The Best Way to Cook Filet Mignon

How do you to cook filet mignon? There are many methods, but the best way to cook these tender, thick cut steaks is by searing them in a cast iron pan, and then bringing them to temperature in the oven. This filet mignon tutorial gives you all the tips and tricks needed to make a restaurant quality steak meal at home! Date night, anyone?

*Today I’m partnering with Sharp Home USA ~ Sharp creates quality home appliances that make life easier!

A Restaurant Quality Steak Dinner at Home

If you’re eating more at home and less out, here is a perfect way to recreate one of your favorite steakhouse indulgences. Valentine’s Day is around the corner and this makes a wonderful (and surprisingly simple) dinner for 2.

Filet Mignon is a cut of meat taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin, or psoas major of a cow. It has a mild flavor but is the most tender cut of steak.

Cooking the perfect filet mignon steak is a great skill to learn in the kitchen! This fool-proof method involves first searing the steaks in a butter sauce to give them a deeply caramelized crust, and then bringing them to a desired internal temperature in the oven.

The oven allows the interior of the steak to more evenly cook, rather than having the steak underdone in the center and overdone on the outside.

Grab your favorite cast-iron skillet, and get ready for an incredible homemade steak dinner! (I am using carbon steel pans now – they are also made of iron but are thinner and lighter than cast iron! They are an oven safe skillet and are nonstick and nontoxic.).

Other cuts I recommend you learn to cook well at home? This Beef Tenderloin recipe or Garlic Herb Butter Prime Rib is the solution when you have a group for a special meal.

I love my Sharp state-of-the-art appliances. I use an Induction Cooktop and a European Convection Oven to perfectly cook my steaks every time.

I love the built-in timers on the burners. It makes it so easy to ensure both sides of my steaks are evenly cooked. I set my induction to level 7, add the steaks, and then set a timer for 4 minutes. Flip the steaks, and set the timer for an additional 4 minutes.

The Sharp European Convection Ovens come with a built-in temperature probe, making it even easier to check the internal temperature of my steaks without having to open the oven door!

Hop on over to Sharp’s website to see if these appliances are the perfect fit for your dream kitchen.

What You’ll Need

• 8 ounce, thick-cut Filet Mignon Steaks
• Kosher Salt (this coarse, large flake salt helps create a flavorful crust and is highly recommended!)
• Black Pepper
• Butter
• Avocado Oil (adding avocado oil to the butter prevents the butter from scorching. Olive oil will scorch at high temperatures.)
• Garlic Cloves
• Rosemary

How do you cook Filet Mignon?

Allow steaks to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to beginning to cook them.

Prior to beginning to cook steaks, preheat the oven to 400º F.

Step 1: Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Generously season the filet mignon steaks on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper. America’s Test Kitchen says you can never over-salt or pepper a steak – and since I started believing that, my steaks have come out so much better! The coating on the outside flavors the whole steak, and these are thick.

Step 2: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add butter and avocado oil. The avocado oil stops the butter from burning at a high temperature. Add the steaks to the hot pan, and cook them for 3-4 minutes per side for a good sear. Both sides should be cooked the same amount of time to ensure even cooking inside.

Step 3: Add garlic cloves and rosemary to the skillet, infusing the butter with flavor, and then spoon the butter mixture over the steaks to coat them in the flavor. This is referred to as butter basting the steaks.

Step 4: Add the skillet to the preheated oven and bake the steaks to the desired temperature. Thicker steaks will take longer and thinner steaks should be checked prior to adding them to the oven. See chart below for cooking temperatures, and check steaks with a meat thermometer every 2-3 minutes.

Step 5: Once steaks have come to the desired temperature, remove them from the pan and allow them to rest on a plate for 10 minutes before serving.

Step 6: Serve steaks with an extra spoonful of the pan drippings, or make this delicious 4-ingredient Creamy Black Peppercorn Sauce.

Internal Temperature for Filet Mignon Steak

Be careful not to overcook your steaks. Use an instant read thermometer and check the steaks often, especially if you prefer a rare or medium rare steak. Rare steaks will take very little time in the oven. Cooking times are determined by the thickness of your meat.

A medium rare steak has an internal temperature of 130º F. Remove the steaks from the oven at 120º F. The heat from the exterior of the meat will continue to bring the internal temperature up while the steak rests.

Rare: remove at 115°F (about 3 to 4 minutes in oven). After resting, the internal temperature will be 120°F to 125°F.

Medium rare: remove at 120°F (about 5 to 6 minutes in oven). After resting, the internal temperature will be 125 to 130°F.

Medium: remove at 130°F (about 6 to 7 minutes in oven). After resting, the internal temperature will be 135°F to 140°F.

Medium well: remove at 140°F (about 8 to 9 minutes in oven). After resting, the internal temperature will be 145°F to 150°F.

Well done: remove at 150°F (about 10 to 11 minutes in oven). After resting, the internal temperature will be 155°F to 160°F.

How to Serve Filet Mignon

These tender steaks are perfect for special occasion meals! Elevate your filet mignon recipe by adding a sauce.

• Serve with a Compound Butter: Soften 4 tablespoons butter, and mix in fresh herbs, like chopped parsley, thyme, or basil, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to each steak to serve.
• Make a simple Creamy Black Peppercorn Sauce. This is my favorite way to serve filet, so I go all out when I buy these steaks.

The meat is such a treat, I find it best served with very simple side dishes.

• Roasted Vegetables
• Thick and Creamy Cauilflower Mash
• Pear Arugula Salad
• Sauteed Delicata Squash
• Perfect Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

How to Store Steaks

It’s best to cook filet mignon steaks when they are the freshest, but it’s safe to consume meat that’s been refrigerated for 3-5 days.

Store cooked steaks

In the Refrigerator: Allow the steak to fully cool before packing it in an airtight container. Refrigerate the steaks for up to 3 days.

To reheat steaks: Heat a skillet over medium high heat, and drizzle in a little avocado oil. Cook the steak on both sides for 4-6 minutes. It will be hard to fully reheat the meat without overcooking it, but it will still be delicious even if cooked past your typical preference!

Other Special Occassion Meals

• Beef Tenderloin Recipe (a great way to serve filet mignon to a larger group!)
• One Pan Baked Mediterranean Salmon
• Lobster Risotto
• Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken

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