Roasting a beef tenderloin is often saved for holidays and special gatherings. This expensive and extremely tender piece of meat is best cooked at a high oven temperature to remain fork-tender while nicely browned on its exterior. Achieve this exquisite finish on your roast beef tenderloin with less than an hour of active cooking time followed by a rest -- then just sit back and impress your crowd.

In a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven, it will take a beef tenderloin about 45 minutes to cook. An hour before you cook your beef tenderloin, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. Place the seasoned beef tenderloin on a roasting rack set inside a shallow pan and carefully place the pan on the upper middle rack of your oven. Roast it until the thickest part of the beef tenderloin registers at 125 F with a kitchen thermometer.

It is important that you allow the beef tenderloin plenty of time to rest after cooking and before carving to allow the meat to firm up to the optimal texture. Carving the roast too soon will produce soft and flabby pieces, while giving a long rest of 30 minutes will greatly improve the texture of the finished meat. Tent your roast lightly with aluminum foil and let it stand for 30 minutes before carving it.

Once the beef tenderloin has rested, use a sharp knife to carve it. Slice it into thin pieces, about 1/2-inch thick, and arrange on a platter to serve. Some areas of the beef tenderloin will be rare and others will be medium rare. Separate different cuts based on doneness as desired. Refrigerate all uneaten beef tenderloin roast within two hours of cooking to prevent spoilage and foodborne illness. Wrap the tenderloin in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days.

Before you cook a beef tenderloin, all you'll need to season it is a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub olive oil onto the tenderloin and sprinkle it with salt and pepper, pressing the seasonings into the meat as you go. While the tenderloin is cooking, prepare a sauce to serve alongside the beef for added flavor. Salsa verde and chimichurri sauce both work well as an accompaniment to a tenderloin roast, as does a simple sauce of parsley, cornichons and capers.