In the gear-up for all of your holiday festivities, sometimes it is really nice to have an appetizer that will wow the crowd and appease some of your hungriest guests until the main course is served. These smoked beef tenderloin crostinis fit the bill perfectly! The best part is the beef tenderloin can be cooked and sliced the day before, then served chilled straight from your fridge. No extra dishes or hassle while you're finishing up your main course, and plenty of happy bellies.
SMOKED BEEF TENDERLOIN CROSTINI
Difficulty: 2/5
Prep time: 20 minutes plus several hours to chill the meat
Cook time: 50 to 60 minutes
Serves: 16 to 20
Pellet recommendation: Hickory or Oak
INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 cups mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s
1/2 cup green peppercorn mustard, or coarse-grained mustard
1 piece of trimmed beef tenderloin, preferably center-cut, about 2 pounds
1/3 cup Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves
Traeger Prime Rib Rub, or coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Two 15-inch baguettes (French bread), thinly sliced on a diagonal
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, arugula, or watercress, for garnish
PREPARATION:
Start the Traeger on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes).
Whisk the mayonnaise and green peppercorn mustard in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until serving time.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the Dijon-style mustard, horseradish, Worcestershire, and thyme leaves. Coat the outside of the tenderloin with the mixture, including the ends.
Season on all sides with Traeger Prime Rib Rub or salt and pepper.
Lay the meat directly on the grill grate and smoke for 1 hour.
Transfer to a cutting board and wrap tightly with foil.
Increase the temperature of the Traeger to 350 degrees F. In the meantime, pour a thin film of olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the bread slices on it in a single layer. Press down on each piece to make sure it gets coated with the oil. Toast until lightly browned, about 15 minutes, then turn over with a spatula to brown the other side, about 10 minutes more. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Increase the temperature of the Traeger to High (400 to 450 degrees F). Allow 15 minutes for the grill to come up to temperature. Remove the foil from the beef tenderloin and return the meat to the grill grate. Grill, turning as needed with tongs, until the tenderloin is done to your liking—135 degrees F for medium-rare, about 20 minutes. (Insert an instant-read meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat.)
Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Carve against the grain into very thin slices. (If desired, you can chill the tenderloin, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours before slicing.)
To assemble the crostini, lay a slice or two of tenderloin on a piece of toasted bread. Top with a dollop of the mayonnaise-mustard sauce and a piece of parsley.
