My son, who lives in Kansas City, MO hadn't been home in two years. Last year driving in an ice storm in Iowa, hit black ice and rolled his Jeep- totaling it. He took the train this year, and arrived on time! Good to see him-finally!
Christmas Eve, we went to my sister-in-laws... a buffet style meal, with me bringing some excellent Kielbasa(Polish sausage), kraut, and some mini eclairs(store-bought!). Icy roads, but had to be at train station by 10:30PM!
For Christmas Day, the meal was a make ahead hash brown potato casserole- with a few twists...Turkey gravy, sour cream, sharp shredded cheddar cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon, and chopped onion made up the binder/sauce for the potatoes. When baked on Christmas, the flavor and texture was just right!
The star of the show, was a 6.8lb. choice beef tenderloin, trimmed, tied, to a uniform shape. Seasoned with Kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and a touch of marjoram- it was ready for my leap of faith addition..Bacon fat, completely covering top and bottom! Placed on a rack, roasted at 500F on each side for 12 minutes, the oven turned down to 300F for 25 minutes..Covered and let set before carving- about 10 minutes, it was the best any of us had ever enjoyed!
Dessert was an apple crisp, made from fresh Granny Smith apples- not mushy, with a sweet/tart flavor.. Those were the highlights of the meal, you all know what pickles, rolls, etc. look like!
Hope you had a great day!
46 comments:
Hi UncleBuf,
We had both turkey and ham, and as I had been craving ham for weeks, it totally hit the spot. We also had squash, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and green bean casserole, then capped it off with a choice of pumpkin or chocolate pecan bourbon pie. It was delicious! It snowed all morning making travel less than fun, so I was glad we only had to go a few miles to get together this year. Glad to hear you enjoyed yourselves as well!
--snow
Yummies! My dinner was fantastic, too. Especially because it was eaten by some very special people.
Snowniece- Two days of cooking wipes me out these days! Two sons here at the same time has been rare- and enjoyable!
Kate- I'd rather have bologna with family and friends than fillet minion with anyone else..
Your dinner looks super, Buff. Glad your son arrived safely this year!
I don't know about you, but I am wiped today! Overload in the kitchen. Can I possibly be getting too old for this??? One is diving today, the others are on the beach. Quiet for the minute.
And I know, we are so fortunate weather-wise. Think you have a storm coming....my sister said it was sleeting in Leland yesterday.
Glad your son made it safe... I live in KC, he left behind about 8 inches and nasty windy cold.
And that loin is worth the trip home. It is a GREAT piece of meat. easier to cook than people think and always dramatic!
So, do you thin the bacon grease added any difference??
Barb- I wiped too! In a good way..
Griller- Absolutely! Trimmed tenderloin is super tender, but with no fat to carry flavor, or keep moist- it gave me an herb crust, dismissed basting, and added a flavor that was not overpowering, as it was on a rack- and dripped off! Most of the meat was rare(but hot!)to medium rare..son's ate a pound a piece! First time is intimidating- who wants to ruin a $60 bucks worth of prime beef? I will never cut into steaks before cooking again!
So so so stealing ypour idea of rubbing bacon fat on my beef tenderloin next time.. good thing I didnt say rubbing it on meat, wouldnt sound right coming from me.
Sounds like a most delicious meal!
This look very nice Nuffalo dick, glad your son is OK, have a nice days, and hope dont have a lot cold!!
We have 30°, really I hate it! huggsssgloria
Glad everyone arrived safe and sound! Don't even get in front of me when I'm trying to get at that kielbasa and kraut or I "will" run you over like Al Gore on common sense.
Donna- This just flat out works!
Gloria- Snowing again.. what are you going to do? :)
Gene- Just got done having a left-over Kielbasa snack, along with apple crisp.. saving the leftover beef for hot sandwiches!
So glad to hear that your son made it out this year. I remember the story of last year's journey!
Nothing says Christmas quite like great food and family, does it?!
Sounds like a perfect Christmas, and so glad your son made it safely!
Everything sounds delish. I admit, I'm one of those afraid to do the tenderloin of beef-afraid of $$ down the drain!
Man that tenderloin sounds great! The rest as well, at first glance I thought I saw a rabbit, but then I enlarged...I will be glad when my tummy is ready for real food, I have been living on soup for over a week since I got sick...most of the food I posted is from before then...
Happy New Year to you all...
Dana- Frozen pizza and family beat the best food in the world!
Martha- After last year, we were very happy!
Tam- Leap of faith- now I know how!
ChefE- Soup is good, but time to get some solids!
I like your food ads at the top of the page. We had turkey and the trimmings on the 23rd to enjoy leftovers for a while. Then, a ham meal for xmas that also had some great leftovers to reheat. My husband and I love leftovers from a great meal.
I agree with the dread of adult gift giving. Just a hassle overall. I would prefer just company and a good meal together. I finally got my MIL to agree to no gift exchanging. YEAH!! My boys are getting too big to buy for too.
i am so full of ham right now...but bacon and steak...yum! hope you and yours had ana amazing holiday! interesting twists on the hashbrown caserole...
that tenderloin has my name written all over it - glad your boy made it this year - we graze on x-mas day - big pot of soup (posole) and a huge lasagna, serve yourself when you want kind of set up.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Ha,ha Buffalo Dick you have snow I love it!! well with 30° the only possibility was swimm at the pool and I made it!!Thanks God I love swimm...and I have a pool, LOL
gloria
How wonderful to be able to enjoy your sons during the holidays. That is really nice. Your family together, the wonderful food....Life is good.
Happy holdiays to you.
Sounds delicious Buffy and far better than traditional Christmas dinner fare.
MMMhhh Looks so good! I would like to thank you for being such a great blogger friend thought the thick and thin...even thought Logistic guy is German he was all in for a Mexican Christmas,,,"This morning I made freshly cut potatoes with hamburger meat cumin and cheese it was so good! We had tortilla soup for dinner!! just a blast from my roots!!!
Man, that sounds good! We had a pot luck at an old little mountain church. Quaint, but now I have no leftovers!
Now that's the way to pork a tenderloin into submission!
Just found your blog. Your theme cracks me up! Keep up the great work!
Merry Christmas.
--Terrace Crawford
www.terracecrawford.com
www.twitter.com/terracecrawford
How nice that your son was home for Christmas and how can you go wrong with bacon fat!?!? Sounds delicious BD.
We had a lovely traditional Christmas dinner with my Dad, MIL and FIL after my sons and their families and my brothers and their families had visited and gone home to eat their own dinner. I love Christmas Day because I get to see all my favourite people! :)
Ace- Today is leftover day for us, and gift giving was held to a minimum!
Brian- I have, and will use bacon as a "baster" again..The hash browns were rich, but were of a firmer texture- not runny!
DogB- That was us yesterday- everybody ate when hungry- not together..Tenderloin was rare to med-rare..
BlondeD- We had a pretty good one- same to you!
Gloria- Snowing again, as I write this..
Velva- It was good to see him, but he takes off with my son about every night!
Darngirl- Sounds like good eats to me!
Pam- That sounds nice and friendly for a Christmas Day...
Chris- Kidney beef fat( sweet suet) would work quite well, also..
T.C.- Welcome! Primarily a food blog, but we hit other subjects..
Highlander- It really worked beyond expectations.. tender, flavorful, and juicy!
Ake- With previous generations all gone, we try to keep it together for the Holidays!
an excellent dinner for Christmas
Merry Christmas New Year
I hate icy roads! Very scary. So glad your son made it safe and sound.
Thanks for all your comments lately. I've been busy and I haven't been a very good bloggy friend lately. I'm hoping to get all caught up on your posts. I might even learn how to cook! Ha ha ha!!
I get hungry every time I visit you. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes and meaningful comments.
Glad your son was safe after his previous encounter, and I'm really happy for you that he found his way home this year. We are all here for the week, and I am thrilled. We were on the same food page; I made a 20 pound standing rib roast!
kielbasa and eclairs, now we're talking. i told my sister to make a beef tenderloin for xmas dinner as well! it's very christmasy to me. merry christmas to you and your family!
Aux delices des gourmets-Welcome! Thanks for stopping by.. Your blog looked wonderful- but I can't read French..
Momster- We all get a little busy around this time of year! Tonight will be deep fried shrimp- home made..
Margie- What a noble hunk of meat that must have been!
Pink- We got a couple of meals out of the tenderloin! Happy Holidays to you!
Now I am seriously hungry!! Got any leftovers to share? ;)
So glad your son made it safe and sound this year - sounds like last year was a nightmare! Glad he was OK!!
Looks like you had a delicious time... Happy belated xmas and I hope your New Years is the best...Looking forward to your New Years delights! :)
great job! happy holidays!
Stacy- This year was boring but safe!
Lulda- Happy new Year to you, too!
Kris- Fun to have that tenderloin come out restaurant quality...
uncle BUff,,,the has brown casserole sounds great! I made some too,but it came out kinda of runny :( but we still ate it! you know teenaged boys...they will basically eat anything!
Happy New Year!
Beth- My son's girlfriend loved it..her name is Beth too...
A beef tenderloin is the best...
Impossible to ruin on any level!
I have been on a Mexican kick for like a week now...Personal stories about new years please
G-man- Except to overcook it, and I didn't!
Darngirl- Food post on son's last night here..
Dam this looks good enough to eat :)
Until I enlarged the beef photo it looked like some poor cute little bunny rabbit tied up and ready to roast :)
Hope you had the most amazing of crimbos....... Ive hardly had time to breath, hence no blobbing around..
know you are loved still though :)
x
Marmy- You would have loved this beef!
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