When Trevor and I were engaged, we went back to my hometown to spend some time with my family. To celebrate the engagement, my dad took us to a very nice steakhouse I had always wanted to try. I ordered a crusted filet mignon, and I still remember it as one of my favorite meals I have ever eaten.
A steakhouse quality filet mignon is achievable at home, especially if you follow a few easy steps to ensure your success. This version is an homage to that memorable meal years ago, with a flavorful horseradish and parmesan crust. If you don’t want a crusted filet, you can skip this step and still have an amazing steakhouse filet at home.
I have cooked filet mignon at home many times, and here are a few tips that I have found most successful in producing the best results:
- Allow meat to come to room temperature before cooking. This allows for much more even cooking.
- Be generous with seasoning. Filet mignon tends to be thick so the seasoning on the outside will need to be enough to carry through every bite.
- Make sure your pan is hot to achieve the perfect sear. I always cook steaks in a cast iron pan, since they heat so evenly and can be transferred to the oven. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, use a skillet that can handle high temperatures, including in the oven.
- Don’t be tempted to keep moving the meat or flipping repeatedly. The goal is to leave the meat undisturbed, get a perfect sear, and then flip.
- Use a good meat thermometer. Once you have the timing and feel down, you may choose to skip this step. I always use one though because it yields the most consistent results for me, since oven temperatures can vary slightly and influence total cooking time.
- Especially for this crusted recipe, try to find thick cut pieces of filet mignon. It they are very thin, the filets will likely be done before the crust is crisped up. I have found that about 2 inches thick is a good thickness to get a medium doneness and crisped crust with the below instructions.
- For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons horseradish
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
- For the steaks:
- 4 thick (at least 2 inches) beef tenderloin filets
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot, quartered
- 4-5 sprigs thyme
- Remove filets from fridge to allow to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season filets evenly and generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a small bowl, stir together all the topping ingredients, then set aside.
- In a large cast iron skillet or other oven safe pan, melt butter over medium-high to high heat, allowing butter and pan to get hot. Add filets to the pan (being careful to not splatter hot butter). Add shallot and thyme to the pan. Allow filets to sear without moving them for about 2-3 minutes to get a nice brown sear. Flip to sear the other side for another 2 minutes or so until nicely browned. While it sears, spoon a little of the melted butter over the top.
- Once seared on both sides, carefully remove pan from heat. Spoon topping mixture over the tops of the filets evenly, then immediately transfer pan to the oven. Bake in preheated oven for about 5-8 minutes, until internal temp of 140 degrees F for medium doneness (or until desired temp/doneness). Topping should be crisped up as well. Once done remove from oven and immediately transfer filets to a plate. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Leave a Reply