Easy Way to Cook Beef Filet Mignon
Filet Mignon Recipe (2 ways!)
This Filet Mignon Recipe can be cooked on the grill or pan seared and baked in the oven! Learn the easy chef-inspired techniques to obtain the perfect temperature, texture, and flavor.
Serve this with my steak rub recipe, mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, and my 10-minute brown gravy recipe!
There are few indulgences that I love as much as deliciously seasoned and perfectly cooked Filet Mignon.
This recipe shows you how to grill filet mignon or pan sear and oven bake it for restaurant-quality results!
BONUS: Check out my steak rub recipe and see the recipe card below this post for a delicious Parmesan Crusted topping that you can add to your steak!
What Is Filet Mignon
- Filet Mignon is a very tender cut of beef from the end of a tenderloin.
How to Cook Filet Mignon
- Pat the steaks completely dry.
- Massage an even layer of steak rub onto the top and bottom.
- Let sit at room temperature for 40 minutes (if possible).
- This allows the salt to penetrate through the surface (through osmosis) and break down the muscle fibers, which makes it more tender and flavorful. The salt will extract liquid from the meat at first, which then gets reabsorbed during the 40 minutes.
- Otherwise, cook the steak immediately after seasoning.
- Letting the salt sit on the meat without allowing it sufficient time to reabsorb the liquid can cause the meat to become dry.
- Grill or Pan Sear and Oven Bakethe steaks. (*See below for instructions)
- Let it rest for 5-7 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to get absorbed by the meat instead of running onto your plate.
Steak Seasoning
- My steak rub recipe is a great seasoning mix to make in bulk and use whenever you make steak.
Grilling Method
** See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Preheat grill to high heat and close the lid. It will take 10-15 minutes to fully heat.
- Place the filets on the grill and let them cook undisturbed on each side using the following time guidelines:
- Rare: 4 minutes
- Medium Rare: 5 minutes
- Medium: 6-7 minutes
- Medium Well: 8-9 minutes
- Well: 10 minutes
*Cooking guidelines are based on 8 ounce filets that are about 2 inches thick.
Pan Sear/Oven Bake Method:
** See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the steaks in an oven-safe skillet for 2 minutes/side. Remove from heat.
- Add butter, garlic, and rosemary/thyme to the skillet and let the butter melt. Spoon it over the filets.
- Bake at 425° for 5-6 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 125° for a medium-rare steak.
- Let rest for 5-7 minutes, it will increase up to 5° more during this time.
*Cooking guidelines are based on 8 ounce filets that are about 2 inches thick.
Steak Temperatures
- Rare: 120-125°
- Medium Rare: 125-130°
- Medium: 135-140°
- Medium Well: 145°-150°
- Well Done: 155°-160°
*Steak that is cooked beyond 165° can become chewy and dry, so keep that in mind when cooking.
The Touch Test
There are a lot of variations that come into play when it comes to cooking steak, (grill temperatures, thickness of the cut, etc.), but you can't go wrong by the touch test:
- If you were to put your finger on the part of your chin that indents, (below your lip, above your chin), the feel of that resembles a medium-rare steak.
- Others go by the touching the soft tissue underneath the base of your thumb. This steak touch test video will guide you through that method.
- Press your finger into the top of the steak to test how firm/cooked it is. The firmer it is, the more cooked it will be.
Let It Rest
- Always let the steak rest for 5-7 minutes after cooking. This gives the juices time to get absorbed back into the meat. If you cut right in, the juice will run onto your plate and the meat will be dry.
Pro Tips
- Remove the steaks from the heat when it's 3-4 degrees shy of your desired temperature as the internal temperature will increase a few more degrees when it rests.
- Don't force the steak from the surface of the grill or the skillet, it will tear. The steak tends to naturally release once properly seared.
- If grilling:Place the steak on the hottest part of your grill. This can vary but the back is a safe bet. (Ours is the back right side.)
Storage
- Filets are best if served immediately after cooking/resting. If you do have leftovers, they can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Calories in Filet Mignon
My Fitness Pal indicates that 1 (8 oz.) filet contains 408 calories.
What to Serve This With
- Potato Side Dishes: grilled potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, cheesy scalloped potatoes, twice baked potato casserole, skillet potatoes, potato wedges, and more.
- Vegetable Side Dishes: Green Bean Casserole, Roasted Green Beans, Roasted Carrots, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Broccoli.
- Check out all of my side dish recipes!
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Meat Thermometer
- Grilling Tongs
- Cast Iron Skillet – the best way to develop a uniform crust on the steak. It also conducts heat the best.
- Steak Knives
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This Filet Mignon Recipe can be cooked on the grill or pan seared and baked in the oven! Learn the easy chef-inspired techniques to obtain the perfect temperature, texture, and flavor.
- 4 Filet Mignon Steaks, about 8 oz. each
- 1 Tablespoon steak rub
For Pan Searing/Oven Method:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
Optional Parmesan Crusted Topping:
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup Provolone cheese, cut into squares
- 6 Tablespoons Ranch salad dressing
- 5 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Grilling Method:
-
Preheat grill to high heat and close the lid. It will take about 10 minutes to fully heat.
-
Place the filets on the grill and let them cook undisturbed on each side using the following time guidelines:
-
Rare: 4 minutes / Medium Rare: 5 minutes / Medium: 6-7 minutes / Medium Well: 8-9 minutes / Well Done: 10 minutes / **See notes about the "touch test"
-
We like to use kitchen tongs to prop the steak up on its side and cook for 1-2 additional minutes or so as well, rotating every 30 seconds or so.
-
Let the steak rest for 5-7 minutes prior to serving.
Pan Searing/Oven Method:
-
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
-
Heat olive oil in a cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.
-
Once heated, add the filets (do so in batches if needed, leaving space around the edges).
-
Sear on each side for 2 minutes, until a nice crust as developed. (You may also use kitchen tongs to prop the steaks on their side and sear the sides for 1 additional minute if preferred.)
-
Remove from heat. Add butter and allow it to melt. Add the smashed garlic and rosemary/thyme. Spoon the butter over the filets.
-
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of a filet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes or until the thermometer reads 125 degrees for a medium-rare steak. The temperature will increase up to 3-4 additional degrees during resting.
-
Let the steak rest for 5-7 minutes prior to serving.
Optional Parmesan Crusted Topping:
-
Note: Undercook the steak slightly if adding the topping as the steak will cook a little more in the oven during the broiling process.
-
Combine parmesan, provolone, ranch, butter, and garlic powder. Microwave in 30-second increments until melted, stirring in between.
-
Add ½ of the Panko Breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Add remaining ½ cup if desired.
-
Spread evenly over each steak and broil at 450 until melted and slightly browned on top.
- Cooking guidelines are based on 8 ounce filets that are about 2 inches thick.
Pro Tips
- Remove the steaks from the heat when it's 3-4 degrees shy of your desired temperature as the internal temperature will increase a few more degrees when it rests.
- Don't force the steak from the surface of the grill or the skillet, it will tear. The steak tends to naturally release once properly seared.
- If grilling:Place the steak on the hottest part of your grill. This can vary but the back is a safe bet. (Ours is the back right side.)
The Touch Test
There are a lot of variations that come into play when it comes to cooking steak, (grill temperatures, thickness of the cut, etc.), but you can't go wrong by the touch test:
- If you were to put your finger on the part of your chin that indents, (below your lip, above your chin), the feel of that resembles a medium-rare steak.
- Others go by the touching the soft tissue underneath the base of your thumb. This steak touch test video will guide you through that method.
- Press your finger into the top of the steak to test how firm/cooked it is. The firmer it is, the more cooked it will be.
- Nutritional Facts (469 calories) are based on 1 grilled filet without Parmesan Crusted Topping.
- 636 calories/serving if oil & butter are used for pan searing/oven method.
- 1,095 calories if all listed ingredients are used, including Parmesan crusted topping.
Calories: 469 kcal , Carbohydrates: 1 g , Protein: 31 g , Fat: 37 g , Saturated Fat: 15 g , Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g , Monounsaturated Fat: 16 g , Cholesterol: 119 mg , Sodium: 84 mg , Potassium: 524 mg , Fiber: 1 g , Sugar: 1 g , Vitamin A: 26 IU , Vitamin C: 1 mg , Calcium: 22 mg , Iron: 4 mg
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Source: https://thecozycook.com/filet-mignon/