Grill-Roasted Beef Tenderloin

1. Pat tenderloin dry with paper towels and rub with salt. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked wood chips, if using, in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top.
   3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet, if using, on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
   3B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Place wood chip packet, if using, over primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed during cooking to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)
3. Clean and oil cooking grate. Rub tenderloin with oil and season with pepper. Place roast on hot side of grill and cook (covered if using gas) until well browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. (If flare-ups occur, move roast to cooler side of grill until flames die down.)
4. Move roast to cool side of grill, cover (position lid vent over meat if using charcoal), and cook until meat registers 115 to 120 degrees (for rare) or 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 15 to 30 minutes.
5. Transfer roast to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove twine, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices, and serve.

TRIMMING A BEEF TENDERLOIN
Although wholesale clubs offer whole beef tenderloins at an affordable price, most come “unpeeled,” with the fat and silver skin (a tough membrane) intact. Here’s how to trim a tenderloin for the grill. Expect to lose between 1 and 1-1⁄2 pounds during the trimming process. A boning knife is the best tool for this task.
1. Pull away outer layer of fat to expose fatty chain of meat.
2. Pull chain of fat away from roast, cut it off, and discard chain.
3. Scrape silver skin at creases in thick end to expose lobes.
4. Trim silver skin by slicing under it and cutting upward.
5. Remove remaining silver skin in creases at thick end.
6. Turn tenderloin over and remove fat from underside.