Spice-Rubbed Roast Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

This roast beef tenderloin looks glamorous and tastes amazing, yet it's practically foolproof. The meat gets its deeply browned exterior in the oven at a single temperature; no pre-searing or fussing with different temperatures necessary. Even better: The deeply flavored, thyme-infused red wine sauce can be made days ahead, so there's no last-minute panic when it comes time to serve.

For the beef

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbs. ground fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds, coarsely ground
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 2-1/2-lb. beef butt tenderloins, trimmed  

Tip:

For a crowd serve two partial tenderloins—request butt tenderloins at the meat counter—instead of one whole one. This way, there are no thinner tail ends, and the roasts cook evenly.

For the sauce

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. olive oil or canola oil  
• 4 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (1-3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot (1 medium)
• 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
• Kosher salt  
• 3 large sprigs fresh thyme 
• 1 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
• 1 750-ml bottle dry, hearty red wine,such as Shiraz or Zinfandel  
• 2 cups lower-salt beef broth 
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour 
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Season the beef

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, fennel, caraway, 1 Tbs. salt, and 1-1/2 tsp. pepper. Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels and coat them with the spice mixture, using your hands to spread it evenly; it will sparsely cover the meat. 

Make the sauce

Melt 1 Tbs. of the butter and the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot, sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme, peppercorns, and half of the wine. Simmer briskly until the wine reduces and just covers the solids, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining wine and reduce again until the wine just covers the solids, 10 to 12 minutes more. Add the beef broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve set over a 1-quart measuring cup, pressing lightly on the solids. If you have more than 1-1/2 cups liquid, return the sauce to the pan and simmer until reduced to 1-1/2 cups 

Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking often, until smooth and light beige in color, about 1 minute. Slowly add the wine reduction, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast the beef

If you've seasoned the beef ahead of time, remove it from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about an hour before roasting. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Arrange the roasts on a flat rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 120°F for rare , 125°F to 130°F for medium rare, or 135°F for medium, 40 to 50 minutes. 

Serve

If the sauce was made ahead, heat gently in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking a few times, until barely simmering. 

Meanwhile, let the beef rest for 15 minutes before carving crosswise into thick slices. Slice only as much as you plan to serve right away (leftovers keep better unsliced). Spoon the sauce over each serving or pass at the table. 

Cabernet Onion Jam

The sweetness of the onions softens the tannins in young Cabernet. The jam is great over grilled polenta, on a steak, as a pizza topping with Gorgonzola, or smeared on a slice of peasant bread. It keeps for two weeks sealed and refrigerated.

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 medium onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon; more as needed

In a large, straight-sided sauté pan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and salt. Cover and cook until the onions are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the wine, making sure it covers the onions, and cook uncovered at a very gentle simmer until all the liquid has evaporated and the onions are thick and jamlike, about 2 hours, stirring frequently during the last half hour.

Spice-Rubbed Roast Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

This roast beef tenderloin looks glamorous and tastes amazing, yet it's practically foolproof. The meat gets its deeply browned exterior in the oven at a single temperature; no pre-searing or fussing with different temperatures necessary. Even better: The deeply flavored, thyme-infused red wine sauce can be made days ahead, so there's no last-minute panic when it comes time to serve.

For the beef

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbs. ground fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds, coarsely ground
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 2-1/2-lb. beef butt tenderloins, trimmed  

Tip:

For a crowd serve two partial tenderloins—request butt tenderloins at the meat counter—instead of one whole one. This way, there are no thinner tail ends, and the roasts cook evenly.

For the sauce

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. olive oil or canola oil  
• 4 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (1-3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot (1 medium)
• 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
• Kosher salt  
• 3 large sprigs fresh thyme 
• 1 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
• 1 750-ml bottle dry, hearty red wine,such as Shiraz or Zinfandel  
• 2 cups lower-salt beef broth 
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour 
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Season the beef

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, fennel, caraway, 1 Tbs. salt, and 1-1/2 tsp. pepper. Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels and coat them with the spice mixture, using your hands to spread it evenly; it will sparsely cover the meat. 

Make the sauce

Melt 1 Tbs. of the butter and the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot, sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme, peppercorns, and half of the wine. Simmer briskly until the wine reduces and just covers the solids, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining wine and reduce again until the wine just covers the solids, 10 to 12 minutes more. Add the beef broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve set over a 1-quart measuring cup, pressing lightly on the solids. If you have more than 1-1/2 cups liquid, return the sauce to the pan and simmer until reduced to 1-1/2 cups 

Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking often, until smooth and light beige in color, about 1 minute. Slowly add the wine reduction, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast the beef

If you've seasoned the beef ahead of time, remove it from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about an hour before roasting. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Arrange the roasts on a flat rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 120°F for rare , 125°F to 130°F for medium rare, or 135°F for medium, 40 to 50 minutes. 

Serve

If the sauce was made ahead, heat gently in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking a few times, until barely simmering. 

Meanwhile, let the beef rest for 15 minutes before carving crosswise into thick slices. Slice only as much as you plan to serve right away (leftovers keep better unsliced). Spoon the sauce over each serving or pass at the table. 

Cabernet Onion Jam

The sweetness of the onions softens the tannins in young Cabernet. The jam is great over grilled polenta, on a steak, as a pizza topping with Gorgonzola, or smeared on a slice of peasant bread. It keeps for two weeks sealed and refrigerated.

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 medium onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon; more as needed

In a large, straight-sided sauté pan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and salt. Cover and cook until the onions are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the wine, making sure it covers the onions, and cook uncovered at a very gentle simmer until all the liquid has evaporated and the onions are thick and jamlike, about 2 hours, stirring frequently during the last half hour.

Spice-Rubbed Roast Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

This roast beef tenderloin looks glamorous and tastes amazing, yet it's practically foolproof. The meat gets its deeply browned exterior in the oven at a single temperature; no pre-searing or fussing with different temperatures necessary. Even better: The deeply flavored, thyme-infused red wine sauce can be made days ahead, so there's no last-minute panic when it comes time to serve.

For the beef

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbs. ground fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds, coarsely ground
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 2-1/2-lb. beef butt tenderloins, trimmed  

Tip:

For a crowd serve two partial tenderloins—request butt tenderloins at the meat counter—instead of one whole one. This way, there are no thinner tail ends, and the roasts cook evenly.

For the sauce

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. olive oil or canola oil  
• 4 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (1-3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot (1 medium)
• 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
• Kosher salt  
• 3 large sprigs fresh thyme 
• 1 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
• 1 750-ml bottle dry, hearty red wine,such as Shiraz or Zinfandel  
• 2 cups lower-salt beef broth 
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour 
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Season the beef

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, fennel, caraway, 1 Tbs. salt, and 1-1/2 tsp. pepper. Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels and coat them with the spice mixture, using your hands to spread it evenly; it will sparsely cover the meat. 

Make the sauce

Melt 1 Tbs. of the butter and the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot, sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme, peppercorns, and half of the wine. Simmer briskly until the wine reduces and just covers the solids, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining wine and reduce again until the wine just covers the solids, 10 to 12 minutes more. Add the beef broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve set over a 1-quart measuring cup, pressing lightly on the solids. If you have more than 1-1/2 cups liquid, return the sauce to the pan and simmer until reduced to 1-1/2 cups 

Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking often, until smooth and light beige in color, about 1 minute. Slowly add the wine reduction, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast the beef

If you've seasoned the beef ahead of time, remove it from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about an hour before roasting. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Arrange the roasts on a flat rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 120°F for rare , 125°F to 130°F for medium rare, or 135°F for medium, 40 to 50 minutes. 

Serve

If the sauce was made ahead, heat gently in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking a few times, until barely simmering. 

Meanwhile, let the beef rest for 15 minutes before carving crosswise into thick slices. Slice only as much as you plan to serve right away (leftovers keep better unsliced). Spoon the sauce over each serving or pass at the table. 

Strawberry-Melon Sangria

Aperol, a bittersweet, orangy Italian liqueur similar to Campari, helps balance the sweetness of the strawberries, cantaloupe, and honey in this deep-red sangria, which was created by Kathy Casey of Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen in Seattle. You can find Aperol at most liquor stores. Serve over ice, garnished with the fruit. Top off each glass with a splash of club soda.

• 1 750-ml bottle dry red wine, such as Chianti
• 2 fl. oz. (1/4 cup) Aperol
• 1 fl. oz. (2 Tbs.) Cointreau or other orange liqueur
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup thinly sliced, hulled strawberries (about 8 medium berries)
• 1 cup small-diced, peeled, seeded cantaloupe (from 1/4 medium)
• 1 small lemon, thinly sliced crosswise and seeded
• Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

In a 2-1/2- to 3-quart pitcher, stir the wine, Aperol, Cointreau, and honey until well mixed. Add the strawberries and cantaloupe. Using a potato masher or large spoon, lightly crush the fruit to release some of its juice. Add the lemon slices and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Serve over ice, garnished with the fruit and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Spice-Rubbed Roast Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce

This roast beef tenderloin looks glamorous and tastes amazing, yet it's practically foolproof. The meat gets its deeply browned exterior in the oven at a single temperature; no pre-searing or fussing with different temperatures necessary. Even better: The deeply flavored, thyme-infused red wine sauce can be made days ahead, so there's no last-minute panic when it comes time to serve.

For the beef

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbs. ground fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds, coarsely ground
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 2-1/2-lb. beef butt tenderloins, trimmed  

Tip:

For a crowd serve two partial tenderloins—request butt tenderloins at the meat counter—instead of one whole one. This way, there are no thinner tail ends, and the roasts cook evenly.

For the sauce

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. olive oil or canola oil  
• 4 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (1-3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot (1 medium)
• 1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
• Kosher salt  
• 3 large sprigs fresh thyme 
• 1 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
• 1 750-ml bottle dry, hearty red wine,such as Shiraz or Zinfandel  
• 2 cups lower-salt beef broth 
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour 
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Season the beef

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, fennel, caraway, 1 Tbs. salt, and 1-1/2 tsp. pepper. Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels and coat them with the spice mixture, using your hands to spread it evenly; it will sparsely cover the meat. 

Make the sauce

Melt 1 Tbs. of the butter and the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot, sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme, peppercorns, and half of the wine. Simmer briskly until the wine reduces and just covers the solids, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining wine and reduce again until the wine just covers the solids, 10 to 12 minutes more. Add the beef broth and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve set over a 1-quart measuring cup, pressing lightly on the solids. If you have more than 1-1/2 cups liquid, return the sauce to the pan and simmer until reduced to 1-1/2 cups 

Melt the remaining 1 Tbs. butter in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking often, until smooth and light beige in color, about 1 minute. Slowly add the wine reduction, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast the beef

If you've seasoned the beef ahead of time, remove it from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for about an hour before roasting. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Arrange the roasts on a flat rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 120°F for rare , 125°F to 130°F for medium rare, or 135°F for medium, 40 to 50 minutes. 

Serve

If the sauce was made ahead, heat gently in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking a few times, until barely simmering. 

Meanwhile, let the beef rest for 15 minutes before carving crosswise into thick slices. Slice only as much as you plan to serve right away (leftovers keep better unsliced). Spoon the sauce over each serving or pass at the table. 

Orange-Scented Mulled Wine

This traditional cold-weather drink is just what its name implies (to mull means to warm and spice): wine, usually red, infused with sugar, citrus, and spices, served warm. A seasonal clementine adds a sweet fruit note.Discover other cozy beverages with the help of our Drinks and Entertaining Guide.

• 10 cloves
• Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 1 whole nutmeg, cracked with the side of a chef's knife into a few pieces
• 1 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
• Two 750-ml bottles or one 1.5-liter bottle medium- to full-bodied fruity red wine, such as Merlot, Shiraz, or Zinfandel
• 1 clementine or tangerine, washed and cut in half crosswise (seeded if necessary)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar; more to taste
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 Tbs. Grand Marnier (optional
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Toast the cloves, cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg, coriander, and peppercorns in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a 6x6-inch piece of cheesecloth and set the pan aside to cool slightly. Gather the corners of the cheesecloth and tie with butcher’s twine to make a sachet.

Put the wine, clementine, and sugar in the slightly cooled pan along with the sachet. Heat the wine mixture uncovered over low heat for 1 hour to infuse it with the spices. Do not let the mixture boil.

Using a pair of tongs, gently and carefully squeeze the juice from the clementine or tangerine into the wine mixture. Discard the juiced citrus halves and the sachet. Stir the brandy, Grand Marnier (if using), and vanilla into the wine and taste. Add more sugar if needed—use just enough to smooth out the flavors but not so much that it actually tastes sweet. Serve hot.