Cooking the Perfect Filet Mignon

1. Set up the cooking station
2. Take out steaks and bring them to room temperature
3. Add garlic and seasoning
4. Heat up the pan
5. Add steaks to the pan 
6. Sear the steak
7. Finish in the oven
8. Serve with your favorite sides

Filet mignon, also known as the gold standard of steak, has to be one of my favorite cuts of meat. With high demand and only about eight cuts per cow, the type of steak often fetches the highest price in the butcher’s case. This is because when cooked right, a good filet mignon has a melt-in-your-mouth texture that you cannot find in the other cuts. 

I highly recommend ditching stuffy steakhouses and start cooking filet mignon at home. When you’re paying over $20 per pound of meat, cooking these cuts can seem intimidating, but trust me, paying attention to a few important details can make this task super easy, making you feel like you’ve known how to cook a filet mignon all your life.

Got a date night coming up or a game night with the boys? A good steak can fit well during any occasion. Read on to know more about how you can cook up this mouth-watering meal like a true pro. 

1. What is Filet Mignon?

Typically, the filet mignon is the smaller tip of tenderloin and one of the most expensive cuts of steak. This is due to its prized texture and that it is only 2% of the total animal. This is located along the rib cage on the backside of the animal. Since this area of the animal is not weight-bearing, there is minimal connective tissue coursing throughout which leads to a more tender cut of meat.

Did you know that when filet mignon isn’t riding solo on your plate, it can also be a part of another cut, the T-bone? This consists of strip steak on the bigger side of the bone and filet mignon on the shorter side. This is why on days you can’t decide what you like, opt for a T-bone and you can have both. 

2. How to Prep Filet Mignon?

Prepping a filet is super easy. Get started by removing the steak from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking it. This will help bring the meat up to room temperature. This step may seem like a small thing but it plays a crucial role in ensuring that all the meat is cooked evenly.  

If you place a cold piece of meat or any other protein directory in a hot skillet, the meat will get tough and chewy very quickly, and when you’re paying a premium for tender filets, you might as well go the extra step to preserve the texture. If you are worried about bacteria growth once the meat is out, don’t be. Thirty minutes isn’t nearly enough time for any harmful foodborne pathogens to grow and spread. 

After that, pat the steak all over with some dry paper towels. This will help remove the extra surface moisture, enabling a nice, aggressive sear. And lastly, don’t forget to season the meat generously with coarse Kosher salt (as it melts slowly) and freshly ground black pepper. This will give your steak an amazing boost of flavor. 

And that’s actually about it. But, because this cut is slightly mild in flavor, some people (and by some people I mean me) like to go beyond salt and pepper and add an extra-flavourful crust of herbs and other spices. If this is something you would like as well, I would definitely suggest you go for it, however, it is not necessary. 

3. Best Internal Temperatures for Filet Mignon

The key to cooking a great steak is understanding the internal temperatures of the meat and what it does to its texture and color. You must always remember to remove the filet mignon steaks from the oven when the internal temperature is about 5 degrees F BELOW your desired doneness level. You might want to screenshot this chart given below that will help you in your steak-cooking process: 

4. Tools You Will Need For Cooking the Perfect Filet Mignon Recipes

Before we get into the details of cooking the perfect filet mignon recipe, let’s take a look at some of the tools you will need to get started: 

• Cutting Board: A sturdy cutting board is a must when you have to cut slices of a filet mignon. If the board is not sturdy enough, the steak won’t rest well on it and could also end up creating a mess.
• A Sharp Knife: A large, sharp steak knife is key when working with a good ol’ filet mignon. This will make the task very easy. 
• A Cast Iron Skillet or Stainless Steel Pan: This skillet will help you give your filet mignon steak an amazing sear. 
• Grill and Grilling Tools: If you want to give your steak a smokey flavor, you can also grill it. This is when you will need a grill and a grill kit that would help you do the task with great ease.
• An Apron: Keep a functional apron around as it can act as an extra set of hands, holding your cooking tools and equipment for you while safeguarding you from messes. 

5. Filet Mignon Recipe

6. Filet Mignon- Sous Vide Method 

Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This technique is amazing because it makes it virtually impossible to overcook your food, making it perfect for cooking a delicate cut of meat like filet mignon. 

There are two ways you can approach this. The first one is by investing in a vacuum sealer, which would also mean crowding up your kitchen corner with another appliance. The second way, which is also my preferred method, is by using a resealable ziplock bag and a pot of water. 

Method: 

1. Place food in a resealable ziplock bag. 
2. Seal bag but leave the last bit unsealed as that will allow air to escape. 
3. Submerge the bag slowly into a pot of water, massaging the food to help air escape. 
4. When the food is submerged, seal the remaining opening of the bag and let it cook. 

Things to Remember when Using this Technique: 

• Seal your bag before the water gets too hot, especially when cooking at higher temperatures. It's easier and safer to do when your water is coming to room temperature.
  
• Another option is to use a large mixing bowl filled with cool water. Follow the same process to displace the water, then transfer the bag to the water bath that you’re using to cook.
• Resealable bags can be used for long or overnight cooks. Just make sure you’re using a durable bag. Rest assured, your overnight short ribs will come out perfect using the immersion method and you can always double bag those bad boys if you want to be extra cautious.
  
• Once you’ve sealed the bag, clip it to the side of the pot to keep it from blocking the circulator’s pump.
  
• While the bag doesn’t have to be completely devoid of air, it is very important to let out any air bubbles trapped around the food to make sure you don’t end up with uneven spots. 

Sous Vide Filet Mignon Temperature:

Seasoning:

My preferred style to season a Sous Vide Filet Mignon is with salt, pepper, and some aromatics like garlic, herbs, or marinades. I season the steak before vacuum-sealing it. Some people also prefer to let the natural flavor of the steak shine through and simple season during the searing process with a bit of salt and pepper, spooning the melted butter over them.

The way you season your steak is a personal preference and I really encourage you to feel free to change things up a bit and experiment with flavors of your choice. 

Time taken to Sous Vide Steak:

The amount of time it takes to sous vide a steak depends on its thickness. Most filet mignon steaks will be around an inch thick. Here is a timing chart of the minimum time needed for your filet mignon to reach temperature in the sous vide: 

Reheating Sous Vide Filet Mignon:

The thing I love the most about sous vide is that you can reheat leftovers with it. It’s the perfect method to reheat a steak or other cuts of meat because it will never overcook it.

To reheat in Sous Vide, all you have to do is heat your water to just below the original cooking temperature. Reheat using the same cooking chart above.

Recipe- Sous Vide Filet Mignon: 

7. Filet Mignon Recipe in Cast Iron

If you are looking to skip pricey steakhouses and cook up a delicious steak meal at home, all you need is a few tips and tricks and a cast iron skillet. Read on for a recipe that will give you perfectly seared pieces of steak that are beautiful on the outside and tender, juicy, and pink at the center. 

For finishing touches, this dish is topped off with some decadent garlic herbed butter that adds just the right amount of flavor to the steak.

8. Filet Mignon Recipe on the Grill

Grilling the filet mignon is the best way to cook a perfectly even and juicy steak. The most critical advice I would have for you with this method is to ensure that you don’t overcook the filet. 

While you need to make sure that’s the case with any method you use, the steak on a grill particularly tends to cook fast and even 1-2 minutes can make a huge difference in the final dish. 5 minutes per side on medium-high heat is the sweet spot for a perfect medium-rare steak. Add an additional minute per side for each level of doneness. 

Seasoning: 

Normally, when I grill filet, I love seasoning it with a rub of finely chopped fresh rosemary and a healthy dose of salt and pepper. All you have to do is simply rub it into the filet with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and coat evenly on all sides. 

Serve topped with garlic and herb butter and watch how everyone on the table takes a trip to flavor-town! 

9. Nutritional Value of Filet Mignon

Red meat like steak often tends to get a bad reputation but the truth is that a lean cut of red meat like filet mignon or flank steak is both nutritious and heart-healthy. Red meat is a good source of protein as well as iron, B12, zinc, and other nutrients.