How to cook Filet Mignon like a French Chef. Filet Mignon is one of the most tender cuts of steak and when cooked properly at home feels very luxurious.
Le Chef and I enjoy serving steak at home because, like with the Seared Scallops and Leeks in White Wine appetizer, the star of the show is the product. There are no fussy cooking techniques, no long list of ingredients - just simple, really good steak. Less dishes to clean up afterwards and more enjoyment in the cooking process.
How to cook Filet Mignon in a Pan
Filet Mignon is an expensive cut of meat so you want to make sure you are cooking it properly. When done right it is so satisfying! You can have a restaurant worthy date night at home for a fraction of the cost and without the babysitter.
Equipment Needed
- A good non stick Frying Pan. I use this All clad pan every. single. day.
- Kitchen Tongs are very useful for skillfully flipping the steaks over. Le Chef taught me to always use tongs.
Ingredients
- 2 Filet Mignon Steaks, 7 oz each
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 Rosemary Sprig
- 3 cloves of Garlic, skin on but crushed slightly with the back of your knife (this releases the flavors)
- sprinkle of Sel de Camargue
How to cook Filet Mignon in a Pan
- Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Place the Filet Mignon, the garlic and a sprig of rosemary in the pan. (I recommend leaving your steaks out on the counter 30 minutes before cooking - they cook best when they are at room temperature)
- Sear for 2 minutes then add the butter.
- Baste** the steaks for 2 minutes more then flip over and baste frequently for another 4 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the sel de camargue or simply salt and pepper as you serve.
- Following this recipe should result in medium rare steaks. Steak thickness, stove temperature and pan type can all greatly vary the cooking times. Keep an eye on your steak, you want it to still be supple to the touch to avoid overcooking it.
Expert Tips
- Ask the butcher for 2 similar cuts of meat in size and thickness. In full disclosure, I had two different sized cuts of filet for when I was making this post and it makes for different doneness levels in the same cooking time. If that is what you want, perfect! But you and your date both want to eat medium rare, I suggest the same size steaks.
- A meat thermometer is a sure fire way to gage desired temperature for your steaks, however we rarely use one in our house as the delicious juices run out of the steak every time you poke at it. Use with caution.
- Pat your meat dry before cooking! So important when you want to get a good brown crust on your steaks.
- Use olive oil and butter to cook your Filet Mignon. Olive oil is best for holding up while cooking, the butter is used for basting.
- Add garlic cloves, cracked open but skin on, and a whole sprig of rosemary to your pan to flavor the butter.
- To "baste" the Filet Mignon, add the butter to the hot pan. Tilt the pan slightly to scoop up the melted butter and olive oil with a soup spoon and pour it on top of each of the steaks alternatively.
- No need to pop this steak in the oven to finish cooking. Filet cuts are small enough that they can cook beautifully in the pan. When cooking a larger steak, like a Ribeye, finishing in the oven is recommended.
- Filet Mignon cooks quickly and should be ready to serve immediately. Meaning: Set the table, make sure you have everything you need on the table (pepper, glass of water , wine etc) THEN start cooking the steak. Not having to pop up every 5 seconds to get one more thing from the kitchen helps to make your homemade meal feel more like a restaurant experience.
- I don't recommend that you grill steak like Filet Mignon as it is so small that you risk to overcook it.
- A cast iron skillet is great for getting a deeper sear on the meat if you have one.
What to serve with Filet Mignon:
Steak Side Dishes
Here are some delicious side dishes to enjoy with your steak:
Sautéed Haricots Verts (French Green Beans)
Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Roasted Plum, Goat Cheese & Lemon Thyme Salad Recipe
Tomato Burrata Salad with Basil and Orange Zest
You will find a complete list of Steak Side Dishes here.
What to do with leftover steak?
Store the steak in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to reheat a steak?
Never, ever reheat a steak in the microwave. It literally steams the steak and you end up with boiled meat. Not good. I like to thinly slice the leftover steak and quickly reheat it in a hot pan with some olive oil. The steak slices can be eaten as is or turned into a seared steak salad or even steak tacos!
Other Le Chef's Wife Recipes You will Enjoy:
Simple Roast Rack of Lamb and Potatoes
Lemon Thyme French Roast Chicken (Poulet Rôti)
Roasted pork tenderloin with apples and sage
Mediterranean Branzino Filet Recipe with Vierge Sauce
Let me know if you are cooking any of my recipes, I love to hear from you!
Bon Appétit,
Le Chef's Wife
ABOUT LE CHEF'S WIFE
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were recently featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
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Filet Mignon Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
How to cook Filet Mignon like a French Chef. The trick to creating a beautiful crust and a juicy , flavorful steak at home.
Ingredients
2 Filet Mignon Steaks, 7 oz each
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 Rosemary Sprig
3 cloves of Garlic, skin on but crushed slightly with the back of your knife (this releases the flavors)
sprinkle of Sel de Camargue
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Place the Filet Mignon, the garlic and a sprig of rosemary in the pan.
Sear for 2 minutes then add the butter.
Baste** the steaks for 2 minutes more then flip over and baste frequently for another 4 minutes.
Remove from the pan and serve immediately. Sprinkle with the sel de camargue as you serve.
Following this recipe should result in medium rare steaks. Steak thickness, stove temperature and pan type can all greatly vary the cooking times. Keep an eye on your steak, you want it to still be supple to the touch to avoid overcooking it.
Notes
- Ask the butcher for 2 similar cuts of meat in size and thickness. In full disclosure, I had two different sized cuts of filet for when I was making this post and it makes for different doneness levels in the same cooking time. If that is what you want, perfect! But you and your date both want to eat medium rare, I suggest the same size steaks.
- Pat your meat dry before cooking! So important when you want to get a good brown crust on your steaks.
- Use olive oil and butter to cook your Filet Mignon. Olive oil is best for holding up while cooking, the butter is used for basting.
- Add garlic cloves, cracked open but skin on, and a whole sprig of rosemary to your pan to flavor the butter.
- **To "baste" the Filet Mignon, add the butter to the hot pan. Tilt the pan slightly to scoop up the melted butter and olive oil with a soup spoon and pour it on top of each of the steaks alternatively.
- No need to pop this steak in the oven to finish cooking. Filet cuts are small enough that they can cook beautifully in the pan. When cooking a larger steak, like a Ribeye, finishing in the oven is recommended.
- Filet Mignon cooks quickly and should be ready to serve immediately. Meaning: Set the table, make sure you have everything you need on the table (pepper, glass of water , wine etc) THEN start cooking the steak. Not having to pop up every 5 seconds to get one more thing from the kitchen helps to make your homemade meal feel more like a restaurant experience.
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