Roasting A Whole Fillet Of Beef
Sear the trimmed and tied joint in hot oil before roasting to seal and brown the outside, then insert a meat thermometer, making sure the tip of the spike is in the centre of the meat. A 1.5 kg beef fillet roasted at 220°C should take about 20 minutes for rare meat, 25-30 minutes, medium-rare.
1. Season joint, then sear in hot oil, turning with tongs. Insert thermometer and place in preheated oven.
2. Baste frequently during roasting to keep meat moist. Check thermometer reading; remove from oven.
STUFFING A FILLET
Professional chefs often slice and stuff a whole fillet of beef before roasting. This adds flavour and helps the meat retain moisture during cooking.
Sear the fillet (see step 1) and let cool. Slice thickly, almost all the way through, then spoon duxelles or the stuffing of your choice between each slice. Reform the fillet, wrap in thin herb crêpes and pastry and roast.
