It is officially National Beef Month! To kick things off, we have a special treat for you as we highlight this nutritious and tasty protein. Let’s learn how to pan-sear one of the most luxurious and tender cuts of beef: the Filet mignon. It makes the perfect date night dish!
Filet Mignon
Photo by alex9500 via Adobe Stock
Bringing Meat to Room Temperature Before Cooking
I can’t stress enough how important it is to let your steaks come to room temperature before cooking. These are thick cut and if they’re super cold in the middle, you risk over cooking the outside before the middle is done. Prior to cooking, take the steaks out of the refrigerator at least an hour before they hit the pan.
How to Cook the Perfect Steak: Filet Mignon
Cooking the perfect filet mignon is all about temperature. Not only should it be allowed to reach room temperature before cooking, but this delicate and tender cut should also be pulled out of the oven within a specific temperature range and allowed to rest.
Remove the filets from the oven a few degrees shy of the final desired internal cooking temperature. While resting, the temperature should rise another 5 degrees.
The steak’s total time in the oven will vary depending on the steaks’ starting internal temperatures and your desired level of doneness:
- For Rare Beef Filets: Pull at 115-120°F (final temp. 120-125°F) for steaks with a seared exterior and a cold center with 75% red interior color.
- For Medium-Rare Beef Filets: Pull at 125-130°F (final temp. 125-130°F) for steaks with a seared exterior, warm center, and 50/50 red interior color with a pink ring.
- For Medium Beef Filets: Pull at 130-135°F (final temp. 130-140°F) for steaks with a well-seared exterior and a warm center with 25% pink interior color.
- For Medium-Well Beef Filets: Pull at 135-140°F (final temp. 140-145°F) for steaks with a well-seared exterior, hot center, and a hint of pink interior color.
Allow the steaks to rest in the pan or on a plate, loosely tented with foil to keep them warm, for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serving the steaks whole without slicing will help them stay warm in the center and allow additional resting time without delaying dinner!
How to Stop a Steak from Overcooking
If you accidentally took the temperature too far, you will still need to allow them to rest before cutting into them, but take them out of the hot pan to rest. This will slow further cooking, resulting in an overly done filet mignon.
What to Serve with Date Night Filet Mignon
Serve with your favorite seasonal side dishes or classic steakhouse favorites like roasted sweet potatoes with hot honey.
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Photo by alex9500 via Adobe Stock
Date Night Filet Mignon with Rosemary and Garlic Compound Butter
Let’s learn how to pan-sear and oven-finish one of the most luxurious and tender cuts of beef: the Filet Mignon. It makes the perfect date night dish!
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 1 hour (about 30 minutes active)
Cook Time: 10 - 20 minutes (+5 minutes resting time)
Total Time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 - 8 oz. Filet Mignon steaks (about 2" thick), at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the Compound Butter:
- 4-6 tablespoons European-style Salted Butter (like Kerrygold)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
- salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Season the Filets: Remove two 8-oz. filet mignon steaks from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking them. Coat both sides with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set the steaks aside for about an hour to allow them to come to room temperature.
- Prepare the Ingredients for the Compound Butter: Add 4 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, and 2 sprigs fresh rosemary to a cast-iron pan. (Use the other 2 tablespoons as needed.)
- Make the Compound Butter: Heat butter, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs over medium-high heat. You want the pan to be as hot as possible without burning the butter. Allow butter to melt, swirling frequently to prevent burning. The more you move the butter around, the less it will burn.
- At the same time, preheat your oven to 400°F with a cast iron pan in the oven to heat the pan.
- Sear Steaks in a Cast Iron Pan: Add both steaks to the hot pan. Sear for 2-3 minutes on both sides, constantly spooning the hot butter onto the steaks. Only turn them once after they get nicely browned. Do not let the butter burn—keep it moving. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and transfer the pan to the hot oven.
- Finish Cooking in Hot Oven: After 5-15 minutes, remove when the internal temperature reaches 115-120°F for rare, 125-130°F for medium rare, and 130-135°F for medium.
