PEPPERED FILET OF BEEF

Peppered Filet of Beef image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns (Tellicherry, Lampong, or Malabar)
2 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cognac
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for beef
1 whole beef filet (about 5 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and silver skin, and tied
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Steps:

Cover a baking sheet with plastic wrap; set aside. In a spice grinder, coarsely grind the black and white peppercorns. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving powder for another use. Transfer ground peppercorns to a small bowl. Stir in oil, cognac, thyme, and salt.
Spread half of the pepper mixture lengthwise down the center of the prepared baking sheet. Top with filet, rolling to coat. Spread the remaining pepper mixture over the top of the filet to evenly coat. Wrap filet with the plastic wrap. Transfer to refrigerator, and let marinate for 4 hours. Remove the filet from the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Salt the beef, and place on a rack in a large roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven, and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and let rest in a warm place for 15 minutes before removing twine and slicing. Serve with Montpelier Butter and Oven-Dried Vegetables.