What is Tournedos?

Tournedos, the center cut, or the middle part of the tenderloin, a muscle in the cow's back. So tournedos is tenderloin, but tenderloin is not always tournedos. Tournedos contains almost no fat or connective tissue, making it super fine-grained, buttery soft, and tender in structure. In England, they know this meat as Tenderloin, and the French call this fine cut Filet Mignon (although these are often smaller in size than a tournedos). In any case: tournedos is deliciously tender and from beautiful breeds like Black Angus, Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, or Wagyu, you are sure to have great flavor.

What is Tenderloin?

Tournedos comes from tenderloin, a relatively exclusive part of the cow. There are actually two from a cow: left and right of the spine. The tenderloin consists of a tip, a middle section, and a head. From the tip, tenderloin tips are often cut. Not because the meat is not tender, but because the shape simply does not lend itself to cutting nice thick steaks. However, smaller cuts are also often cut from the tip, such as filet mignon. The head is mostly used for chateaubriand, but also for the heavier tournedos. The middle section is best suited for cutting beautiful tournedos, which we also know in the Netherlands as sirloin steak or tenderloin steak.

Why is Tournedos so Tender?

Tournedos is also known as the most tender steak, and that's not surprising. The tenderloin is a muscle that is almost unused by the cow. The lazier the muscle, the softer the meat. Additionally, the tenderloin steak has the finest grain. Cutting against the grain is also very difficult, as the grain is almost not visible. Fortunately, this also means that you cannot ruin it by cutting incorrectly.

Tournedos Rossini; Iconic Dish with Tournedos

Tournedos Rossini is perhaps one of the most iconic dishes made with tenderloin steak. It is tournedos with foie gras, truffle, and Madeira, preferably on a (fried) bread soaked in jus. This dish is named after the famous composer Giacchino Rossini, also known as the Italian Mozart, and famous for his music and his love for food. He is said to have whispered the recipe to top chef Auguste Escoffier of Café Anglais. 

Want to know how to make this classic? You can see it in the video below. However, we made it with Foie Royale, an animal-friendly variant of Foie Gras.

Why the Name Tournedos?

It is said that Escoffier was not necessarily very proud of serving such a thick steak and instructed his waiters to turn their backs to the other guests when serving it, so they wouldn't get wind of it. Tourner le dos. Turning the back. It is believed that this exclusive steak derives its name from this. Interesting fact, isn't it?

Tournedos with Truffle

While Tournedos Rossini may be a classic, tournedos with truffle is also a golden combination. Be sure to use real black truffle and high-quality Madeira sauce for the ultimate experience. By the way, you can easily make the Madeira sauce yourself with the recipe from the Tournedos Rossini video. Essentially, you simply omit the foie gras in this recipe. Ideal if you're not so keen on it. Add some fried mushrooms for the finishing touch..

Which Wine Pairs with Tournedos?

Which wine you can serve with a tournedos entirely depends on what you are doing with the tournedos. Are you seasoning it with just some pepper and salt? Then choose a warm, full-bodied red wine. Are you serving a nice sauce with the tournedos? Then make sure to inform the wine shop where you are getting your wine, as they will select the wine's flavor profile to find a perfect balance between the dish and the wine.

Buying Tournedos Online

At The Butchery, buying tournedos online is very easy. Choose from the various breeds available online and select the weight you are looking for. We package them individually, so it's very convenient if you also want to have some in stock for a later time. It can quickly go back into the freezer upon delivery! Fill your shopping cart with other steaks, daily favorites like burgers, sausages, chicken fillet, or a pound of ground meat, and safely complete your order in a few steps. In the checkout, you can choose your delivery date yourself, so you can select a time when you are definitely at home. If you order before 11 AM, it will be at your home tonight!

Tournedos QuickFrozen Delivery

Tournedos that you order from The Butchery are delivered QuickFrozen to your home. We do this, among other things, to deliver the meat as 'fresh' as possible to you. Immediately upon arrival of the beef tenderloins, the butchers trim and portion them. Then the tournedos are individually vacuum-packed, labeled, and frozen in a special way. This preserves all nutritional values and minimizes quality loss. As a result, the meat from The Butchery is just as fresh, or perhaps even fresher, after thawing than at the butcher's counter. So if you order tournedos from The Butchery, you can expect it to be delivered QuickFrozen. It can quickly go back into the freezer upon receipt or into the refrigerator if you want to prepare it within a few days.

Ordering Tournedos Online

Ordering tournedos online is a piece of cake. At The Butchery, you have a choice of beautiful meat breeds like Black Angus, Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, and Wagyu, each with a fair origin and authentic meat characteristics. Order tournedos online at The Butchery and we will deliver it quickly QuickFrozen to your home, with optimal quality preservation. Also convenient: on weekdays, if you order before 11 AM, it will be at your home the same evening! Prefer daytime delivery? Of course, that's also possible. In the checkout, you can choose whether you want to receive your order during the day or in the evening. By default, we have already selected the next available delivery option, but you can also choose, for example, for next week. Using the calendar, you can easily select a delivery day that suits you best. Just keep in mind that if your order is with the courier, in very rare cases, there might be a one-day delay. But no worries, we pack your order well, and if it arrives completely thawed at your home, we will neatly resolve it with you. Promise!