Filet Mignon

Many people consider filet mignon to be the finest type of steak, and after following this splendidly simple recipe, you may well number among those ranks. Using just a few simple ingredients and the heat of a seasoned cast-iron skillet, this filet mignon recipe will have you cooking one of the best steaks you’ve ever eaten in your life. Sorry chophouses, you’re just not needed anymore.

Not only is filet mignon a delight in itself, it pairs beautifully with so many of the side dishes that make steak even better. We’ll share some ideas for those later, but for now, let’s get this steak in the pan and cook it to a perfect medium-rare. Or whatever level of doneness you prefer, of course!

Filet Mignon Ingredients

• Filet mignon steaks: This recipe was designed to cook four filet mignon steaks, each weighing in at 6 ounces. If your cuts are notably larger, well then, that’s exciting for you. Just up the other ingredients proportionally.
• Kosher salt and pepper: Cooking a filet mignon without salt and pepper would be heresy. Notice that the salt is used in two different steps as you prepare the steak.
• Olive oil: You’ll be cooking the steak in a pan that’s good and hot, but make sure not to burn the oil, or it will turn rancid. Most olive oil has a smoke point around 375°F.
• Butter: How do steakhouses make their steaks so tasty? They use good-quality cuts of meat, for one thing. For another, they use plenty of butter.
• Garlic cloves: These garlic cloves need to be peeled, but they do not need to be minced or chopped, and in fact should not be. You can halve each for a bit more garlic flavor, but stop there.
• Rosemary sprigs: Like with the garlic, the fresh rosemary sprigs should not be chopped; leave them whole, and be sure to discard them before you serve the steaks.

Directions

Step 1: Salt the steaks

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Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then let them stand for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Prep the pan

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Preheat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until it’s extremely hot, four to five minutes. Carefully add the olive oil and let it heat until it’s rippling.

Step 3: Prep the steaks

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Pat the beef dry with paper towels, and season all sides of each steak with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.

Step 4: Cook the steak, basting with butter

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Place the steaks in the skillet and cook them until a golden-brown crust forms, three to four minutes. Turn the steaks on their sides and cook them for one minute, rolling each as its edges become brown. Then turn the steaks so the uncooked side is down and add the butter, garlic and rosemary to the pan. Cook the steaks for another three to four minutes, until they spring back slightly but are soft when lightly pressed. Use a spoon to baste the steaks with butter during the last one to two minutes of cooking.

Step 5: Cook to your preferred doneness

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Continue cooking the meat to your desired degree of doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°). Remove the steaks from the pan, discarding the garlic cloves and rosemary. Let the meat stand for five minutes before serving.

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Filet Mignon Variations

• Cook it on the grill: If you need, or prefer, to cook steak on the grill, follow the prep steps for this recipe, skip rolling the sides during cooking, and plan to place pats of butter and half the garlic and rosemary directly atop the steaks. After you flip them, add more butter and the rest of the garlic and rosemary.
• Try it with a ribeye or New York strip: This exact same recipe can be used with other tender cuts of steak, like a ribeye or New York strip, and the result will be a delight.
• Skip the garlic: If you want the taste of the beef to be minimally changed, leave the garlic out of this recipe, but leave in everything else.

How to Store Filet Mignon

This steak begs to be eaten fresh, when its at its most tender, but it can be safely kept in the fridge in airtight packaging for up to four days.

Can you freeze cooked filet mignon?

Technically, yes. You can also freeze a tennis ball or a pine cone, but why would you want to? Freezing cooked filet mignon will ruin its once tender texture.

Filet Mignon Tips

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What should I serve with filet mignon?

This fine cut of meat is perfect for pairing with potatoes, hearty greens like kale or broccoli, a rich, creamy pasta dish or a crisp salad.

How much should filet mignon cost?

Prices vary by region and retailer, but you can expect to pay between $30 and $50 per pound of filet mignon at a grocery store or butcher, though it may be much pricier in some areas.

What is the best doneness for filet mignon?

Really, you should cook this and all steaks to whatever doneness you want, but most steak aficionados will say that medium-rare is the way to go for this tender cut.