Introduction
Cooking a steak is easy, right? Just heat up your grill or pan and throw it on there. But there are some secrets to cooking the perfect filet mignon—secrets you may not have heard before.
Cooking a filet mignon properly can be tricky, but it’s worth the effort.
Filet mignon is a tender cut of meat, and it’s best cooked to medium rare. You can cook filet mignon in the oven or on the grill. If you want to make sure that your filet comes out perfectly, follow these tips:
- Start by buying high-quality beef (you don’t want to waste your money on an inferior cut). Then pat dry with paper towels before seasoning with salt and pepper, olive oil or butter if desired (this will help seal in moisture), and wrap tightly with aluminum foil for about 15 minutes at room temperature before cooking–this helps keep all those juices inside!
- Next up: heat up your grill or oven until hot enough for searing (about 450 degrees Fahrenheit), then place steaks directly over coals/heat source for 4 minutes per side until desired doneness has been reached–if using charcoal briquettes then push them aside so they won’t burn as much during this process; alternatively use indirect heat by placing them away from direct flames but close enough so there’s still plenty of heat coming off them too; finally remove steaks from grill/oven once done cooking
How to prepare a filet mignon
- Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook it.
- Season the meat with olive oil and salt and pepper. This will help give it a nice crust when you cook it. If you want an even more intense flavor, rub butter on top of each filet mignon before putting them on the grill (or in a pan).
- For grilling: Heat your grill to high heat, then place steaks directly over hot coals for about five minutes per side for medium rare–or longer if you prefer well done meat!
Seasoning the meat
Seasoning the meat is important and can be done several ways.
- Salt and pepper are the most common seasonings for steak, but feel free to experiment with different spices like red pepper flakes or paprika. A little bit of salt goes a long way; try not to overdo it!
- You should never season your filet mignon with anything that has been marinated in oil or butter because this will give your steak an unpleasant greasy taste.
Preheat the oven or grill to high heat.
Preheat the oven or grill to high heat. The steak will cook quickly, so you want to make sure that you have everything ready before you start cooking.
To sear the steak, place it down on a hot pan or grill and leave it alone for about 2 minutes without moving it at all (don’t press down on it!). This will allow for a nice caramelization of both sides of your filet mignon so that when you serve it later with your family and friends, they’ll be able to see how well done their meat was cooked!
Sear both sides of the steak for about 2 minutes each.
- Don’t move the steak around while it is cooking.
- Don’t touch the steak.
- Don’t flip it more than once.
- Don’t press down on top of your steak while it’s cooking, as this will cause its juices to run out and make it dryer than if you hadn’t pressed down at all!
- If you want to check for doneness, take a small knife and cut into one side of your filet mignon just enough so that there are no juices coming out when you do this – then look at how red/pink or browned (or not) your meat looks inside before deciding whether or not it needs more time in order for everything else from here forward should go smoothly without any problems whatsoever!
Transfer the steak to a baking dish and cover with foil.
Transfer the steak to a baking dish and cover with foil.
This helps keep the meat moist, prevents it from drying out, and prevents it from browning too much. It’s also a great way to keep your filet warm for guests who arrive late or want seconds!
Bake for 25 minutes for medium rare, 30 minutes for medium, and 35 minutes for well done.
Bake for 25 minutes for medium rare, 30 minutes for medium, and 35 minutes for well done.
Check the meat with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the steak. For medium rare, it should read 125 to 130 degrees F; 135-140 degrees F is medium; 150 degrees F or higher is well done.
Be careful not to overcook your meat!
While cooking time will vary depending on the size of your steak, it’s important to remember that overcooking can make meat tough. If you want to cook it medium-rare, keep an eye on your filet mignon and remove it from the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit or about 5 minutes before its recommended cooking time.
Conclusion
With a little practice, you’ll be able to cook a filet mignon perfectly every time.