Testing a recipe

As regular readers know, Marty and I test recipes for Cook's Illustrated.  When they send a recipe they say if this is something you find unappealing, would not normally make, don't cook it.  There have been recipes we have skipped because there were foods one of us does not care for.  That would usually be me.  I reject all fish recipes.  I do like most shellfish and tuna tartare.  We try most everything they send.  Some have been good, some terrible.

Last week they sent a new recipe, pepper crusted beef tenderloin.   We love love beef tenderloin.  The recipe sounds fabulous.  But there is a catch.  We are to use a whole tenderloin, we are to fix a piece of meat to feed 12.  Yes 12 servings.  Who cooks for 12 other than for a Thanksgiving meal?  Have you priced a whole tenderloin lately?  Even at Costco you could ruin a $100 bill.  The rules of the testing are cook exactly as the recipe reads. This is a test.  If the food is too done, that tells them something.  If the food is not done, that tells them something.  If it is for 12, you can not cut the recipe down. 

Nope, we won't be testing this recipe.