Beef tenderloin is an expensive, delicate cut of meat that has been blessed with a lot of natural flavor. My thinking is that it needs only a little enhancing, not a total makeover. That’s why I don’t recommended injecting it. Instead I marinate it, just to add some flavor. One last detail: Beef tenderloin is tender to start with, and overcooking turns it tough. I repeat: Do not overcook this meat. It won’t be worth a damn if you do. If rare to medium-rare ain’t your bag, move on and cook a sirloin.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 2 3/4- to 3-pound beef tenderloin roast

　　4 cups beef broth

　　1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

　　1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

　　1 12-ounce can Coca-Cola

　　

Step 1

Using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, pat the tenderloin dry. Mix the broth, vinegar, brown sugar, and Coca-Cola together in a large roasting pan. Submerge the tenderloin in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

　　

Step 2

When are you are ready to cook the tenderloin, heat a smoker to 275˚F.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the tenderloin to a clean aluminum roasting pan (discard the marinade). Put the pan in the smoker, and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature at the center of the tenderloin reaches 155˚F. Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from Smokin' with Myron Mixon by Myron Dixon with Kelly Alexander, © 2011 Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.