desired steak doneness. Unless you are serving it sous vide!
Remember, as you cook beef, and other meats for that matter, the meat will naturally lose 25-40% of its weight through the loss of juices and through the cooking process. When we say half a pound per person, this is raw weight, accounting for a little bit of loss of weight here and there.
Lastly, know your crowd. If you’re cooking for a group of hungry adults then half a pound of beef tenderloin will go down a treat. But, if you’re cooking for children, or for an event where eating isn’t the main excitement, you can adjust the quantities down to fit your guests.
Preparation Tips
When it comes to preparing your meat, be sure you trim the fat and offcuts from your beef tenderloin. Just like you would trim a brisket before smoking it, a trimmed beef tenderloin can really look professional when it comes to serving it to your guests.
Practice makes perfect. If you haven’t cooked beef tenderloin in a while, then i would highly recommend cooking one or two steaks before the event or a whole tenderloin if you can spare it, just so you get a feel for the cooking style, internal temperature, and doneness requirements. This can also be said for cooking other meats, such as cooking tri-tip for a crowd or cooking brisket for a crowd.
Cooking Your Beef Tenderloin
When preparing to cook your beef tenderloin or filet mignon, you may wish to simply cook it all to medium doneness. This usually satisfies everyone. However, if you’re cooking for a smaller crowd you can get their desired doneness ahead of time so you can plan accordingly.
If you are cooking a variety of different steak doneness levels, it’s always best to cook the ones that take the longest first, such as the well-done steaks and the medium-well done. This is so you can feed everyone together as much as possible.
Before you start cooking prepare the plate first. If you’re serving 25 guests, get out your 25 plates and plate up with all the ingredients that aren’t to be served hot, and slowly serve things in order of how hot you want them to be for your guests by the time they get them.
Keeping Beef Tenderloin Warm Before Serving
Whether you’re cooking skirt steak for a crowd or pulled pork for 50 people, you’ll find with any meat that it’s easy to overcook or dry out simply because you are trying to keep things warm.
This can be particularly challenging for beef tenderloin too, simply because of how lean the meat is and how easy it is to make tough.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a certain way you can keep your beef tenderloin warm without risking overcooking it or drying it out. But if you’re desperate, the best is to keep your beef tenderloin warm is to:
- Preheat your oven to the lowest it will go, around 150°F.
- Place you filet mignons or whole beef tenderloin in an oven-safe dish or baking tray.
- Pour in a small amount of diluted beef stock, only a small amount is needed.
- Cover the dish with foil and leave it in the oven on low for up to a few hours.
Remember, the longer it’s in the oven the more likely it is to overcook, so only use this strategy if you have to!
The same goes when you’re preparing beef prime rib for a crowd too!
Best Side Dishes For Beef Tenderloin
Sometimes you can get so caught up on cooking the main centrepiece that you completely discount your side dishes and condiments.
Yes look, I totally agree, beef tenderloin should definitely be the star of the show so make sure you go all out. But you should still at least serve some tasty and complimentary side dishes for your guests.
Classically beef tenderloin is served with mashed potato (which is great as it’s relatively easy to make for a crowd), roasted vegetables like carrots, and a beautiful sauce, usually red wine jus.
Of course, tradition is great, but if you want to serve beef tenderloin your own style try these side dishes:
- Garlic buttered mushrooms
- Potato casserole
- Yorkshire pudding
- Bourbon-glazed carrots
- Smoked cheese
- Roasted broccoli or cauliflower
- Cheese-baked asparagus
- Roasted cherry tomatoes
- Spiced couscous
- Horseradish Cream
Sliced Or Whole Beef Tenderloin?
If you’re wondering whether you should slice your beef tenderloin into delicious slithers, or keep it as a tenderloin steak, remember this one simple rule:
If you’ve cooked the beef tenderloin as filet mignon steaks, don’t slice them. If you’ve cooked the whole beef tenderloin then slice it.
So, if you are slicing beef tenderloin, it’s best to slice it into about ½-⅓ inch slices which is about 4-5 slices per guest.
The only time you’ll go against this sized slicing is if you’ve prepared beef wellington, then you want to cut it about 3 inches thick per guest.
Final Touches
Cooking beef tenderloin for your next event could possibly be one the most challenging but rewarding experiences for you. It will teach you just how precise you need to be when it comes to perfecting the meat.
But, if you pull it off right your guests will love you, and it will really up your game. The most important rule: make sure you prepare enough beef tenderloin per person – you don’t want anyone going hungry or anything going to waste either!
Best of luck, and if you’re serving beef tenderloin then be sure to invite me too!
