Nervous about cooking an expensive cut of meat? Don’t be! With this recipe, you’ll produce succulent and juicy Filet Mignon steaks every time.
Have you ever been intimidated by a meal? I’m not talking about eating it, like a burger made with four patties, five cheeses, three buns, and five pounds of bacon, or a 10-inch hot dog. I’m talking about making it. Dishes like souffles, creme brulees, or anything French, I suppose. I saw them served in restaurants; I saw them made on TV. But I couldn’t bring myself to attempt them.
I was like that with filet mignon. For those who don’t know, filet mignon comes from the tenderloin muscle in the steer’s back. It doesn’t bear any weight, so doesn’t require any connective tissue. This makes for a very lean cut of meat that almost melts in your mouth—like butter but in steak form! The recipe isn’t particularly complicated, but it’s a finer cut than I’m used to—I wanted to do it justice. Thankfully, I had this recipe to guide me. And you know what? I didn’t need to stress myself out so much! I kept the ingredients simple, letting the taste of the meat speak for itself. And the result dazzled my family. The only downside? I think I’ve spoiled them! They’re going to expect filet mignon every week.
How long do I cook filet mignon for?
Once you’ve pan-seared your filet mignon, the question becomes: How long do you cook it in the oven? The first step locks in the juices by creating a crust, the second step brings the heat. And, if you like your steak rare, you won’t need to bring much. Just 2–3 minutes in the oven will suffice. For medium-rare steaks, it should take 4–5 minutes. For medium steaks, cook for 6–7 minutes. For steak done medium-well, leave it in the oven for 8–9 minutes. While a well-done steak will take at least 10 minutes. To be on the safe side, you should use a meat thermometer to ensure your meat has attained the proper internal temperature. Bear in mind, though, that steak continues to cook for 5–10 minutes after removal from the heat. So, while the safe internal temperature for rare steaks is 120–125°F; medium-rare is 130–135°F; medium is 140–145°F; medium-well is 150-155°F; and well done is 160°F; you should remove them from the oven about 5° earlier and let them finish off out of the oven.
Ingredients
- 2 filet mignon steaks (6 to 8 oz. each, about 2 in. thick)
- salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
How to Make Filet Mignon
Step 1: Take the filet mignon steaks out of the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking. Season with salt and pepper generously and let them sit at room temperature on a plate.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 360°F.
Step 3: Heat a medium cast-iron skillet on high for 3 to 5 minutes. Add oil and sear the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they develop a nice crust. Remove the skillet from the heat immediately after searing.
Step 4: Place butter, garlic, and rosemary in the skillet with the steaks. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 2 to 10 minutes, depending on your desired level of doneness (see above).
Step 5: Remove the steaks from the skillet and place them on a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Once your steaks have cooled completely, wrap them in aluminum and keep them in the fridge for no longer than three days. You can also put them in the freezer. Just wrap them individually in plastic or aluminum foil. They should last for up to three months. For added protection, you can place your wrapped steaks in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge to keep their texture and juices intact.
It’s common practice to wrap filet mignon, which is usually sold in medallions, in bacon strips, but it’s by no means required. As you might expect, the bacon brings a smoky, salty flavor to the meat. It also bastes the meat as it cooks, which results in a moist and tender piece of meat. It’s lovely, I can’t deny it, but adds a step or 2 to your recipe. (It also adds calories, sodium, and fat to your diet.) If this is your first time making filet mignon, I suggest sticking with just the steak and enjoying it for what it is. Save the bacon for your next attempt. If you want to give it a go, pin a thin slice of bacon around the edge of the steak with a toothpick (this will keep it in place). Then pan-sear and cook as laid out in the recipe.
If you don’t want to serve the steak alone as a traditional entree, you can thinly slice it up and put it in a sandwich along with onions, mushroom, cheese. Despite its French name, it can star in Mexican dishes: fajitas, burritos, tacos. The meat is so light, you may want to add it to your salad. Or you can serve it over pasta in either an Alfredo sauce or as part of a stroganoff. And if you can’t wait till dinner to eat your meat, you can serve it up with some eggs for one hearty breakfast.
Serving Suggestions
If you were to order a filet mignon steak at a steakhouse, they will give you the option of mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a side salad (or a combination of the three). I would also recommend some crusty bread to soak up all the juice that steak has to offer. If you’re looking for additional ingredients to cook the steak with, button mushrooms work well, as do sauteed spinach and onion. And because I always think of steak as such a decadent dish, I’m going to suggest Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for dessert. One decadent dish deserves another!
Perfect Filet Mignon
Ingredients
- 2 filet mignon steaks (6 to 8 ounces each, about 2 inches thick)
- Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic peeled
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Take the filet mignon steaks out of the refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes before cooking. Season with salt and pepper generously and let them sit at room temperature on a plate.
- Heat your oven to 360°F in preparation for cooking the steaks.
- Heat a medium cast iron skillet on high for 3 to 5 minutes. Add oil and sear the filet mignons for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they develop a nice crust. Remove the skillet from the heat immediately after searing.
- Place butter, garlic, and rosemary in the skillet with the steaks. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 2 to 10 minutes, depending on your desired level of doneness.
- Remove the steaks from the skillet and place them on a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
