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When a friend shared with me how to cook filet mignon at home, I didn’t believe her at first that it could be that easy. After all, a perfect filet mignon steak is one of the most expensive dishes you can get at a restaurant – and one of my favorites. Then I heard it from a couple more people that it’s quick and simple to do. I knew I had to try a pan seared filet mignon recipe for myself!
My love for cast iron filet mignon started several years ago. The Twin Cities have a wonderful event a few times a year, called Restaurant Week. For a whole week, participating high-end restaurants all offer three-course meals for only $30! My first really good pan seared filet mignon was at The Capital Grille during restaurant week. We still enjoy it a few times a year, almost always during restaurant week because it’s more affordable.
Then, in 2014, we took a weekend trip to Chicago. And, it’s no secret that Chicago has some of the best steakhouses in the country. I knew we had to splurge and try one of the best ones! Our experience turned out to be quite a story…
What Is Filet Mignon?
Filet mignon is the best steak out there! It’s a smaller cut from the beef tenderloin, which is lean and tender.
And today, I want to share the best way to cook filet mignon with you!
How To Make Filet Mignon (The Best Way!)
So, what’s the best way to cook filet mignon? The key is 2 simple steps:
- Sear it over high heat in a cast iron pan.
- Finish the filet mignon in the oven.
The great news is, this all takes less than 15 minutes.
But if you want a perfect filet mignon recipe, read on for all my tips! But first, that story…
My Memorable Filet Mignon Story
I haven’t talked about travel very much yet on Wholesome Yum, so you may not know that it’s one of my favorite things in the world to do. Like, traveling and my kids are the two things that I live for!
In Chicago, the best food definitely had to include the best filet mignon. My research showed that several places tied for the best steak in Chicago. Even though I was booking over a month in advance, many were already full.
I made at a reservation at Chicago Cut Steakhouse, which had lovely views on the river. I even read that high-profile celebrities, like Beyonce, have been spotted there! (Just to be clear, this post is not sponsored by The Capital Grille or Chicago Cut Steakhouse. They don’t even know I exist. I just love a good steak!)
When my husband and I got to the steakhouse, we were seated by the window with a view. After we ordered, the owner (!!) of the restaurant came over and asked us if we would be willing to switch tables. He said that some VIP guests were unexpectedly coming, and for our trouble he would pay for our entire meal and bring us a bottle of champagne.
Having such an expensive meal entirely paid for was way too good a deal to pass up, so we agreed. We were even more surprised when the owner came back with an aged bottle of Cristal champagne! That alone was worth hundreds of dollars!
As we enjoyed our meal (and the filet mignon was ah-mazing and cooked to perfection!), we were incredibly curious to see who the VIP guests would be. Unbelievably, they never showed up! Ha.
Needless to say, we were more than glad to switch tables in exchange for a free steak dinner and expensive champagne.
How To Cook The Best Filet Mignon at Home
Having tried some pretty amazing steakhouses, I wanted to make sure to get the filet mignon recipe I’m sharing just right. Use the following tips, and you’ll have the best filet mignon every time:
1. Choose Quality Beef Tenderloin
As it turns out, by far the most important thing to get right is getting a fresh and high quality cut of meat. You want it to be thick and bright red, with minimal marbling. Two inches thick is great! A butcher is your best bet for getting an excellent cut, but Whole Foods and Costco also have decent options.
There’s no doubt that beef tenderloin is expensive, but when you compare it to restaurant prices, it’s actually quite reasonable. Where I live, the price ends up in the realm of $10-$15 for a large beef tenderloin, versus $50 or more at a high-end steakhouse. If you think about it, cooking filet mignon at home costs about the same as a burger at a casual sit-down place!
2. Trim the Edges
Beef tenderloin is naturally lean, but it often comes with a layer of connective tissue along the edges. Make sure to cut this off for the best texture.
3. Season Liberally
Don’t be afraid to season your steak liberally with salt and pepper! No other seasonings are necessary, though garlic powder and dried herbs can be added. If there’s one thing to know about cooking filet mignon, it’s that the quality meat is the star.
That being said, I didn’t add enough salt the first couple of times (not good!) and it had a big impact. You need more salt than you probably think, so keep that in mind.
4. Use High Heat
High heat is absolutely critical to getting a good sear on your steak or steak bites appetizer. The best way to do this is in a pan that heats up to a very high temperature, so put away that non-stick cookware.
What you need is a cast-iron pan like this one. It makes an enormous difference! Plus, it allows you to finish the filet mignon in the oven after pan searing, which is an important step.
5. Time It Right
After your perfect filet mignon gets a nice sear on the stove, finish it in the oven to achieve the right level doneness. Everyone’s preferences are different, but I highly recommend cooking it medium rare, or at least no more than medium. This is a very lean cut of meat, so it will be dry if you overcook it.
How Long To Cook Filet Mignon In The Oven?
Use a meat thermometer to test your filet mignon recipe for doneness. Do not cut it open to check!
The following is a guide for how long to cook filet mignon in the oven:
- Rare – 125°F (~5 minutes for a 2″ thick steak)
- Medium Rare – 130°F (~6 minutes for a 2″ thick steak)
- Medium – 140°F (~7 minutes for a 2″ thick steak)
- Medium Well – 155°F (~8 minutes for a 2″ thick steak)
TIP: The meat temperature will rise another five degrees as it rests (see #6 below). The guidelines above are the temperature that the steak should be when you take it out of the oven, before resting.
6. Let It Rest
You may be impatient to cut into your steak immediately after cooking, but don’t do it! All the juices will spill out onto the plate and you’ll end up with a dry steak.
Instead, letting the steak rest for a few minutes will let the juices re-absorb into the meat, leaving you with the juicy filet mignon that you want.
7. Keep It Simple
A perfect filet mignon recipe means that the steak stands out on its own! You really don’t need to douse it in steak sauce or anything.
However, I do love this steak sauce or chimichurri sauce with other steak cuts! Try them if you make top sirloin steak in the oven, but with beef tenderloin they’re not usually needed.
For beef filet mignon, I love it with fresh garlic herb butter, as in the recipe below. Sometimes people add a crust or make it Oscar style with crab meat. More often than not, you’ll find that simple is best if the beef tenderloin is seasoned and cooked well.
That’s it! Are you ready to make the best filet mignon at home?
What To Serve With Filet Mignon
A perfect filet mignon recipe pairs well with simple side dishes. At restaurants, often these are mashed potatoes or Brussels sprouts. Here are some homemade options:
Tools To Make Cast Iron Filet Mignon:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Cast Iron Skillet – This is crucial for getting the heat high enough for a great sear on your filet mignon. Plus, it goes straight into the oven.
- Meat Thermometer – Unlike other, this reads super quickly and accurately, so you avoid overcooking your steak.
- Cooking Alarm Thermometer – You can set the desired internal temperature on this thermometer and it will beep when it’s ready, for the perfect filet mignon every time.
The Best Filet Mignon Recipe with Garlic Herb Butter (Beef Tenderloin):
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RECIPE CARD
The Best Filet Mignon Recipe with Garlic Herb Butter (Beef Tenderloin)
Recipe Video
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Instructions
RECIPE TIPS + VIDEO in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Mash together half of the butter (1 tablespoon, 14 g), rosemary, thyme, and garlic. (Sprinkle in a little sea salt if using unsalted butter.) Form into a log and refrigerate until the last step.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
- Trim any connective tissue around the edges of the beef tenderloins. Season the filets liberally with sea salt and black pepper on both sides.
Heat the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, until the skillet is very hot. Melt the remaining butter (1 tablespoon, 14 g) in the skillet.
Add the filets. Sear for 2 minutes on each side, without moving them around.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake to desired level of doneness. (I recommend medium rare.) For a 2 in (5 cm)thick filet, that is 5 minutes for rare, 6 minutes for medium rare, 7 minutes for medium, or 8 minutes for medium well. Use a meat thermometer to check for the right temperature - 125 degrees F (52 degrees C) for rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium rare, 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium, and 155 degrees F (68 degrees C) for medium well. The temperature will rise by another 5 degrees F while resting (see next step).
Remove the filets from the oven and transfer to a plate. Top each with 1/2 tablespoon (7 g) of herb butter (slice the log of herb butter into four parts and put one on each steak). Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4 oz, or 1/2 of an 8-oz filet
Video Showing How To Make Filet Mignon:
Don't miss the VIDEO above - it's the easiest way to learn how to make Filet Mignon!
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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24 Comments
Dianna
My husband said this was the best filet he has ever eaten! Absolutely delicious
John
Not even close to the right cooking time. I did two and a half minutes on each side and four minutes in the oven and it came out medium well/well done. The steaks used were 8oz 1.25” thick. This recipe isn’t even close to right.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi John, I stated several times in the post as well as in the main recipe instructions that the cook times are for 2-inch-thick steaks. You’d definitely need to reduce the cook time for the same level of doneness on a 1.25-inch-thick steak. I always recommend using a meat thermometer to check steaks for doneness, but even better, prefer a probe like this so that you don’t have to open the oven or guess when to check. Hope this helps for next time!
Annette
I am confused…It looks like you are cooking it as a roast, not separate steaks Which way is best to cook it, and where do you find the whole roast?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Annette, Filet mignon doesn’t come as a roast, these are separate steaks.
Kelly
It does come as a roast, beef tenderloin, then cut into steaks.
Jessica Balser
I sear ribeyes, sirloins and strip steaks all the time and serve with a compound butter. But I found some filets on sale so I wanted to get the low down on exactly how long best method etc to cook them. I’m making them tomorrow. But I just wanted to tell u I love your site and I loved your story about the steakhouse. One word of advice, if you haven’t already, girl open that bottle of champagne!! You never know what’s going to happen in life. So I say make the special occasion drinking a bottle of champagne with your man. And enjoy it!! You only live once!!
Brenda
The recipe sounds wonderful. Will the times be the same with a 3 lb tenderloin?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Brenda, The process will be the same but it will take longer in the oven. I recommend a meat probe to know for sure when to take it out.
Brenda Smith
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it!
Elizabeth Burke
Sounds delish but you don’t mention oven temp in your blog.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Elizabeth, The oven temperature is on the recipe card above.
Doreen
Scrummy! If there is such a word! Thanks Maya! Another winner!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yay! I am so happy you liked it, Doreen! Have a nice day!
Toni
Loved this recipe. It was so helpful having the temperatures listed out. My steaks were perfectly cooked! Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Toni!
Nicole
The compound butter is so simple but it adds so much flavor. There are a couple brands that have a premade compound butter if you don’t have time to make your own too!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Nicole!
Jessie A.
Can I make the butter log the night before and refrigerate? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jessie, Yes, absolutely!
Matthew Sarratt
Just tried this method – absolutely BEST steak I’ve ever had! (Not bragging). Very quick to make.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Matthew! I’m so glad you liked it!
Katie Dunn
I have never heard of trimming the edges on a filet mignon before, but I like the idea! However, I now see that I’ve been cooking this piece of meat wrong all along, and so I’m going to start doing that. If the trimmings are fatty, however, I may still cut them off but keep them in the pan so that the meat can soak up the flavor from the fat.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Katie! The edges around a filet mignon are typically connective tissue, not fat, so they don’t provide extra flavor by cooking with them. It does apply to other cuts of meat, just not usually a beef tenderloin. You don’t have to cut it off, but you’ll notice that restaurants do cut off the connective tissue.