How to Cook Perfect Filet Mignon

Let’s face it, Filet Mignon isn’t a cheap cut of meat, but it’s worth it. The last thing you want to do is overcook it, and turn it into shoe leather. That would be a very sad day, indeed. What I want to share with youis a fool-proof and very simple way to prepare Filet Mignon. This technique is adapted from Ina Garten, one of my favorite and most trusted cookbook authors.

The official Valentine’s Day always falls on February 14th. I’m a very lucky wife, because I’m married to a wonderful guy.  In fact, my husband proposed to me on Valentine’s Day! How romantic is that?

For that reason, I willingly forgo expecting him to make dinner reservations on Valentine’s Day.  It’s far too overpriced crowded, for me!

My husband doesn’t get off that easy, though.  He owes me a rain check for a romantic dinner, in the near future.  In exchange, I prefer to make a restaurant quality dinner, at home.  Fortunately, my guy does dishes. See what I mean? He’s a gem, and I’m not shy about saying that I love him so. As corny as it may sound, every day really is Valentine’s Day for us.  I enjoy cooking for him, and he appreciates what I serve him. Win-win.

My husband loves Filet Mignon, as do I.  It’s such a lean meat, and so tender.  Though Craig isn’t a huge fan of seafood (or so he says), I’ve seen him lick his chops when he’s served a delectable crustacean, like lobster tail.

All kinds of recipe ideas danced through my head– like Beef Wellington or an encore of Beef au Poivre.  I thought about making a Bernaise sauce, or a red-wine reduction sauce.  But when I saw that frozen lobster tails and Filet Mignon were on sale for a really good price, how could I resist?

I thawed the frozen filets by placing them in cold water, for about two hours.  The lobster tails thawed even faster.   “Surf & Turf” it would be, for dinner.

I decided that I wanted to keep the recipe really simple– I would use kosher salt & cracked pepper as the seasonings.    Let’s face it, Filet Mignon isn’t a cheap cut of meat, but it’s worth it. The last thing you want to do is overcook it, and turn it into shoe leather. That would be a very sad day, indeed.
What I want to share with you, dear readers, is a fool-proof and very simple way to prepare Filet Mignon.

• For most accurate results, you need a trust worthy instant read thermometer.
• A Cast-Iron Skillet is my favorite pan of choice. Otherwise a heavy-bottomed skillet works. I don’t recommend a non-stick skillet, because we’re going to do some serious searing. 
• Bring the meat to room temperature 20-30 minutes before cooking it; this will ensure a more even cooking result.

Begin, by dry heating the skillet on high for about 5 minutes– we want it to be very hot!  Brush the filets with vegetable oil, then season with kosher salt and pepper. NOTE: I have been following Ina Garten’s technique for sometime. If you want to use Fleur de Sel salt, be my guest.  However, I’ve adapted her recipe to cut way back on the amount of salt she uses. Ahem. I’m talking from experience.  So, if you want to know how much, I would say to blend about 1 tablespoon salt and coarsely ground  black pepper, for two steaks.  If you are sensitive to salt, cut the seasoning back to half.

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Let’s begin: You want to sear each side of the filet for about 2-3 minutes per side.  You want a nice, golden sear. The total time of searing the filets is about ten minutes.

I feel it is my duty to advise you to turn on your vents, and open a kitchen window, lest you build up a lot of smoke and the smoke alarms go off. How I know this, shall remain a closely guarded secret.

The steaks aren’t ready yet. We like our steaks at about 130-135F, which is closer to a medium-rare. I place a one tablespoon slice of unsalted butter on top of each filet.  Then, I place the skillet into the preheated oven, and set the time for about 7 minutes.

• Check the steaks a minute or two early, by inserting an instant read thermometer  sideways and into center of each steak.  If the temperature is under 120F, then return it to the oven and cook for another minute or two. Check the temperature.  Once the steaks reach no more than 125F, remove them.
• Tightly cover the top of the steaks on a plate (I use a carving board) and allow the steaks to rest, and to allow the juices to redistribute.

TASTING NOTES:  You see? As long as you test the temperature of the steaks, you can’t overcook and ruin these?  Perfect! Just the way we like it.  I call already hear gasps that this meat is raw! It’s all preference. Some people prefer medium (more pink in the center). But, please, don’t cook the steak to well done!  It would be dry– and ruined.  We both loved these steaks, medium rare.  They were butter-tender, and flavorful.  Just the simplicity of salt and pepper was all we needed. Best of all, this meal costs much less than you would pay in a fine restaurant.   I hope you try this fool-proof technique, so you can make a restaurant quality meal at home.

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How to cook a Perfect Filet Mignon

Let's face it, Filet Mignon isn't a cheap cut of meat, but it's worth it. The last thing you want to do is overcook it, and turn it into shoe leather. That would be a very sad day, indeed. What I want to share with youis a fool-proof and very simple way to prepare Filet Mignon. This technique is adapted from Ina Garten, one of my favorite and most trusted cookbook authors.

Servings: 2

Author: Debby – www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

• 2 10-ounce filet mignon
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon fleur de sel or kosher salt– but not table salt
• 1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, optional (but worth it)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and brush them lightly with vegetable oil.
• Combine the fleur de sel (or salt) and cracked pepper on a plate and roll the steaks in the mixture, pressing lightly to evenly coat all sides.
• NOTE: I tried this, and the steaks were way too salty! I recommend that you not roll the steaks in the salt and pepper but sprinkle the seasoning, and a lot less– like about half. You can always add more salt. Season to your personal taste.
• When the skillet is ready, add the steaks and sear them evenly on all sides for about 2 minutes per side, for a total of 10 minutes.
• Top each steak with a tablespoon of butter, if using, and place the skillet in the oven.
• Cook the steaks until they reach 120 degrees F for rare or 125 degrees F for medium-rare on an instant-read thermometer. (To test the steaks, insert the thermometer sideways to be sure you’re actually testing the middle of the steak.)
• Remove the steaks to a serving platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Notes

Recipe source: Adapted from Ina Garten

Tried this recipe?Mention @afeastfortheeyes or tag #afeastfortheeyesblog!

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