Filet Mignon for Flavor - How?

cssmd27 · May 2020

How do you cook filet for flavor? I've been pretty unsuccessful since it's such a dry cut. Today, I'll be trying to essentially over season it and coat in oil and sit out for a few hours prior to searing on high heat. These are prime from a very high end butcher in California (Bryan Flannery), so the quality is very good.

Frankly, I've grown to hate the cut and never eat it or buy it. But, we have a friend over tonight that doesn't like fatty cuts (i.e. flavorful!) like strips or ribeyes and prefers filet. So, I'm accommodating him with his own steak. He'll be fine with however I cook it, but I still would like to get some flavor in it.

buzd504 · May 2020

Trim the eye of of a ribeye and tell him it’s a filet.

YukonRon · May 2020

Smoke with pecan, use gunpowder seasoning, rub it in after coating with evoo.
Cook medium rare. Not a ribeye, but it works.

cdnewman · May 2020

I do the amazing ribs 2 zone and smoke it (pecan) at 225 to internal of 120, baste with ghee and black pepper, then drop it on the hot zone and sear. Pull at 128-130. It doesn’t turn into a ribeye, but it does have more flavor than straight up sear on skillet. I think the ghee helps add some fat flavor as well. My wife loves fillet, though I’m indifferent for the same reasons you mention. For Mother’s Day doing some 6oz American Wagyu fillets from our neighbors at Devils Thumb Ranch. Will see how it goes.

brentm · May 2020

If you're saying fat=flavor and how to you make tenderloin more moist. I'd say the best thing you can do is watch your temperatures. Instant read thermometer is a must.

Hopefully your dinner guest has a refined enough pallet for mid-rare. And a nice glass of red wine....

Salt and pepper is about all I give them. Maybe a light coat of olive oil on the outside just so they won't stick to the grill. High temp sear for presentation and crust, then indirect until mid-rare.

I find they come out better if I do not use a tin-foil wrap to bring them up to temp. I do cheat occasionally, and when I rush the internal temp with foil, they're not as delicious.

The more well-done it is, the dryer it will become. That's my experience anyway. HTH!

nealmgb · May 2020

I cook bacon wrapped filets at 500 - 550, flipping every 1.5 - 2 minutes. Pull at 130 - 135.

Foghorn · May 2020

Compound butter on it you pull it off the grill.

pgprescott · May 2020

If you are going to do some version of a reverse sear, I recommend keeping the meat cold
in the fridge. This gives you a longer window to impart smoke flavor as the IT rises. Some Raising the steaks Dizzy Pig rub all around or Red eye for the coffee rub lovers will provide a fresh pop of
flavor to the neutral cut. I’m also a fan of some of the more flavorful cuts but that doesn’t mean I haven’t enjoyed some killer fillets in the past. Cheers!

RRP · May 2020

The only way I enjoy filet is quite rare and smothered with Bearnaise sauce made with butter and half and half! With the tenderness of filet that meal rocks my boat, but otherwise I won’t even buy filet.

SonVolt · May 2020

The texture of beef tenderloin lately has been a huge turn off for me. Like a cross between lamb and venison (except those I love).

Gulfcoastguy · May 2020

I second wrapping each filet with thin sliced bacon. That is the old school way of doing it. He can always take the bacon off before eating it or you can take it off before he sees it.

pgprescott · May 2020

Gulfcoastguy said:

I second wrapping each filet with thin sliced bacon. That is the old school way of doing it. He can always take the bacon off before eating it or you can take it off before he sees it.

It’s funny how there are different strokes for different folks. The classic bacon wrapped fillet is a no go for me. In fact I go out of my way to avoid buying them in that state. If I must, I discard the bacon first thing. I find it nearly impossible to properly cook the bacon to where I like it and hit the rare - mid rare temp on the fillet I prefer. That said, I’m a firm believer in eat what you like. Cheers!

GrateEggspectations · May 2020

My wife’s favourite cut is filet mignon, so we tend to have it more than any other cut. When cut thick, you can achieve a nice crust with a moist and tender interior. Just S&P. I’ve never had an issue with dryness, but I also never cook past med rare.

As per @RRP, béarnaise can be a nice complement to a filet. Here was my last go at one. It was anything but dry!

SonVolt · May 2020

pgprescott said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

I second wrapping each filet with thin sliced bacon. That is the old school way of doing it. He can always take the bacon off before eating it or you can take it off before he sees it.

It’s funny how there are different strokes for different folks. The classic bacon wrapped fillet is a no go for me. In fact I go out of my way to avoid buying them in that state. If I must, I discard the bacon first thing. I find it nearly impossible to properly cook the bacon to where I like it and hit the rare - mid rare temp on the fillet I prefer. That said, I’m a firm believer in eat what you like. Cheers!

I feel that way about most bacon wrapped things. Filet is so mild the bacon just over powers and that’s all you taste.

JohnInCarolina · May 2020

One of the best filets I’ve had was cooked SV by @henapple. I think the seasoning is a basic salt and pepper, or maybe some kind of steak seasoning. I don’t know, I really like this cut done this way. It was phenomenal.

ColbyLang · May 2020

I usually sous vide for an hour or hour and a half at 129°. Then sear on cast iron, about 1.5-2 minutes per side. Some sort of butter on top when it comes off.

GrateEggspectations · May 2020

My pics above are of a sous vided filet. I don’t know how some of y’all can pull off a cast iron sear. I find a pan finish raises the internal temp too much and instead generally use a torch.

Teefus · May 2020

I roll a chilled filet in melted bacon fat, then in a steak rub. Gille over a low fie. Never not yummy.

dannys · May 2020

FM Isn't one of the most flavorful cuts of beef. When I really want beefy flavor, I'll got with skirt steak. Plenty of flavor there.

If you aren't drying out your FM, your halfway home. When I want to add flavor, i'll do it with a sauce. Béarnaise is typical, but you can do a red wine reduction or (my favorite) a mushroom sauce. Tender beef and plenty of flavor.

Carolina Q · May 2020

Never understood the hate for filet on this forum. I find it more flavorful and certainly more tender, than any other steak cut. Just a little s&p does the trick. There's reason they are more expensive at virtually any steakhouse. Better is usually more expensive.

StillH2OEgger · May 2020

We usually go with strips or ribeyes and it had been years since I had filet, but two weeks ago I grabbed two at the butcher to go with some strips I was reverse searing. They were select grade, which made me nervous, but also like $8 a pound so no biggie if they ended up on sandwiches. A simple dry brine and a little steak rub was all we used and I was surprised how much we enjoyed them. Definitely a nice change of pace that we'll do again.

Filet Mignon for Flavor - How?

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