This article is sponsored by The Missouri Beef Council

Wayne Vanderwert took up cooking for a simple reason.

“I like to eat,” he says.

The Missouri rancher has a cattle operation just east of New Franklin where he raises SimAngus cattle, a hybrid of Simmental and Angus or Red Angus. According to the American Simmental Association, the breed was created in the late 20th century in response to demand for a crossbred animal with the superior qualities of both the Simmental and Angus breeds. Wayne says he has been raising and selling the breed since moving his operation from Madison to the New Franklin area in 2000 to be closer to his home in Columbia.

Wayne’s recipe for tenderloin is itself a hybrid of other recipes to which the rancher/chef has been introduced throughout the years. Served with a Bourbon Espresso sauce, Wayne says the dinner makes an elegant substitute for traditional holiday meals of turkey and ham. “We normally pair it with some oven-roasted root vegetables like parsnips and carrots prepared with cumin, coriander, and olive oil,” he says.

Wayne Vanderwert

The recipe has proven so popular that Wayne and his wife, Anita, offer it as the main course for a dinner for eight that they donate in conjunction with the Missouri Beef Council and Missouri Wines as part of an annual University of Missouri fundraiser. “We have a multi-course dinner and serve Missouri wines paired with each course,” he says.

Photos by Evan Henningsen and Evan Wood

Pistachio-Crusted Tenderloin of Been With an Espresso-Bourbon Sauce

Courtesy Wayne Vanderwert

Ingredients >

  • Beef tenderloin USDA Choice
  • Butcher’s string or elastic bands for roasting
  • Salt, pepper and sugar for seasoning
  • Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 pound of roasted pistachio nut meats (after hulls removed)
  • Olive oil
  • Butter
  • Bread crumbs

Directions >

  1. Trim the 6-8 pound roast (search for tutorial videos online) and refrigerate.
  2. Well before your dinner, remove the trimmed roast from the refrigerator. Fold 3 inches of the small end back on itself and secure with a couple of ties. Tie the rest of the cut with 3 or 4 ties or bands. Season it with salt, pepper, and sugar.
  3. Let it rest and come to room temperature.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and roast for 20 minutes.
  5. Coarsely chop the pistachio meats, add olive oil, butter, and fine bread crumbs to bring the nuts to a sticky paste consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Remove tenderloin from the oven and discard all of the ties.
  7. Brush the top and sides of the tenderloin with Dijon mustard (serves as the glue for the crust). Pack the top and sides with the pistachio mixture.
  8. Return to the 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes and pull it from the oven when a meat thermometer registers 125 degrees in the thick end.
  9. Cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
  10. Slice and serve with Espresso-Bourbon Sauce.

Espresso-Bourbon Sauce

Ingredients >

  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2-3 tablespoons of a brewed shot of espresso or really strong coffee
  • 1 tablespoon cold butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions >

  1. In a small saucepan combine the bourbon, maple syrup, soy sauce, lemon juice and espresso coffee. Bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring periodically until sauce thickens. Yields about ó cup.
  3. Just before serving add the cold butter and pepper.
  4. Serve warm sauce over tenderloin.