How to Cook Filet Mignon (BEST Filet Mignon Recipe)
Skip the steakhouse and learn how to cook filet mignon perfectly at home. This is an easy and melt-in-your-mouth tender filet mignon recipe.
Servings: 4
Print
Pin
Ingredients
- 4 filet mignon steaks about 1.5” thick, look for steaks that are a similar shape and size
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped*
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped*
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped*
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Remove the filet mignon steaks from the fridge. Pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. Let them rest on a plate at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- While the steaks are resting, make the garlic and herb butter. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (if you’re going to use a nonstick skillet, see notes)**. Once hot, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Once the oil is hot, place the steaks in the skillet. Sear for about 2-3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second side, or until a golden-brown crust forms. Next, use tongs to roll them on their sides in the skillet for 1 minute to get a golden-brown crust on the edges, too.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 5-6 minutes for medium-rare, or until the internal temperature reads 125°F on an instant read meat thermometer, keeping in mind that there will be some carryover cooking as the steak rests. Adjust the time if you prefer your steak more or less done. Keep in mind that it’s recommended to cook steaks to an internal temperature of 145°F, but individual preferences vary. See the blog post above to learn how to use the finger test to check the doneness of your steak quickly and easily. See the notes below for different levels of doneness.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and top each steak with a dollop of the herb and garlic butter. Tent with aluminum foil and let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and the butter to absorb into the steak.
Notes
*This means you measure it before you dice it. If you dice it before measuring it, you'll end up with too much.
**If you plan to use a nonstick skillet and then transfer the steaks to a baking sheet, the timing and remaining instructions will stay the same. Just keep in mind that the steaks won’t have as nice of a crust. For reference, if you look at the photo of the three steaks that was taken from above, the two with the melted herb and garlic butter were cooked in a cast iron skillet, and the one with butter that hasn’t melted was cooked in a nonstick skillet and then transferred to a baking sheet.
***Store any leftover steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
****Depending on the level of doneness you want, these are the temperatures you’re looking for:
- RARE: Initial internal temperature of 120°F, rest time of 5 minutes, internal temperature after resting of 125°F.
- MEDIUM RARE: Initial internal temperature of 130°F, rest time of 5 minutes, internal temperature after resting of 135°F.
- MEDIUM: Initial internal temperature of 140°F, rest time of 5 minutes, internal temperature after resting of 145°F.
- MEDIUM WELL: Initial internal temperature of 150°F, rest time of 5 minutes, internal temperature after resting of 155°F.
- WELL DONE: Initial internal temperature of 160°F, rest time of 5 minutes, internal temperature after resting of 165°F.
Nutrition
Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 69.8g | Fat: 38.8g | Fiber: 0.3g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.