Chateaubriand is a dish that traditionally consists of a large front cut fillet of tenderloin grilled between two lesser pieces of meat that are discarded after cooking. It is a steak roast typically weighing about 2 pounds, between 3 and 4 inches thick, and sourced from the center cut of the beef tenderloin. The dish is named after Vicomte François-René de Chateaubriand, a 19th-century French aristocrat whose chef is said to have invented it. The term "Chateaubriand" originally referred to the preparation of the dish, but Auguste Escoffier named the specific front cut of the tenderloin the Chateaubriand.
Chateaubriand is considered to be a roast and is often cut into portions after being cooked. It is a filet mignon roast, which is the most tender beef roast and is perfect for special occasions. The dish is usually served hot, with a serving temperature of 45 to 50 °C (113 to 122 °F) for rare meat served either on a hot plank or on a platter. Variations of the dish include planked Chateaubriand, Chateaubriand Bouquetiere, Chateaubriand with Duchesse Potatoes, Chateaubriand sauce Béarnaise, Chateaubriand sauce Colbert, Chateaubriand Maitre dHôtel Liée, and more.
