How to Cook Filet Mignon
Perfect Filet Mignon is all about a great sear and precise timing ~ a quick crust on the stovetop, a short finish in the oven, and a tender, juicy center every time.
Servings: 2
Equipment
- heavy cast iron skillet or other oven ready skillet
- Sheet pan
- foil
Ingredients
- 2 filet mignon steaks, 6-8 ounces each, and 1/1/2 inch thick
- 1 Tbsp high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed, or refined olive oil)
- sea salt
Instructions
- Take the filets out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking so they can come to room temperature. This is an important step because it will result in more even cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Make sure it comes up to temp before proceeding.
- Pat the steaks very dry with paper towels. Rub with olive oil and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot.
- Place the filets in the pan and sear on one side without moving for about 4–5 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms.
- Flip the steaks and immediately transfer the pan to the oven, or transfer them to a foil-lined sheet pan if your skillet can't go into a hot oven.
- Place the pan in the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness, about 5–7 minutes for medium-rare depending on thickness.* (See the full post for all the details.) Note: always trust temperature rather than time when cooking steak. You want the thickest part of the steak to register 130–135°F (for medium rare.) A meat thermometer is really really handy here.
- Remove from the oven and move the steaks out of the pan to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. I cover them loosely with foil.
- Serve the steak whole, or sliced against the grain.
quick pan sauce
- Add a minced clove of garlic to the skillet and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in about 1/2 cup dry wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half.
- Take the pan off the heat and swirl in 2 tablespoons of butter until the sauce looks glossy.
- Season with salt and pepper, and finish with a little chopped rosemary, thyme or parsley if you like.
Notes
*1½-inch thick
~ Rare: 4–5 min (120–125°F)
~ Medium-rare: 5–6 min (130–135°F)
~ Medium: 6–7 min (140–145°F) 2-inch thick
~ Rare: 6–7 min
~ Medium-rare: 7–8 min
~ Medium: 8–9 min *When in doubt, cook to internal temperature and don’t rely solely on the clock. Always rest 5 minutes before slicing ~ the temp will rise another 5°F as it sits.
~ Rare: 4–5 min (120–125°F)
~ Medium-rare: 5–6 min (130–135°F)
~ Medium: 6–7 min (140–145°F) 2-inch thick
~ Rare: 6–7 min
~ Medium-rare: 7–8 min
~ Medium: 8–9 min *When in doubt, cook to internal temperature and don’t rely solely on the clock. Always rest 5 minutes before slicing ~ the temp will rise another 5°F as it sits.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 filet · Calories: 360 kcal · Protein: 38 g · Fat: 20 g · Saturated Fat: 8 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g · Sodium: 620 mg · Potassium: 0.2 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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