Filet Mignon Recipe
Published May 5, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious Filet Mignon Recipe is pan-seared with herbs, garlic, and butter until perfectly cooked and golden brown. If you follow these foolproof procedures, you will always have impeccable steak.
I don’t eat beef too often because it can be expensive and hard to prepare. However, I do get cravings for it. If you want a great steak, try my Classic Boeuf Bourguignon or Steak Frites recipe.
Filet Mignon
Filet mignon, pronounced “fil-ay min-yon,” is an individual, single-slice serving of beef tenderloin cut from the cow. It can range from 2 ounces up to 24 ounces. This super lean, tender cut of beef can range from around $13.99 per pound all the way past $49.99, depending on the grade of beef.
This can be cooked in many ways, from oven-roasted to grilled to pan-seared, which I did.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – I used individual-cut filet mignons. You can purchase whole beef tenderloins and cut them into smaller portions.
- Fat – You will need a neutral-flavored oil for pan searing and some unsalted butter for basting. The best oil to use is olive or avocado oil.
- Herbs – I used fresh thyme sprigs. However, you can also use fresh rosemary or sage.
- Garlic – Some whole garlic cloves are used when basting the steak for added flavor.
- Seasonings – I only used coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper.
How to Cook a Filet Mignon
Add cold oil to a cast-iron skillet or your favorite frying pan and set it to medium-high heat until it smokes lightly. The smoke that comes from the oil, also known as the smoking point, tells you when to start pan-searing.
Add your seasoned with salt and pepper steaks, immediately turning the heat to medium, ensuring you don’t burn your filet.
The next thing to do is start pumping some flavor into the pan by adding garlic cloves, fresh thyme sprigs, and unsalted butter. All of these ingredients will deliver a seriously tasty steak.
I personally prefer a rare to medium-rare internal temperature, which is about 125° internally, so cooking an 8-ounce filet mignon using this exact method will take about 3 to 3 ½ minutes per side of cooking. There should be a dark brown malliard crust on it.
Once you flip the steak over, begin to baste it with a large spoon by tilting the panhandle towards you. Scoop up the hot butter/oil mixture and pour it over the filet mignons. Feel free to put some garlic and thyme in your spoon as you baste it.
The last thing you need to do, and it’s so important, is to let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes on a plate once you remove it from the pan. Doing this will allow the juices to soak back in, making it tender and flavorful.
Top off the steak with blue cheese butter and serve it with sauteed mushrooms.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be served as soon as the steak rests.
How to Store: Cover and store this in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen, covered for up to 3 months and covered in plastic. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add your desired portion to a small sauté or roasting pan and pour ½ cup of beef stock over it. Cover the pan in foil and cook it in the oven at 400° for 5 to 7 minutes. Reheating your steak will 100% cause it to increase in internal temperature, most likely past medium and into medium-well.
CHEF NOTES + TIPS
- Cast iron or carbon steel are the best pans for a good sear.
- This is best prepared and served at a rare to medium-rare internal temperature to preserve as much flavor as possible.
- If you are unsure of the internal temperature, be safe and use a thermometer.
- Feel free to use your favorite steak seasoning.
- Maillard reaction, also known as the browning reaction, is an interaction between sugar and amino acids in the steak when heated to 285°and 350° over high heat, browning the meat to enhance the flavor and add more crispness. This is not the same as caramelizing.
More Beef Recipes
Video
Filet Mignon Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 8-ounce filet mignons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 blue cheese butter
- 1 suateed mushrooms recipe
Instructions
- Season the filet mignons on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add the oil to a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Add the steak, turn the heat down to medium and then add in the garlic cloves, thyme, and butter.
- After 3 to 3 1/2 minutes flip the steak over and begin to baste them with the hot butter and oil from the pan. Cook for 3 to 3 ½ minutes to achieve a rare to medium-rare internal temperature.
- Take the steaks out of the pan and let them rest on a plate for 5 minutes.
- Serve the filets with the mushrooms and blue cheese butter
OMG – absolutely delicious!!! I usually cook my filets in a cast iron pan but just sear it then in a 450 oven for 5 minutes. I also usually make a blue cheese and mushroom cream sauce to go with it. But I tried your way and oh my was it good!!! By cooking the mushrooms separately from the blue cheese butter – you really get the flavor of the mushrooms pulling through. My husband said he loves both ways I do it but if I only have white mushrooms – use the cream sauce but if I have these delicious cremini and shitake mushrooms – do it your way. Also – the filet was amazing. When you start with a good cut (We are from Canada but and get ours from a local butcher (German) – she is amazing) – you can’t go wrong. Unless of course you cook it more than medium rare……. Thank you Billy – I love watching your videos.!
Thank you for giving it a try!