Smoked Beef Tenderloin Recipe on Pellet Grill (2024)

This Smoked Beef Tenderloin Recipe on Pellet Grill is easy to make with step-by-step instructions. It is the perfect main dish for any special occasion. A unique blend of spices and a garlic and butter basting sauce gives the beef a nice crust, and inside, you’ll find juicy, tender, perfectly cooked meat that will have everyone begging for seconds.

As an almost daily user of my pellet smoker, I've cooked various dishes, including a recent standout: Smoked Prime Rib Roast. Inspired by its success, I decided to try my hand at smoked beef tenderloin.

The key to this recipe's success lies in the garlic butter-basting mixture, which gives a fantastic crackly exterior. The finishing touch is a reverse sear, making it off-the-charts delicious!

This recipe is perfect for serving a showstopping dish this holiday season. Make it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's. Or the 4th of July, Labor Day, your kids' grad, or your promotion at work. Well...basically... anytime, really. 🙂

For dessert, pair it with my Baileys Irish Cream Chocolate Cake!

🐄 What is beef tenderloin?

Beef tenderloin is an expensive cut of meat prized for its unparalleled tenderness. It comes from the loin section of the cow, located in the lower part of a cow's back. It is one of the most tender cuts due to its lack of use.

Related Recipe: Air Fryer Filet Mignon Wrapped with Bacon.

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• It is the perfect dish for any special occasion or holiday dinner.
• This tender cut of beef is rich in flavor and has a beautiful smoke ring.
• This recipe is super easy to prepare, and the prep time is minimal.
• It is made with a handful of ingredients.
• The reverse sear method gives a delicious crispy outer crust that is so good!
• This low-and-slow smoking method works for any pellet grill - Pit Boss, Traeger, Camp Chef, etc. I made it on my Pit Boss pellet grill.

🐄 Ingredients & substitutions

• Whole beef tenderloin. I used a 4.5-pound whole tenderloin that the butcher trimmed.
• Beef tenderloin dry rub. I used my homemade Beef Tenderloin Dry Rub recipe, which contains cracked blacked peppercorns, kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, crushed rosemary, ground thyme, and dry mustard powder. This gives the roast a beautiful outer bark that is so flavorful. Feel free to use your favorite seasoning. Another great option is to use my Prime Rib Rub.
• Butter and chopped garlic are mixed together and used as a basting sauce as well as a serving sauce. This mixture simmers on the smoker and is infused with amazing smoke flavor. You can use margarine instead of butter, and garlic paste or garlic powder instead of chopped garlic.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a full list of ingredients.

♨️ How to smoke a beef tenderloin on a pellet grill

Quick overview

• Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F.
• Trim and tie tenderloin.
• Combine the rub ingredients.
• Brush tenderloin with oil and season with rub.
• Smoke and baste until internal temperature reaches 120°F.
• Increase smoker temperature to 400-450°F.
• Sear tenderloin until internal temperature reaches the desired level of doneness.
• Rest, slice, and serve.

Step by step instructions

Preheat.Preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees F.

Tie the Tenderloin.Remove the tenderloin from the fridge. Trim off any silver skin and excess fat. Tie with string or butcher’s twine every 2 inches to keep the beef from losing its shape while it cooks. Tuck the tail under the end and tie it tightly. I chose to cut off the tail to use it for stir fry the next day.

Make the rub. Combine the black peppercorns, kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, rosemary, thyme, and dry mustard powder in a small bowl.

Prep the tenderloin.Use a basting brush to apply the olive oil onto the tenderloin. Sprinkle the dry rub liberally over the entire tenderloin, covering all sides. Push the seasoning firmly against the meat.

Hint:Pour the seasoning into an empty shaker bottle and shake it on the roast.

Smoke.Place the tenderloin directly on the grill grate of your smoker. Position the beef so the thicker end is closer to the heat source. Place a small saucepan with the butter and chopped garlic in the corner of your grill. The butter will melt and will be infused with garlic flavor. Place a digital meat thermometer into the center of the roast, in the thickest part.

Smoke the beef for 30 minutes, then baste the meat with butter and garlic. Let the butter run off the brush and drizzle on the meat. Smoke and baste the meat every 15 minutes until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 120 degrees F. Remove the tenderloin from the smoker and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Remove the butter and garlic mixture and keep warm on the stove or in the oven.

See Also

11 Homemade Beef Stew Recipes You'll Want to Serve This WinterEasy Air Fryer Frittata Recipe - Golden, Fluffy and Crisp15 Fall Rice Krispies Treats {recipes} – Tip Junkie25 Holiday Cookie Bar Recipes That Need Zero Scooping and Rolling

Reverse Sear.Turn the temperature of the smoker to 400-450 degrees F, or high heat. If you have a Pit Boss grill with a searing plate, open it up and turn the temperature to 400 degrees F.

Sear the tenderloin for 1-2 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F. If you like your beef more well done, cook until the desired level of doneness is reached. See the beef temperature guidelines below.

Pro Tip:If your grill does not go that high (like an electric smoker) or you do not have a mobile deflector plate, you can either turn up your grill as high as it will go or do a quick sear in a hot cast iron pan on the stove or under the broiler in your oven.

Below is a chart for what internal temperature to cook your beef to, depending on how you like yours done:

Beef Temperature Guidelines

• Rare is 120-130 degrees F.
• Medium rare is 130-135 degrees F.
• Medium is 135-140 degrees F.
• Medium Well is 145-155 degrees F.
• Well Done is 155 degrees F.

Rest.Remove the beef tenderloin roast from the grill and place on a cutting board or serving platter. Drizzle more butter mixture over the outside of the beef again. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to reincorporate back into the meat. The temperature will probably continue to rise another few degrees as it rests.

Slice and Serve.Cut the smoked tenderloin into medallions as thick or as thin as you like. Serve with a drizzle of the butter mixture on each slice if desired. Serve with your favorite side dishes or horseradish sauce.

🥗 What to serve with beef tenderloin

Some excellent side dishes to serve with this stunning dish are Air Fryer Green Beans, Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows, Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes, Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole and Classic Campbell's Green Bean Casserole.

In the summer, some great sides are Miracle Whip Coleslaw, Smoked Baked Beans with Bacon, Smoked Corn on the Cob, Smoked Baked Potatoes, and Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower.

💭 Expert Tips

• Let the roast come up to room temperature while the grill is preheating.
• Ensure the temperature probe is in the center of the meat's thickest part.
• Ensure your hopper is full of wood pellets before smoking. You do not want to run out halfway through the smoking process.
• Don't try to rush the cooking process. The smoke time will depend on how thick the roast is and how hot your grill cooks. All pellet grills cook differently.
• For best results, don't open the lid except to baste the roast.
• Watch the temperature of the roast carefully; you do not want to overcook it.
• Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

❓ Recipe FAQ's

🥪What to do with leftover beef tenderloin?

There are a few things you can do with leftover beef tenderloin. You can slice and reheat it, make a sandwich, or dice it up and add it to a salad. You can use it instead of venison inInstant Pot Venison Stew or myEasy Smoked Chili Recipe.

👩🏻‍🍳 Want more tenderloin recipes?

If you want more tenderloin recipes, try my Smoked Pork Tenderloin, Traeger Pork Tenderloin, or my Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin.

👩🏻‍🍳 More Pellet Smoker Recipes you'll love

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👩🏻‍🍳 About Jeri

With over 40 years of cooking experience, Jeri Walker is a self-taught cook who has a passion for creating simple and delicious recipes using everyday ingredients. Jeri's commitment to excellence means only the best recipes make it onto the blog – so when you make a recipe from Winding Creek Ranch, it's guaranteed to be a hit.

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