A rather large hunk of the butt end of a beef tenderloin would usually
be cut up and prepared as tenderloin tips, but I have been hankering for a pot roast. This cut of beef will work just fine braised in a tagine if you don’t simmer it too long since it’s already tender. Simmered for 1.25 hours it came out moist, well done and pull apart tender. If I make one again, I would simmer it for only an hour and then take a look. This is an easy dish to prepare.
Here’s how:
Beef Tenderloin Butt Tagine
See Abbreviations, if needed
Serves about three
2 lb beef tenderloin butt
A medley of veggies: onion halves, carrots, potatoes all cut rather
large to hold up for a hour of braising
3 T EVOO
1.5 C chicken stock or broth
2 cloves garlic, pureed
S/P
2 T Herbes de Provence
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1. Trim off excess fat and silver skin from the tenderloin
2. S/P the meat generously
3. Heat the cast iron tagine bottom over high heat and then add enough
EVOO to coat the bottom surface
4. Brown the tenderloin thoroughly on all sides–get some color on it
5. Reduce heat to medium and arrange the veggies around the meat, as
shown (use more veggies for more people)
6. Shake a generous amount of herbes de Provence over the meat and veggies
(another spice medley will do)
7. Bring the tagine bottom back to high heat and add the garlic
8. Add chicken stock to a level 1/4 inch below the rim line (which will
reduce to 1/2 inch, as shown)
9. BTB, then reduce heat to simmer and cover with the tagine top
10. Braise for one to one and a quarter hours: meat and veggies should
be tender
11. Serve on heated plates as shown
PS: Tagine recipes abound on this site: here,
here, here,
here, here
and here.
