Chill the beef tenderloin until firm
Place it on a clean cutting board
Remove any packaging and pat it dry
Locate the silver skin
Slide a sharp boning or paring knife under one end of the silver skin
Angle the blade slightly upward and cut just beneath the silver skin
Pull the silver skin taut as you trim it away
Remove any large pieces of fat
Trim away loose connective tissue and excess membrane
Separate the chain muscle if desired
Remove any side muscle or irregular flap meat
Shape the tenderloin into an even cylinder
Trim the tapered tail end if needed for even cooking
Check for any remaining silver skin or fat and remove it
Keep the trimmed meat refrigerated until ready to use