What is Filet Mignon – The Cut
If you want to know what part of the cow Filet Mignon comes from, it is the Beef Tenderloin. Specifically the center cut of the tenderloin. You can read more about beef tenderloin here and how it is broken down.
Filet Mignon is a lean piece of beef because the tenderloin is surrounded by the rib cage and does not see much movement. Lean means that there is not as much intramuscular fat in the cut, and lean will mean the meat cooks faster than a steak like Ribeye or New York Strip.
Butcher Tip: Consider purchasing a whole Beef Tenderloin and breaking down the cut into your own Filet Mignon steaks. Buying the whole roast will typically cost more up front, but save money when comparing the cost of individual steaks at the store or butcher.
A properly cooked Filet will be tender and juicy, but will cook quickly, so the key is to monitor the internal temperature of the steak regularly.
Our Filet is a Snake River Farms American Wagyu Filet Mignon. You can also check out their Prime version too. The flavor is buttery and rich and out of this world good.
Best Seasoning for Filet Mignon
For seasoning, a simple kosher salt, pepper, and granulated garlic mixture adds great flavor, but not overpowering the beefy flavor. Equal parts of each work best for our preferences and we calculate about 1 tablespoon of seasoning for each steak. So 1/4 cup of seasoning is a good measurement for four steaks.
How to Cook Filet Mignon
Filet can be cooked a number of ways.
Stove Top – This method requires the pan to be super hot and the use of a high heat oil like grape or avocado. Add the steak to the pan to get a nice crust and flip the steak when it easily releases from the pan. Cast iron works best. Add butter, crushed garlic, and herbs and spoon over the steak for added flavor. Oven/Reverse Sear – Starting with a high heat, sear the crust and then place into an oven at 400 degrees to finish to the desired internal temperature. Grilled – Our favorite of the technique for added wood smoke flavor and crust. See below. How to Grill Filet Mignon
Grilling Filet Mignon is really easy when you understand the steps. This applies to all grill types (gas and charcoal).
Allow cold Filet to come to room temperature. This allows the searing process to occur faster. Cook using a two zone method. Start the steaks on direct heat, and when a nice crust develops, flip once and allow the crust to develop on the other side. Then move the steaks to the indirect side. Being able to move the steaks from direct (500 plus degree) heat over to indirect heat prevents burning or overcooking. We prefer lump charcoal for any charcoal cooking. Allow the steaks to rest. Carry over cooking will continue cooking the steaks up to 5 or 6 degrees F, especially with how lean they are. So they will cook fast, and removing the steaks to allow them to come to your desired finishing temperature is important. This is the perfect time to make any sauce you want to add to the steak. Proper internal temperature requires a great instant read thermometer. We have used the Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 for years and love it. Slice against the grain. You’ll see in Filet that there are lines where the muscle runs. Be sure to slice perpendicular to those lines. This keeps the texture of the steak soft and buttery. Especially if using Prime or American Wagyu steaks like the ones we used in this post from Snake River Farms.
You can also reverse sear versus grilling Filet Mignon, and you can read more about that technique here. But we find the flavor and tenderness of the Filet is perfect simply grilled.
How Long to Cook Filet Mignon
With any grilled steak, especially this one, it is less about time and more about cooking to the proper internal temperature. We sear the steak for roughly 2 minutes per side, and then finish on indirect for about 8 more (depending on the exact thickness of each steak). But the key is to cook to temperature and not time.
Recommended Temperature Ranges for Cooking Steak Rare: 120-130 degrees F Medium Rare: 130-140 degrees F Medium: 140-150 degrees F Medium Well: 150-160 degrees F Well Done: 160 degrees F AND not recommended for a good quality steak How to Make a Brown Butter Sauce
What is a brown butter you may ask? It’s the process of cooking down butter in which the water in butter gets separated out from the solids. As the water cooks out, the butter browns and develops a nutty aroma and flavor. If you add any other element it infuses in the brown butter for extra flavor like sage, garlic, or in our case, mushrooms.
For our brown butter sauce we added mushrooms, and to get the right consistency we saute the mushrooms first in a pan to get nice and caramelized. Remove the caramelized mushrooms and then brown the butter. Finish with any other added flavor elements you want. Spoon over the Filet for just that extra wow factor.
Brown butter will harden as it cools. Store in the fridge and then reheat in a pan.
Recipe For Grilled Filet Mignon with Mushroom Brown Butter Grilled Filet Mignon with Mushroom Brown Butter Sauce Filet Mignon is incredibly tender with a buttery flavor, and when topped with a decadent brown butter mushroom sauce, your mouth will water for days! 5 from 2 votes Print Pin Rate Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Resting Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Servings: 4 people Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge Cost: $150 Ingredients 4 10 – 12 ounce filet mignon steaks 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse ground pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated garlic Brown Butter Sauce 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (plus 1 tablespoon for sauté) 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 2 tablespoons diced shallots 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons diced fresh sage 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Instructions For the Grilled Filet Mignon Remove filet from the refrigerator. Pat dry and allow them to come to room temperature (30 minutes to 1 hour). While filets are coming to room temperature, prepare grill for two zone or direct indirect method. Ideally the temperature directly above the charcoal is over 500 degrees. Lightly coat the steaks with olive oil. Combine the salt, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl and apply liberally to the steaks, including the sides. Place the steaks over direct heat for 2 minutes (enough to get a sear, but not burned). Flip the steaks and cook the other side for additional 2 minutes. Move the steaks to the indirect side of the grill, and finish cooking until the internal temperature of the steak is 125 – 130 degrees F for rare (or longer for your preferred finishing temperature). Remove steaks and let rest. While resting prepare the brown butter. For the Mushroom Brown Butter Sauce In a large skillet over medium heat, add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon olive oil. Allow butter to melt and then add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms for 10 – 12 minutes to brown and slightly caramelize. After 10 – 12 minutes add shallots and garlic, and saute for additional 4 minutes to soften. Remove the mushroom, shallot, garlic mixture from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Bring butter to a small simmer, stirring occasionally for additional 10 minutes or until the butter starts turning brown and has a nutty aroma. Add back the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic mixture to the brown butter. Finally add salt and sage and immediately remove from heat, stirring to combine. Spoon brown butter over the steak and serve. Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge! Video Other Grilled Steak Recipes Ribeye Steaks with Coffee Ancho Chili Rub Picanha Steak with Mushroom Cream Sauce Grilled Bavette Steak with Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce Hanger Steak with Red Wine Reduction Sauce What Wine to Pair with Filet Mignon
The best wines to pair with Filet Mignon tend to be wines with moderate tannins like Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This is because the filet has less fat than a NY Strip or Ribeye which tend to lend themselves to a Cabernet Sauvignon or big Syrah. You don’t need to select a powerhouse wine for this, and instead look for something silky and smooth, but still has a full body.
Cabernet Francs from Washington State or Southern Oregon are a great choice, or red Bordeaux blends from Saint-Émilion France. We love Cabernet Franc from Walla Walla Vintners, located in Walla Walla, Washington, with this particular recipe. Also check out South American Malbecs for something fun.
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