Filet Mignon at the Roast Recipe

Your choice of roast is the first thing that you need to think about when you want to prepare filet mignon roast. If you intend to prepare it for a special occasion, it’s advisable to reserve early with your butcher just in case they still need to order it in. Not all meat stores hold a large stock of this expensive meat. Before you purchase one out of the case, bear in mind that tenderloin is not the same with filet mignon roast.

You need to know that this cut of meat has very little amount of fat when you consider cooking your filet mignon roast. For all that tenderness, you do have yourself a tradeoff; unlike other cuts of meat, filet mignon doesn’t have a strong beefy flavor. To make up for this, it’s ideal to coat filet mignon with a flavorful rub or serve it with gravy that’s made from drippings.

Ingredients

For the Beef

Whole beef tenderloin – 1 piece of 4-5 pound trimmed tenderloin, tied every 3 inches, tail end that’s tucked under

Kosher salt – 2 tsp, coarse

Ingredients for the Sauce

Beef stock – simple, homemade

Tawny or Ruby Port – 1 cup

Black pepper – 1 tsp, coarsely cracked

Rosemary – 1 fresh sprig

Brandy or Cognac – 3 tbsp

Shallots – 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Unsalted butter – 4 tbsp (half stick), chilled, divided

Ingredients for Roasting

Extra-virgin olive oil – 2 tbsp

Black pepper corns – 2 tbsp, coarsely cracked

Preparation

For the Beef

Sprinkle kosher salt on the whole surface of your beef tenderloin. Set beef on a rack set over a baking sheet which is large-rimmed. Keep it uncovered and refrigerate for about 24-36 hours.

For the Sauce

Get a large saucepan and put it on a stove set on medium-low heat. Melt butter when the pan is hot enough. Add the shallots and sauté for about 3 minutes until tender. Add rosemary, black pepper and cognac. Cook for about one minute or until there’s no more liquid left. Add port and bring to a boil. Add beef stock and boil for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Strain into a medium-sized saucepan. Press on the solids to get as much liquid as you possibly can. Throw away the solids from the strainer.

For Roasting

Let your meat stay in a room temperature for about one hour before roasting. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Position rack in the center of the oven. Rub oil all over filet mignon roast and drizzle with cracked peppercorns. Put the beef on the rack for roasting. Cooking time should take about 30 minutes. Take the roast from the oven and leave it to rest for about 15 minutes.

Get your sauce and bring it to a boil. Whisk in the remaining butter. Season the sauce with pepper and salt to taste.

Cut the string off from the roast. Do crosswise cutting on the filet mignon roast, 1/2-inch thick for each slice. Arrange well on a platter with the option of putting garnish. Serve with desired sauce.

Tips

Dry brining or putting salt in advance is commonly done to improve the sinewy cuts of the meat’s texture. But it also work wonders on tender cuts like the filet mignon, increasing the juiciness and flavor. To do this, water is first drawn out from the meat and then reabsorbed. The more flavorful and saltier moisture will help intensify the taste. What’s more, the tenderloin’s exterior slightly dries out, thus, browning is quicker when you cook it in the oven.