Jump to Recipe
Making succulent filet mignon at home is much easier than you think!Think rich, tender beef with perfect seasoning and just the right sear! Here is our reliable method for cooking a perfect fillet steak with a delicious sauce to serve alongside.
Filet mignon has a special place in the steak pantheon, but it’s not alone! If you love spectacular steaks, you need to check out our Tomahawk Steak with Herb Butter!
Filet Mignon is quite possibly the most elegant of steaks, so no wonder it is often associated with a special occasion of sorts. This cut of beef is impossibly tender. The texture is often described as if it melts in your mouth.
This steak is especially delicious when enjoyed with a sauce since filet mignon is so lean, it benefits from a bit of extra fat added in.
It’s no secret that because this steak is highly revered, it is also priced accordingly. High. No one wants to buy an expensive piece of meat, then ruin it by incorrect cooking.
That might be the reason why people often order it in a restaurant instead, trusting a trained chef to deliver the best experience. While I have nothing against this strategy, I just want to point out that restaurant mark up could be quite painful, considering that filet mignon is already an expensive item.
Let me show you a fail proof method for cooking this cut of beef at home. But firstly, let’s look at what it actually is.
Filet Mignon vs Fillet Steak
Known by two different names in the US and UK, it is the same cut of beef, which comes from the tip of a beef tenderloin aka beef fillet. Once again the same thing, two different names.
These steaks are quite thick, as you can see in the photos above. So if a ribeye steak can be perfectly cooked on a grill or in a pan, the fillet steaks often need to be finished in the oven.
That being said, they do come in different sizes. For example, there are two sizes, that are shown in the first photo of the collage, 4 oz and 8 oz.
The 4 oz or 5 oz steaks could be easily cooked in a pan. While the 8 oz steaks will absolutely need a few minutes in the oven to achieve the perfect degree of doneness.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Take filet mignon steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking them. Bringing the meat to room temperature allows for a more even cooking.
- Make sure to pat them dry with a paper towel. We want the surface to be dry for searing instead of steaming.
- Season simply with coarse salt and pepper, then press the seasoning into the meat with the palm of your hand of a spatula.
- Cast iron pan is ideal for this type of cooking but another heavy bottom frying pan will do.
- Timings are giving for 2 X 8 oz/225 g steaks. The time in the oven will produce medium rare steak. If you prefer your steak medium increase the time to 7-10 minutes. For best results, use a meat thermometer to know exactly when your steaks are done.
- Always rest filet mignon for 10 minutes before cutting it.
- I share our very popular Mushroom Marsala Sauce recipe to go alongside this fillet steak but I also include a list of other amazing sauces for you to choose from.
Best Sauces for Filet Mignon
As I mentioned above, this steak is incredibly tender but lean. In my opinion, a sauce of some kind is absolutely necessary for the best experience.
You can make our mushroom Marsala sauce, as the recipe suggests, but another classic to serve with filet mignon is Bearnaise sauce. It’s famous for being a little tricky and labour intensive.
And because I want you to succeed I created an easier version. You can make the sauce in less than 10 minutes with the help of your blender!
Other creamy sauces, which I highly recommend are Cognac Mushroom Steak Sauce and White Wine and Mustard Sauce. For those of you avoiding cream, try this fantastic Sicilian Lemon Herb Sauce Salmoriglio. If you love chimichurri, you will love this one even more!
Serving suggestions
Steak and potatoes are a winning combination, but this is a good opportunity to choose an elevated potato side. Hasselback potatoes are my choice, which look as good as they taste!
Alongside a meal like this, you will want to add a bit of freshness. Depending on the season, I would reach for a celeriac remoulade or a herby summer tomato salad.
Storage and leftovers
Store leftover steak in the fridge for 3-4 days in a single layer, using plastic wrap or a container to make them airtight. Remember that the steak will keep releasing juices, so keep it on a lower shelf so it doesn’t leak onto other items.
Reheat by first placing it in an oven heated to 135C/275F on a wire rack overtop a baking sheet with sides to capture any juices that are released. Placing it on a wire rack allows air to circulate around the steak and heat it more evenly. For even better results, take it out of the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before reheating to allow it to slowly come to room temperature.
Keep it in the oven until the internal temperature rises to 45C/110F, then place it in a hot skillet with a little oil. Sear it on each side, which should take about 1 minutes. Let it rest on a plate for 5 minutes before serving.
More marsala recipes
- Meatballs with Marsala Cream Sauce
- Best Chicken Marsala
- Turkey Marsala Pot Pie
- Strawberry Marsala Cobbler
Perfect Filet Mignon with Mushroom Marsala Sauce
Julia Frey of Vikalinka
Making filet mignon at home is easier than you think! Here is our reliable method for the fillet steak and a great sauce to serve alongside.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 796 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 X 8 oz/225 g filet mignon/ fillet steaks
- coarse salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 100g/ 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary or thyme chopped
- 1 tbsp flour
- 125ml/1/2 cup Marsala wine
- 250ml/1 cup chicken or beef stock
- 125ml/1/2 cup heavy/double cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F.Take the steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before you intend to cookt hem. Preheat a cast iron pan or another heavy bottomed pan for about 5 minutes until screaming hot. (Make sure to have your extractor fan on or crack open a window.)
Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel, then brush with a little oil on both sides, generously season with coarse salt and pepper.
Place on a hot pan and gently press on the steaks for maximum contact with the surface of the pan, sear for 2 minutes on each side without moving the steaks. Make sure you sear the top, bottom and the sides equally. Once the searing is done, move to a small pan and finish in the preheated oven for 5-8 minutes until the temperature reaches 55C/130F for medium rare and 57C/135F for medium.
Take the filet mignon out of the oven and cover with foil, let stand for 10 minutes before serving. (These timings work for 8 oz steaks, reduce the oven time or skip it altogether if your steaks are smaller. 4 oz steaks do not need to go in the oven.)
Make the sauce while the steaks are in the oven and resting. In the same pan, heat the olive oil and saute the chopped onions over low heat for 5-7 minutes, then add the garlic and cook briefly for 30 seconds while stirring. Add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt, pepper and chopped rosemary and brown over medium heat until golden.
Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour and stir to coat. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine and let it bubble away for about 5 minutes until it's reduced by a half. Then add the stock and cook for 5 minutes longer. At the end stir in the double/heavy cream and let it warm through. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed, then take off the heat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving if using. Serve filet mignon with the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 796kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 57gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 235mgSodium: 1500mgPotassium: 1249mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 926IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 5mg
Keyword filet mignon
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
