Cooking Filet Mignon - How to Cook Filet Mignon Guide
In cooking filet mignon, a very important thing that should be remembered is that it should only be cooked until medium rare. This is essential since overcooking filet mignon will take away its tenderness when it becomes dry, losing its flavor in the process. Dry cooking method like broiling, roasting, grilling and frying is the best cooking option for this cut of meat. Since filet mignon has very low fat content, bacon slices are usually attached to it to help enhance its flavor as well as preventing it from drying out during cooking. Here is a complete How To:
Different Ways To Cook Filet Mignon
There are not as many possibilities to cook your filet mignon as there are filet mignons, but we have still some options worth having a closer look at:
Cooking Filet Mignon In An Oven
This is quite an easy procedure. However, before cooking filet mignon in the oven, it’s important to sear it first in a skillet. Before starting the cooking process, both sides of the meat must be seasoned with pepper and salt. Bacon slices can also be placed on both sides of the filet mignon, using toothpick in the process to secure it. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pan. Each side of the steak must be seared for about 3 minutes. When searing is done, place the steaks in a baking dish. Cook in a 275-degree F, pre-heated oven. Baking time must be just around 6-8 minutes if you want to get a medium-rare steak. Serve with steak sauce or butter.
Cooking Filet Mignon On A Grill
First thing to do in grilling filet mignon is to rub the steak with salt, pepper and steak spice (optional). Leave the steak to sit for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat grill to a medium-high temperature. When everything’s ready, put the steak on the grill. Cooking time is 3-5 minutes on each side. Piercing the steak with fork will make it dry because the juices will have a tendency to run out when you do this. Use tongs or spatula instead. Use a silver foil to cover the meat and leave it for another 5 minutes. Put on a dish and drizzle olive oil over your steak.
Cooking Filet Mignon On Stove
Season the filet mignon with pepper, salt and other desired seasonings. Pour 3 teaspoons of butter or margarine in a skillet. As soon as it’s heated, put 3 teaspoons of olive oil and mix them on high heat. Next step is to put the filet mignon in the heated pan. Once one side becomes golden brown, turn it over to cook the other side. Add another spoon of margarine or butter and cook for another minute. Take the cooked steak out and serve.
Additional Tips When Cooking Filet Mignon
- When choosing tenderloin or slices, opt for the lighter color steak over dark red. This would show more marbling which would make your filet mignon more tender
- Whole tenderloin is great to stuff
- You can use the touch method to see if your steak is already cooked. For rare filet mignon, the steak will be tender when touched and you can also see your finger’s imprint. For medium rare, it will still feel tender when you touch it but would not leave an imprint. If the steak feels hard or firm, it’s considered as overcooked. The touch method is the best way to check your steak’s tenderness because if the filet mignon is cut while in the process of cooking, there’s a great chance that the juices will run out causing dryness on the steak
- For shish-kebabs or fondue hot-pots, the most popular choice is the cubed tenderloin
- To guarantee even coking when whole tenderloin is roasted, the small end of the meat must be tied, tucked up or trimmed for other use

