Perfect Filet Mignon

This is the perfect way to cook Filet Mignon at home – simple, flavorful and absolutely juicy. Great for Valentine’s Day or any time you want to make a special dinner!

To be honest, this is the first year of my life I’m remotely interested in Valentine’s Day – maybe because I’ve finally realized what an opportunity for a special dinner I’ve been missing!

I think Filet Mignon is the quintessential entrée for a romantic night at home (not just on Valentine’s Day – any date night in qualifies 😉). It’s a very special cut you wouldn’t buy for an everyday kind of meal, and it’s quick to prepare.

It’s definitely a dish to wow your loved one with and I’ll show you just how simple it is to cook it to perfection!

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

Ingredient notes

• Filet steaks: Filet steaks/filet mignons are a little different depending on the continent you’re on. In Europe, they are cut from one specific end of the beef tenderloin and weigh about 3-4 ounces each. In the US, they are often cut from the whole center tenderloin and are cut in much larger portions, around 6-8 ounces per steak. If you want to use a European cut in the US, look for “Petite Filet Mignon”. I used “regular American” steaks cut from the middle of a beef tenderloin, about 6 ounces each. No matter what you use, there is no difference in the cooking method, just in the cooking time. Petite filet mignons cook even quicker than larger ones, so you need to watch them carefully.
• Garlic: I highly, highly recommend using fresh garlic cloves in this recipe. So delicious!
• Oil: I use a neutral cooking oil for searing the steak. I highly recommend sticking to oil, then use butter only in the oven. Butter tends to burn quicker, while oil is better-suited for the very high temperature we’re using for the searing part.

How to cook Filet Mignon

1. Start by removing your Filet Mignons from the fridge about 30-60 minutes before cooking them. Just unwrap them, place them on a plate, salt/pepper them and let them sit on the counter. This is a major part in yielding tender, juicy steaks.

2. Once ready, heat the oven to 360°F and place a cast-iron skillet over high heat on your stove.

Let it heat up well, then add the oil and sear your filet steaks without moving them until a brown crust forms on the bottom and they easily release from the pan. Flip and sear/brown the other side in the same way.

(They take about 2-3 minutes per side for 6-8oz steaks; 1-2 minutes for 4oz petite steaks).

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3. Immediately take the pan off the heat, then add the butter, garlic and rosemary to the pan. The butter will splatter and melt immediately. I like to baste the steaks with a few tablespoons of the butter before adding them to the oven.

4. Place the skillet in the hot oven for 2-8 minutes, depending on how done you like your beef and the exact size of your Filet Mignons. Mine took 3 minutes to cook to medium-rare.

As a rule of thumb, 5 minutes will yield fillet steaks cooked to about medium. 3-4 minutes will yield medium-rare fillet steaks. 2 minutes will yield rare fillet steaks. 6-7 minutes will yield medium-well and 8 minutes well-done fillet steaks. The exact timing depends on your exact Filet Mignon weight and thickness.

5. Once done, you’ll want to remove the skillet from the oven. Remove the Filet Mignons to a plate, tent with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with the butter and garlic from the pan.

Recipe tips

No reverse sear? No, sorry, not from me. I know many people swear by the reverse sear, but I’ve tried it so many times, and with so many steak cuts… And while it turns out OK, I much prefer the “classic” way.

If you want to try a reverse sear, I will not keep you from it! I can only speak from my personal experience. (And from my husband’s… He cooked in many high-end European restaurants listed in the Michelin guide, and he says not once did they reverse-sear a steak.)

I only reverse sear when I cook meats sous-vide, in which case it makes total sense to me. But for regular cooking, I sear and then finish in the oven. Works perfectly if you ask me, and I live by the mantra to never change a winning team.

Room temperature meat: Don’t forget to remove your Filet Mignons from the fridge 30-60 minutes before you want to cook them. This is crucial to yield a juicy fillet that’s not tough. Just unwrap, place them on a plate and season. Then just leave them on the counter for 30-60 minutes until you’re ready to start.

Searing time and temperature: Stick to a short but hot sear. You really just want a nice, caramelized crust on the outside without the heat going too far inside yet.

Do not move the meat around in the pan. Leave it in place for 2-3 minutes, then carefully check the bottom. If the meat doesn’t release at all from the pan yet, give it more time. If it doesn’t have a nice crust yet, give it more time, too.

Thermometer: I highly recommend working with a meat thermometer, preferably one where you can stick the probe into your meat and then connect to the thermometer through an oven-safe wire. You leave the thermometer in your fillet and close the oven door, then you can pull it at exactly the right time!

I recommend inserting the thermometer through the side, not the top. Makes for a cleaner presentation and it’s easier.

Oven temperature: It is not necessary to finish the steak at a high temperature in the oven. The skillet is blazing hot and still transfers a lot of heat to the meat anyways, and you just want the heat to go through the steak without the outside ending up too done.

Air fryer instructions: If you have an air fryer, you can finish the steak in the air fryer for absolutely perfect results. Pre-heat the air fryer for 5 minutes on its highest setting while you’re searing the meat. Air fry your Filet Mignons for 2-3 minutes at 360°F, then leave them in the air fryer basket with the air fryer switched off and the basket almost closed until they reach your desired internal temperature, about 1-3 more minutes.

For the pan sauce, just place the butter, garlic cloves and rosemary into the skillet with the juices from searing. Place on the stove over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes and serve with your fillet steaks.

Resting: Do not skip the resting time, it’s crucial to retain the juices and ensure your meat is tender. I know it’s tempting to cut right into a sizzling hot Filet Mignon… but I promise the rest exists for a reason.

Slicing: Always slice against the grain, not with the grain. It’s easier, looks neater and according to my non-scientifically-proven opinion… also tastes better.

Internal temperature for beef fillet

The doneness of your Filet Mignons is best checked for with a food thermometer (affiliate link)- it’s really difficult to gauge it correctly in any other way, especially if you’re not experienced with cooking delicate cuts of meat.

I definitely do not trust myself to cook meat correctly without a food thermometer, I use it for absolutely everything, including cake; it takes the guesswork out of cooking and baking! Get one! ASAP!

Here are the internal temperature recommendations for different levels of doneness:

• Rare: 125°F (red with red juices)
• Medium Rare: 130°F (deep pink with reddish juices)
• Medium: 140°F (light pink with clearer juices)
• Medium well: 150°F  (slightly pink center with clear juices)
• Well done: 160°F (fully cooked through, no longer pink at all)

The USDA recommends an internal temperature of at least 145°F for beef, for safe consumption, followed by a 3 minute rest. See full chart. I always choose medium-rare to medium when I eat steak, my husband eats steak rare to medium-rare. I do cook it to 145°F for our children. But it’s your personal choice to do what’s right for you and your family.

That being said, the fillet steaks do cook quickly this way. The skillet is HOT and transfers a lot of heat. I choose a blazing hot sear and then a medium-high oven temperature (360°F) because the steak basically just needs the heat to go through it at this point. My Filet Mignons were quite thick, yet only took 3 minutes to get to medium-rare.

Trust me, get a food thermometer (affiliate link). Cook your proteins accurately. They taste a LOT better this way!

Serving ideas

There is no pairing more classic than steak and potatoes – a match made in heaven! And I love potatoes in many different ways to go with a decadent Filet Mignon:

• Roasted baby potatoes or roasted fingerling potatoes
• Smashed potatoes
• Air Fryer French Fries
• Some people love mashed potatoes (or instant pot mashed potatoes) with their steak – not my favorite with regular steak, but definitely special with Filet Mignon!

As far as vegetables go, you can’t go wrong with mushrooms or with a green vegetable here:

• Roasted asparagus (or air fryer asparagus) is very classy for a special dinner
• Sautéed green beans (or air fryer green beans)
• Roasted broccoli (or air fryer broccoli)
• Roasted brussels sprouts
• Garlic butter baked mushrooms

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PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!