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Filet Mignon

The perfect filet mignon recipe to make on your grill or stovetop. The steaks turn out tender and juicy. Make the optional demi-glace to impress.

Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Ingredient Keyword beef, filet mignon, steak
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 5-ounce filet mignon steaks, 1 to 2-inches thick
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, for stovetop cooking
  • 2 teaspoons neutral-flavored oil avocado, for stovetop cooking

For the Optional Demi-glace Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon butter (only if making in a clean pan)
  • 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored oil (only if making in a clean pan)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped onion (shallots, yellow onion, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup slightly sweet red wine (Barefoot Merlot)

Instructions

  1. Salt and pepper each side of the steaks and set aside at room temperature. (You can even wrap their sides in bacon if you’re grilling your filet mignon.)

To Cook on a Stovetop:

  1. Preheat a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat.
  2. If using a skillet, add the butter and oil and swirl around the bottom of the pan. Just as the butter begins to brown, remove the skillet to prevent burning and lower heat a little. Sear the steaks at least 3 to 4 minutes on each side. For medium, medium-well, and even well done, cover the steaks and allow them to cook an additional 2 - 3 minutes. Baste with the butter-oil mixture on both sides.

To Cook on the Grill:

  1. Preheat a gas grill on medium-high (400°F) 15 minutes prior to cooking. If you’re using coals, light the coals even earlier. You want hot embers without any flames. Using a grill surface thermometer helps determine the rack’s temperature. (See the above link.)
  2. Once the grill is ready, oil the rack, add the steaks, and unless cooking rare, close the lid. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until the steaks reach your desired temperature. If the steaks char prior to cooking through, move to a cooler area and lower the temperature to medium (350°F).

Before Serving:

  1. Allow the steaks to rest 5 minutes prior to serving to prevent the juices from releasing upon the first cut. If desired, baste with melted butter.

Tips

As you become more familiar with cooking steaks, you'll be able to push on the top of the steak to figure out how rare/uncooked the steaks still are. If it feels like a raw steak would feel, then it is rare. The steak firms up more and more, the longer it cooks.

You don't want to cut into a steak to find out if it is done because all of the juices will pour out of the steak, leaving you with a less desirable steak.