Bacon Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Henry Bain Sauce

Henry Bain was one of the first employees of Louisville’s exclusive Pendennis Club, which was founded in 1881. According to the legend, his first job was to run the elevator, but he ended up as the headwaiter and established himself forever in Kentucky history with his signature namesake sauce. He created it to accompany steaks and wild game. The club eventually bottled and sold the sauce, and today it’s made, bottled, and distributed by Louisville’s Bourbon Barrel Foods. This is the official recipe created by Bain, and it is delicious alongside everything from roast turkey to grilled hamburgers. You can also pour it over cream cheese and serve it with crackers as an appetizer. This recipe makes a large amount, so put it in jars and give it as gifts to friends and family. It’s a wonderful little taste of Kentucky. Serve this recipe when you really want to impress.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 (4-pound) center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat

• 1 pound sliced bacon

• Henry Bain Sauce (recipe follows)

Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Sprinkle the herb mixture evenly over the tenderloin and rub it in with your fingers. On a clean work surface, place the bacon slices lengthwise side by side, overlapping them slightly. Use enough slices so the width of the bacon layer is about 2 inches shorter than the length of the tenderloin.

Place the tenderloin perpendicular to the bacon in the center of the slices. Fold the ends of the bacon over the tenderloin, then roll the tenderloin toward you so the ends of the bacon are on the bottom of the tenderloin. Stretch the bacon slices if necessary to fit around the tenderloin.

Heat a baking pan in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully place the meat, bacon-ends down, in the hot pan. Roast, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 135°F for medium rare.

Remove the meat from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes. The temperature of the meat should rise to 145°F while it rests. Cut the meat into 1/2-inch-thick slices and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with the Henry Bain Sauce on the side.

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Henry Bain Sauce

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients

• 1 (17-ounce) jar Major Grey chutney

• 4 1/2 ounces store-bought pickled walnuts (optional)

• 1 (14-ounce) bottle ketchup

• 1 (10-ounce) bottle steak sauce

• 1 (10-ounce) bottle Worcestershire sauce

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle tomato-based chili sauce

• 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Directions

Mix the chutney, pickled walnuts, ketchup, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, and hot pepper sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use or for up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.