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How To Cook Filet Mignon

When it comes to how to cook filet mignon there are several options. Here are my favorite ways to cook a filet mignon including grilling, skillet to oven, and reverse searing.

Meltingly tender filet mignon is the perfect dinner for date night, birthdays, anniversaries or any special occasion that deserves something extra delicious on the table.

How To Cook Filet Mignon

What is Filet Mignon

Filet mignon is a highly prized lean and tender cut of beef that comes from the tenderloin of a cow. It has a perfect balance of texture and buttery, melt-in-your-mouth flavor. The filet is typically about 1-2 inches in diameter and can come from any breed of cattle including Black Angus, Wagyu, Texas Longhorn, and Hereford.

Filet mignon goes by many names such as tenderloin steak, châteaubriand, tournedos, medallions, fillet, filet, and petit fillet. You might also hear Prime Filet Mignon which refers to the highest USDA grade of beef. Choice grade is next highest, then Select grade.

How to Prep a Filet Mignon

For all cooking methods prep a filet mignon this way:

  1. Remove the steak from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes before cooking.
  2. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel.
  3. Season the meat on both sides with a coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, or your favorite seasoning.
Filet Mignon

How to Cook Filet Mignon

Searing the Steak

No matter how you cook a steak the key to a great tasting filet with a beautiful deep brown color is by searing the steak. Searing a steak, through a process called the Maillard reaction, results in a brown crust with deep rich flavor due to the reaction between amino acids and reducing the sugar when high heat searing is applied.

You should always consider searing steaks before (or after) grilling or baking. Even if you’re braising, roasting, smoking, sous vide or sautéeing a steak, I highly recommend searing a steak!

Prior to any method, allow the steak to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking.

Here are my top methods for cooking and searing a steak:

Sear & Grill Filet Mignon on a Charcoal Grill

Sear & Grill Filet Mignon on a Gas Grill

Pan Sear: Skillet to Oven Filet Mignon

Reverse Searing Filet Mignon

(Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe card with exact measurements and recipe instructions.)

Benefits of Reverse Searing Steak

This method flips the steps to cooking and searing a steak by searing it last.

  • More Control: The reverse sear allows better control over doneness and accidental overcooking.
  • Even Cooking: The filet is cooked all the way through with little to no with no under-or overcooked interior areas.
  • Wonderful Flavor: The low and slow cooking allows the filet to develop a deeper flavor and a more tender texture.
  • Beautiful Crust: Searing at the end creates beautiful browned, crispy crust.

Filet Mignon Internal Temperature

I highly recommend measuring steak doneness with a digital instant-read thermometer for a perfectly cooked filet mignon. As rule of thumb, remove the steak from the heat source about ten degrees before your target internal temperature is reached. For instance, remove from the heat source at 115-120°F for rare, 125-130°F for medium rare, and 130-135°F for medium.

Steak DonenessColorTemperature
RareCool red center120-130°F
Medium RareWarm red/pink center130-135°F
MediumWarm pink center135-145°F
Medium WellSlightly pink center145-155°F
Well DoneMostly brown, little pink155°F and up

Cooking time depends on a few factors:

  • Steak thickness
  • Starting temperature of the meat
  • Temperature of heat source
  • Direct vs indirect heat

How to Rest a Filet Mignon

Once the filet mignon is done, let it rest on a plate or cutting board at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes (this is called “carryover cooking”). Resting will help the steak retain its juices, continue to cook and give it an amazing flavor.

According to Anthony Bourdain, via Tech Insider, a steak “should rest on the board, meaning sit there at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes, at which point, stay away from it.” He called this that “magical moment following its removal from the heat.”

Serving & Cooking Tips

  • Same Size & Thickness: For even cooking results buy steaks that are the same size and thickness.
  • Room Temperature: Allow any steak to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Cast Iron Skillet: A cast-iron skillet is best for pan searing. One benefit of a cast-iron skillet is that the cooking surface can get very hot which is exactly what you need for cooking a steak on a stovetop. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, other pans such as a aluminum or stainless steel pan will work but they aren’t my first choice.
  • Cooking Oil: Use a high-smoke point oil such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil.
  • Instant-read thermometer: This is a must for cooking the perfect steak.
  • Steak Stones: For a fun and interactive experience cook your filet mignon on steak stones.
  • Heated Plate: Serve your steak on a pre-heated ceramic or cast iron plate.
  • Steak Butter: Enhance the flavor just like the steakhouses and top the hot steak with butter (or garlic butter) that melts into the steak. The next step is using a compound butter made with your favorite flavors such as cowboy butter or duck fat which adds a rich flavor and nice texture to the filet.
  • Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon: Another steakhouse trick, bacon adds flavor and juiciness to an already fantastic cut of meat. Simply buy prewrapped filets or wrap your favorite flavor of bacon around the filet and secure with a toothpick.
  • Oscar Style Filet Mignon: Top the filet with crab meat (or lobster), asparagus, and a creamy hollandaise sauce or béarnaise sauce.
  • Sautéed Veggies: Top with sautéed mushrooms or onions and bell peppers.
  • Peppercorn: Serve a creamy peppercorn, blue cheese, or mushroom steak steak sauce over the filet for a meal to rival the best steakhouse.
How To Cook Filet Mignon

Perfect Filet Mignon

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

When it comes to how to cook a filet mignon there are several options. Here are my favorite ways to cook a filet mignon including grilling, skillet to oven and reverse searing.

Ingredients

  • 2 filet mignons
  • butter, if skillet searing
  • coarse salt
  • ground pepper, or substitute salt and pepper with your favorite seasoning.

Instructions

Sear & Grill Filet Mignon on a Charcoal Grill

  1. Season the meat on both sides with a coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, or your favorite seasoning.
  2. Preheat the grill until the coals ash over. Create a high heat side and a low heat side so you can quick sear the steak before transferring to the lower heat to finish cooking.
  3. Place steaks on the high heat side, and sear both sides for 2–3 minutes.
  4. Then move to the low heat side and continue to grill until internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than your target internal temperature (115-120°F for rare, 125-130°F for medium rare, and 130-135°F for medium). Turn the steak halfway through.
  5. Remove the steak from the grill and rest for 5-7 minutes to allow the internal temperature to rise about 10 degrees to your target temperature.

Sear & Grill Filet Mignon on a Gas Grill

  1. Preheat the grill on high for about 15 minutes or preheat one side on high and the other at a medium heat.
  2. Sear both sides for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to the medium heat side or reduce to a medium heat and continue to grill until the internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than your target internal temperature (115-120°F for rare, 125-130°F for medium rare, and 130-135°F for medium). Turn the steak halfway through.
  3. Remove the steak from the grill and rest for 5-7 minutes to allow the internal temperature to rise about 10 degrees to your target temperature.

  1. Season the meat on both sides with a coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, or your favorite seasoning.
  2. Preheat the grill until the coals ash over. Create a high heat side and a low heat side so you can quick sear the steak before transferring to the lower heat to finish cooking.
  3. Place steaks on the high heat side, and sear both sides for 2–3 minutes.
  4. Then move to the low heat side and continue to grill until internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than your target internal temperature (115-120°F for rare, 125-130°F for medium rare, and 130-135°F for medium). Turn the steak halfway through.
  5. Remove the steak from the grill and rest for 5-7 minutes to allow the internal temperature to rise about 10 degrees to your target temperature.

Pan Sear: Skillet to Oven Filet Mignon

  1. Season the meat on both sides with a coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, or your favorite seasoning.
  2. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  3. Using an oven-safe cast iron skillet or pan add 1-2 tablespoons of oil over a high heat.
  4. Once heated, sear the filets at a high heat for 2 minutes, until a brown crust forms. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes while adding butter and optionally, herbs such as garlic cloves or sprigs of rosemary and/or thyme. Drizzle oil and butter while searing.
  5. Once seared on both sides, transfer the filets in the oven-safe skillet or pan to a preheated oven.
  6. Bake for 5-15 minutes until internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than your target internal temperature (115-120°F for rare, 125-130°F for medium rare, and 130-135°F for medium).
  7. Remove the steak from the grill rest for 5-7 minutes to allow the internal temperature to rise about 10 degrees to your target temperature.

Reverse Searing Filet Mignon

    This method flips the steps to cooking and searing a steak by searing last.

  1. Season the meat on both sides with a coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, or your favorite seasoning.
  2. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
  3. Place the filets on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes until internal temperature is 10 degrees lower than your target internal temperature (115-120°F for rare, 125-130°F for medium rare, and 130-135°F for medium).
  4. Once baked to desired temperature, place the filets in an oven-safe cast iron skillet or pan and sear the filets at a high heat for 1-2 minutes, until a brown crust forms. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 1-2 minutes while adding butter and optionally, herbs such as garlic cloves or sprigs of rosemary and/or thyme. Drizzle oil and butter while searing.
  5. Remove the steak from the stovetop and rest for 5-7 minutes to allow the internal temperature to rise about 10 degrees to your target temperature.

Filet Mignon Side Dishes

Try these delicious sides with your filet mignon!

Monique McArthur
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