This might be one of my dad's most famous dishes. Mostly because it is delicious, but also for the fact that it is a great way to feed a large number of people. Obtaining this piece of meat usually requires asking your butcher for a whole tenderloin, because this is not often something they put out in the meat section. Unless, of course, you are getting the meat from Ed the Butcher at Raquette Lake Supply. He's always pretty well stocked with this cut of meat, especially when expecting the Clarke/Gowan horde.
The Righetti Ranch Mop is the baste used for the meat in this recipe combo. The actual Righetti Ranch is located in Harmony, California (the area of the country that my dad came to as an exchange student in 1969). The ranch was also where he first encountere
d basting and barbecuing meat in this way. According to him, the baste was "mopped" onto the meat with a brush made of fresh sprigs of rosemary tied together. To this day, my dad often cooks the meat like this when he can get a hold of enough fresh rosemary. I actually had the opportunity to cook the meat with this rosemary brush because our neighbors have huge bushes of rosemary that spill out through their fence and onto the sidewalk, but I chickened out at the last minute and did not steal any. I used a regular BBQ mop instead.Getting a proper fire going is crucial for the outcome of the meat if you are using a charcoal grill. Make it large, but not too hot. Keep the meat as far away from the flames as possible, as this has a long cooking time and you do not want to burn the outside of the meat. As stated in the recipe, an aluminum foil tent can help with getting the meat to cook evenly. I was intimidated going into this because I had never cooked a piece of meat this large before, but it actually required less attention than I had anticipated.
Just be sure to turn the meat every 15 minutes or so and "liberally sploosh the baste onto the meat". And when I cut into the tenderloin after an hour and a half of worrying about it, it was cooked to perfection. The fatter end of the meat was a beautiful rare red, while the thinner end was cooked to a more medium temperature. And if you are looking for a more well done piece of meat, well, you are looking at the wrong recipe.
The smell of this baste has so many great memories attached to it because this is always a meal that we enjoy with great family and friends. This particular occasion was no different. We had a beautiful evening to eat outside and there was plenty of food, wine and great conversation to go around.
I apologize for not getting a better shot of the final product. I was too excited to eat it to take pictures!
Rating: RHC
