Good Eats: Tender is the Loin II

In the second show about tenderloin, Alton discusses Beef Chateaubriand (more or less) and its relation to filet mignon. He shows how to make a Center Cut Tenderloin Roast with the steak sauce built right in, Stuffed Tenderloin and the controversial Beef Carpaccio - controversial because his lawyers don't want him to reveal the dangerous secrets of preparing meals from raw meat! He ends the show with a use for that chain muscle: a Chain of Bull Cheese Steak Sandwich.

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Episode Info

Episode number: 9x17
Production Number: EA0919
Airdate: Wednesday February 01st, 2006

Writer: Alton Brown

Guest Stars

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Recap

Alton’s on board his new boat finishing his dinner. He has every luxury: the boat, the open ocean, a nice beverage and above all the most deluxe, meaty mac-daddy morsel known to man: beef tenderloin. For those who missed Alton’s first outing on this subject, he recaps his advice: buy a “pismo” (peeled, side meat on) intact and butcher it yourself. Remove all the silverskin, and use a long carver to cut this meat. High temperature dry heat brings out the best flavors, as demonstrated by Alton’s Steak au Poivre recipe. Suddenly a voice interrupts Alton’s discourse. It seems the boat he’s on doesn’t really belong to him and the salesperson’s going to call security! Ah, well – at least Alton has... Good Eats!..

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Episode Notes

Cards

Which US state produces the most charcoal? Missouri
Gorgonzola, Stilton, Shropshire and Cambozola are all blue cheeses.
Other traditional accompaniments for carpaccio include capers, horseradish, and marinated artichoke hearts.

Episode Quotes

Alton: I possess the most deluxe, luxurious, meaty, mac daddy morsel known to man: beef tenderloin.

Alton: The whole concept is that by buying in bulk and using every molecule of meat, you can make the luxury of beef tenderloin affordable.

(Alton starts the episode in a luxury boat, preparing a meal of tenderloin.)
Saleswoman: Excuse me, what are you doing?
Alton: Uh... eating?
Saleswoman: I have someone picking up this boat in one hour. I’m getting security.
Alton: Oh, bother.

Alton: The following dish contains raw beef, consumption of which could be hazardous to your health. Although it is truly delicious, we strongly suggest that you don’t eat this dish, nor do you serve it to your family.

Alton: (explaining carpaccio as his lawyers manhandle him) For the sake of historical preservation, I will prepare my carpaccio the old way... (they tighten their grip and Alton winces) ...but I’ll never eat it! I’ll never eat it! I’ll never eat it... ow!

Cultural References

The episode title comes from an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel titled Tender is the Night. Scott wrote the novel in 1934 while his wife was hospitalized with a psychiatric disorder. The novel tells the story of a wealthy couple loosely based on the Murphys, Americans living on the French Riviera during the 1920's.

Alton describes a cooking technique involving an alcohol flame as "a pyro show that would make KISS' roadies blush." He's referring to popular rockers KISS, whose use of kabuki makeup and special effects, many of them pyrotechnic, distinguished them from other bands popular at the time. And, oh yeah, they turned out some fine music...

Episode References

Alton explained how to find and butcher a PSMO in the first "part" of this episode, Tender is the Loin 1.

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