How to Buy Filet Mignon

Considering that a real filet mignon is a very tender and incredibly lean beef cut, not to mention hard to get and very expensive, it is extremely important to prepare it correctly. Before you think about cooking, starting with a great piece of meat is the first step. Filet mignon may be the best meat cut, but you have to bear in mind that it comes in different grades. If you want to get the best quality, you need to know how to correctly choose your meat when you buy.

The Color

First, you have to know the qualities of a great filet mignon. One of the factors you need to pay attention to when you’re planning to buy this cut is the steak’s color. Never purchase meat that has a darkening tinge or grayish tinge to it. A good filet mignon cut must be bright red, drawing towards a dark red shade. This will tell that the steak you’ve chosen is still very fresh.

The Fat

The low fat content of filet mignon steaks doesn’t mean that it will be less flavorful than you might desire it to be if cooked incorrectly. To avoid having a bland steak, you need to cook your meat with care. With the consideration of the above-mentioned color, you also need to bear in mind that the fat that you can see on the meat will also be a good sign of quality. Very yellow or dingy fat isn’t desirable. Make sure that the fat seen on the filet comes close to a true white. You might actually be surprised with the difference between red and white on the meat. To ensure proper and thorough cooking, watch out for consistent thickness. A steak which is thin in a certain spot and thick in another area will result in an uneven cooking, with the meat turning out to be underdone or dry.

Dry or Wet Aged?

Another area to pay close attention to when searching for a great filet mignon steak is dry aging. This will surely cost more but you will be guaranteed a more flavorful taste. This steak happens to have a stronger smell.

Bear in mind that most beef are wet aged, thus producing an inferior steak. The reason for this is that wet aging has a tendency to preserve a lot of water which will allow greater profit from the beef and a much faster process in aging. However, the taste of the meat won’t be as good and at the same time, it also won’t be as tender.

Additional Criteria

Looking for specialty meats is advisable if you want additional flavor for your filet mignon steaks. Pasture raised meats are said to acquire stronger flavor which makes it more interesting compared to conventional finished steaks.

Looking at the source of the steaks would also help. Know the reputation of the place where you want to purchase or order the steaks. Take heed of the reviews they get from other buyers. Pay close attention to how the vendor answers your queries and whether they give clear and concise answer.

There are still a lot of things you need to think of when you’re planning to purchase filet mignon steaks. Taking note of the above-mentioned tips would surely give you a great deal of idea when it comes to choosing the perfect steak when you buy. By taking your time in making sure that you’re going to get the perfect cut, you’ll find that this way, you’re guaranteed to purchase a much more delicious beef cut. Even if filet mignons are naturally very tender, they have a tendency to become tasteless unless you’ll painstakingly try to select the perfect cut.