How to Cook Filet Mignon at Home

Cooking filet mignon can feel a little intimidating because no one wants to mess up an expensive steak. But here’s the truth: once you know how to cook filet mignon the right way, it’s actually one of the easiest, most forgiving cuts of beef you can make at home.

No grill required, no fancy chef skills needed, just a simple method that works every single time. Tender, juicy, restaurant-quality filet mignon made right in your own kitchen.

In college there were only a couple of restaurants and quickly Texas Roadhouse became my favorite. A Dallas filet, loaded baked potato, no sour cream and house salad with ranch. It was my go-to and I’ve never forgotten that Dallas filet!

Over the years, I have become such a home body though. Is that normal? Once you become “middle-aged”, hitting the town starts to lose it’s appeal? Is that thing? Well, it’s a thing for me, and going out for Valentine’s Day along with every other human just sounds blah! So I’m cooking a fancy (but so easy) dinner at home again this year. Filet mignon it is! All the fancy restaurants can eat their heart out!

What You Need to Cook Filet Mignon at Home

You only need a few simple ingredients to add flavor to the filets, a good cast iron skillet and a pair of tongs. It really is that easy! Oh, a meat thermometer is very helpful too if you have one!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Filet Mignon: A tender, buttery cut of beef that cooks quickly and stays incredibly juicy.
  • PRO TIP: Look for evenly sized steaks so they cook at the same rate.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances the natural flavor of the steak and helps create a beautiful crust.
• Ground Black Pepper: Adds just enough warmth and bite to balance the richness of the filet without overpowering it.
• Oil: Used to get a hot, even sear. Choose a neutral oil with a higher smoke point so the steak browns beautifully without burning.
• Unsalted Butter: Melted into the pan at the end for basting, adding richness and that classic steakhouse flavor.
• Garlic: Cloves infuse the butter with savory flavor as the steak finishes cooking.
• Fresh Rosemary: Adds a subtle, woodsy flavor that makes the steak extra delicious.
• Fresh Thyme: Brings a soft, earthy note that pairs perfectly with beef and butter for a restaurant-quality finish.

How to Make Juicy Filet Mignon

1. Prep: Pull the steaks from the fridge to come to room temperature. Season each steak heavily with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 475°F.
2. Sear: Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat for 3-5 minutes, then carefully drizzle with oil. Using tongs, gently place the steaks salted side down and sear for 2-3 minutes.
3. Flip: Season the other side then flip the steak using the tongs and sear for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
4. Finish in the Oven: Add the butter, garlic and herbs to the skillet and place the skillet into the oven. Cook for 4-7 minutes.
   • NOTE: Use a meat thermometer in the thickest portion of the filet and pull from the oven when the internal temperature is 5 degrees below your desired doneness (see section below).
5. Rest: Remove from the oven and tent with foil for 2-5 minutes. This step is crucial for a juicy filet mignon. Don’t skip it!
6. Baste: Baste with butter and serve.

How to Tell when Filet Mignon is Done

Everyone has their preferred level of doneness when it comes to steaks, so it’s completely up to you. Here are the internal temperatures for filet mignon:

• 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 (gentle pink center with clear juices)
• Well done: 160°F (fully cooked through, no longer pink at all, all grey meat)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One of the biggest mistakes when cooking filet mignon is starting with a cold steak. It needs to be pulled out of the fridge early and brought to room temperature. Cooking a cold steak leads to uneven cooking.

Filet mignon needs to be both pan seared first and then finished in the oven. A pan seared filet mignon has a delicious crust on the outside, but that isn’t enough to cook it all the way through. Finishing in the oven brings the steaks to a safe internal temperature. This is the best way to cook filet mignon.

Once a steak is done, it’s so tempting to jump in and devour it, but the resting period is crucial. The juices redistribute while it rests making it even more tender and melt-in-your-mouth.

What to Serve with Filet Mignon

For me, the perfect meal is filet mignon with some vegetables on the side, a starch and a carb…bread, yes, always bread! Here are a few of my favorites:

Vegetables: Roasted Broccoli, Grilled Asparagus, or Strawberry Spinach Salad

Starch: Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Herb Potatoes, or Baked Potatoes

Bread: Herbed Focaccia, Crusty Artisan Loaf, or Potato Rolls

Storing and Reheating

Filet mignon is best eaten fresh, but if you have leftovers, they should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for 4-5 days. I actually prefer to slice leftovers so they are easier to reheat.

When leftovers are cut into slices, then I just give each slice a quicky little sear in a skillet on the stove before serving. If the steak is still whole, I prefer to reheat it in the oven at 250 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. When I’m feeling really ambitious, I’ll reverse sear each side for about a minute to get that yummy crust back.

If you’ve ever wondered how restaurants get filet mignon so tender and flavorful, now you know! It’s not magic, and it’s definitely not complicated. With the right technique and a little confidence, you can cook filet mignon at home that’s just as impressive as anything you’d order at a restaurant.

Whether it’s for an anniversary dinner, a Valentine’s dinner, or just because you’re craving a really good steak, this filet mignon steak recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again!

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