Beef Tenderloin Lollipops

Harlan fall — the maples and the poplars going gold and red. Worked at the construction company in Lexington this week. The body holds. Most days.

Connie at the vet clinic, four shifts this week. Her back is tired. She does not say so. I see it. Mama is 86. She is the toughest person I have ever known. She still cooks every day in the company house in Evarts.

Venison stew Sunday. From the freezer. Slow simmer.

Travis called Tuesday. The landscaping company is busy. He sounds tired in a good way. Amber called Sunday. Things are good. James sends his regards.

I went to bed at nine. The wood stove still warm. The dog at the foot of the bed.

Worked on a basement remodel job in Lexington. The work was good. The pay was good. The body is tired.

Amber sent the kids' school photos this week. Nadia is taller every year. Marcus has Amber's serious face. Little Betty has Mama's eyes.

I checked the truck oil Saturday. The mileage on this truck is criminal.

The neighbor up the road — Old Roy, eighty-seven, lives alone — had a small heart scare. We took him soup beans Tuesday. Cornbread too. He cried a little when he ate. We all cry over soup beans eventually.

Connie read aloud from a novel Tuesday evening while I worked on the bench. Some Appalachian writer she had picked up at the library in Whitesburg. The voice was the voice of where we live. We listened together.

Read the paper at breakfast Tuesday. The county news is not great. The mines have not come back and they will not come back. The young people leave. The hollows empty. We stay.

I sat on the porch with bourbon at sundown Friday. The fog rolled into the hollow the way it has every fog of every year. The porch was the porch. The bourbon was the bourbon.

The dog — old Beau, fifteen years old — slept by the wood stove all afternoon Tuesday. He used to be a hunting dog. Now he is a heating pad with opinions.

I sat at the kitchen table Tuesday night working on the recipe project. Mama's soup beans. I cannot get the words right yet.

Travis sent a photo of Earl Thomas riding on the mower with him at a job site. The boy is wearing a Hensley Landscaping T-shirt that's too big. Three generations on a mower. I saved the photo.

The creek was running clear Sunday afternoon. I watched a kingfisher work the riffle. Did not move for an hour. Some Sundays the watching is the worship.

Connie made jam Saturday afternoon. Wild blackberries from the patch up the hollow. Twelve jars. The pantry is filling for winter.

I split a half-cord of wood Saturday. Slowly. The back does not let me work fast anymore. It got done. The wood was for the smokehouse.

Sunday service at Harlan First Baptist when we go. Pastor preached about Ruth and Boaz. The choir sang. Connie wore her gray dress.

Drove the truck to the dump Saturday afternoon. Saw three deer crossing the road on the way back. The mountains have been giving back this year.

My back was tight after the wood-splitting Saturday. Took an Aleve. Slept eight hours. Got up.

I went up to Earl's grave at the Evarts cemetery Saturday. Brought a beer. Drank half. Poured the rest on the dirt. Some traditions are mine alone.

Drove to Pineville for parts Wednesday. The hardware store man knew me. We talked about the weather and the price of feed. Forty minutes for a five-minute errand. That is rural Kentucky.

The venison stew did what it was supposed to do Sunday — it warmed the house and fed us without asking much in return, which is exactly what a hard week deserves. But with Amber’s school photos on the table and Travis’s photo of Earl Thomas on that mower saved to my phone, I kept thinking about the meals you make when you want to mark something — not just fill a belly. Beef tenderloin lollipops are that kind of meal: not complicated, not showy, but intentional enough that everyone at the table knows you meant it. Mama would approve of not wasting good meat.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 6 (2 lollipops per person)

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs beef tenderloin, trimmed
12 short wooden or metal skewers (6-inch)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Horseradish cream or whole-grain mustard, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the beef. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels. Cut the tenderloin crosswise into 12 equal medallions, each about 1 inch thick. Press each medallion gently to compact it into a round shape.
Season. In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Season both flat sides of each medallion evenly with the spice mixture. Allow seasoned medallions to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare your pan.
Skewer. Thread one skewer lengthwise through the side of each medallion so it runs through the center horizontally, forming the “lollipop” shape. The meat should sit flat and stable on the skewer.
Sear. Heat a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the medallions 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Do not move them while searing.
Baste. Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the smashed garlic, rosemary, and thyme to the pan. As the butter melts and foams, tilt the skillet and use a spoon to baste the medallions repeatedly for 1 to 2 minutes. For medium-rare, an instant-read thermometer should read 130°F.
Rest. Transfer the lollipops to a wire rack or clean plate. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter on top and let them rest 5 minutes. The carry-over heat will bring them to a perfect 135°F.
Finish and serve. Arrange lollipops upright on a platter. Finish with flaky sea salt. Serve warm alongside horseradish cream or whole-grain mustard for dipping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Beef Tenderloin Lollipops — When Good Meat Deserves More Than a Slow Simmer