The BEST Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Rub Recipe (2024)

By: Jessica · Posted: Sep 8, 2021 · Updated: Sep 24, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This easy beef tenderloin recipe is coated in an amazing rub and is then grilled to perfection!

Using common pantry ingredients like thyme, rosemary, paprika, salt, and pepper… it creates a rub recipe that is perfect for grilling and provides TONS of flavor!

I need to thank the creator… the man the myth the legend… Mr. Braxton, for allowing me to share the rub recipe with you all. Without a doubt, this is the BEST Meat rub recipe AND Beef Tenderloin Recipe,we have ever used and I know you’ll love it too!

We put this spice rub blend on just about every type of meat that we bake in the oven, smoke in the smoker, or grill on the grill! Especially on recipes like smoked chicken tenders, steak cooked in the oven, and have even been known to cook pork steaks in the oven with it! It really adds to the flavor of the meat!

First, I’ll share the rub recipe with you, and then you can also see the grilled beef tenderloin recipe in the recipe card below!

The following amount covers a 4-5 lb tenderloin.

• 1/4 cup dried Thyme
• 3 Tablespoons Paprika
• 1/4 cup dried Rosemary
• 1/2 tablespoon Kosher Salt (table salt is fine too)
• 1 teaspoon Pepper

(Easily reduce, double, triple, and quadruple, the batch as needed)

🤔 Why is Beef Tenderloin so Good?

If you REALLY want to impress the heck out of your guestsor have a special occasion to celebrate, like a holiday meal, cooking a beef tenderloin as a main course is an amazing choice.

It’s a cut of beef that is incredibly tender and is usually one of the most popular cuts of meat that gives amazing flavor!

It is an expensive cut of meat so we don’t have it TOO often but it’s definitely a great choice when entertaining or for holidays like Christmas!

And personally, we think grilling a tenderloin is the best way to cook it!

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Cook Beef Tenderloin on the Frill

First, if you’re picking up a good beef tenderloin from the butcher, ask if they can cut the silver skin off for you.

Or, if you’re buying a whole tenderloin, pre-packaged from the grocery story, it’s best to cut off the silver skin and any extra fat it may have on it, before rubbing the spice blend on. See full recipe card at the bottom of this post for easy-to-read instructions!

1. Preheat grill to 450 degrees
2. For best results, allow the whole beef tenderloin to come to room temperature (but not a must, if you don’t have the time) before you cook tenderloin.
3. Rub all sides of the beef tenderloin with the spice rub recipe that I shared above.
4. Sear the tenderloin over that direct, high temperature on the grill for 15 minutes. This will help give it even more flavor and char and help seal in the juices.
5. Lower grill temp to 325-350, (we shut two burners off, and leave the other two on) and grill for another 45 minutes over indirect heat.
6. Pull the tenderloin off of the grill when the internal temperature reaches between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit when checked with a meat thermometer.
7. Remove from grill and let tenderloin rest, wrapped in aluminum foil for 10-15 minutes, and serve. (On a cutting board, slice in to small pieces and place on a platter to make it easier to serve a crowd!)
8. This cooking process will result in a “medium-rare” cooked beef tenderloin and we feel like it’s the perfect temperature for tenderloin!
9. Note: the thickest part of the tenderloin ends up being a medium-rare finish, and the outside edges, a medium temperature.

🥗 What to Serve with Beef Tenderloin

If you’re cooking for a crowd, make sure you check out my other easy recipes so you don’t have to stand in the kitchen all day! Or since the grill is already heated up, these grilled seasoned vegetables will be easy to cook alongside the tenderloin.

But our favorite side dishes to have with beef tenderloin are this side salad recipe, this easy green bean casserole, and this cold pasta salad when we’re having a summer cookout!

❤️ More Tenderloin Recipes

Being huge fans of any kind of meat, especially tenderloin, I want to make sure you also know about this baked pork tenderloin recipe that has amazing flavor and rave reviews!

But if you’re also a hunter or have venison in the freezer, make sure to check out our deer steak recipes, especially how we fry deer tenderloin and grill venison steaks (or tenderloin) with this deer marinade!

If you tried this recipe, I’d LOVE to hear and would always love a star review so you can help others decide if this recipe is great too!

📖 Recipe