Filet Mignon Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

How does Bobby Flay cook a filet mignon? ›

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch cast iron pan until it begins to shimmer. Put the steaks in the pan, rub-side down and cook until a crust forms, about 3 minutes. Turn the steaks over, lower heat a bit and continue cooking until medium-rare doneness, about 4 minutes longer.

Last night we had an interesting cut of beef. The proper name is 'Tares Major'. It is a cut from the Chuck section right below the front leg. It was just as tender as a filet with a whole lot of beef flavor and at a fraction of the cost of the filet.

Because filet is super lean, it lacks the necessary intramuscular fat that imbues a truly delectable steak with its signature rich flavor. Without that gorgeous (and flavorful!) marbling, filet can become dry if it's cooked past medium, and it also needs a little help to achieve a distinctive flavor.

for Filet Mignon

Sear on high heat for 2 minutes on one side, then turn and move to indirect heat. Turn them 1 minute before the halfway point of the cooking time. For perfect doneness, we recommend you use a meat thermometer and use the Measuring Doneness chart below.

The best way to cook Filet Mignon is on the grill, but pan-seared Filet Mignon is also excellent. You can also broil Filet Mignon in the oven for an exceptional flavor. No matter which method or Filet Mignon recipe you choose, our cooking instructions and video will help you cook the tender and juicy steak you crave.

Sear the steaks in vegetable oil (rather than butter or olive oil), because the vegetable oil has a higher smoke point. You can add that great butter for flavor at the end! The total cooking time will vary depending on the size, thickness, and temperature of your filet mignon when you cook it.

Broiling steak gives it a quick sear that baking does not. However, if cooking past medium-rare, broiling could crisp the outside of filet mignon too much while not cooking the inside enough.

Technically, filet mignon is as kosher as any other cut of meat. The problem with filet mignon and other cuts from the rear is that they are located near the sciatic nerve and fatty deposits known in Hebrew as chelev, which are Biblically forbidden.

These cuts—ribeye, New York strip loin, and filet mignon—can certainly be dubbed the best, and few will disagree. “Filet is the most tender cut, but has the least amount of flavor. Ribeye is the most flavorful, but the least tender of the three, and New York is in the middle.” Flannery explains.

Prime. Prime grade beef is the highest quality you can get. It features beautiful red meat laced with thin striations of white fat. This meat is well suited for a multitude of cooking conditions.

What is a cheaper alternative to filet mignon? ›

Good rule of thumb to follow: if in doubt, throw it out. So the next time you open a package of steaks and there's some odor, take the steaks out and let them rest for a bit…the odor should disappear. If the odor is quite bad, odor doesn't disappear, is slimy or quite sticky, then throw away your package.

A hot skillet delivers the best sear. Add some butter or a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil and sear steaks for 1–2 minutes on each side. The final internal temperature of your steak should be 135°F for medium-rare and 145°F for medium.

Season your steak generously with salt just before putting it on the grill. The salt stays on the surface of the meat without dissolving and the meat juices stay within the muscle fibers for a juicy steak.