Stuffed Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 md. onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1 can (4 oz.) chopped mushrooms, drained
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. dried basil or 1 tsp. fresh basil
1/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes or 1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
4 slices bacon
1 (3 lb.) beef tenderloin, trimmed
Directions
In a small skillet, melt butter over low heat. Sauté, onion, celery and mushrooms until onion is soft and transparent. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine bread crumbs, salt, pepper, basil and parsley. Add onion mixture andmix well. Make a lengthwise cut 34 of the way through the tenderloin. Lightly place stuffing in the pocket; close with toothpicks. Place bacon strips diagonally across the top, covering the picks and pocket. Place meat, bacon side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer into meat, not stuffing. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F until meat reaches desired degree of doneness: 140°F for rare, 160°F for medium and 170°F for well-done. (Meat will need to bake approximately 1 hour for medium.) Remove from oven; let stand for 15 minutes. Remove toothpicks and slice.
