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Looking for recipes for Filet Mignon

My local butcher shop has started offering meat bundles the past few months, and with BBQ season just about here, I'm heading over to pick up a bundle next week.

I've been cooking since I was a little girl, but the one cut of beef I've never cooked is Filet Mignon and this bundle includes some.

With all the terrific chefs here at B&B, I figure there must be some delicious recipes and suggestions on cooking Filet Mignon. Doesn't have to be on the grill. I should probably add that my reason for picking up this bundle is that my nephew returns home next week from USC, and both my nephews love beef, so I'm planning on feeding them often this summer.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Sue
 
Hi Sue.

While many consider it a sin to add any spices of any sort to a "marbled" cut such as rib or strip, Tenderloin doesn't have the taste advantage that marbling puts on the other "choice" cuts. While it's undoubtedly the tenderest of all, most consider it lacking in taste in any comparison.

So, when it comes to tenderloin (filet mignon), here's my favourite:

Bleu Cheese crusted Tenderloin.

This can be cooked to your preference, broiled, grilled or pan seared, all will work, but it's the final stage that's important:

When your steak is nearly done (by either of the methods above), spread a 1/2 & 1/2 mixture of bleu cheese and cream cheese over the top (a couple of tbs / steak) and broil for a couple of minutes to brown and crust the cheese mixture. Note that for extra oomph and flavour, I will normally add in a few small halved garlic cloves to the mixture.

Try it, and I hope you enjoy it!!
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
Hi Sue.

While many consider it a sin to add any spices of any sort to a "marbled" cut such as rib or strip, Tenderloin doesn't have the taste advantage that marbling puts on the other "choice" cuts. While it's undoubtedly the tenderest of all, most consider it lacking in taste in any comparison.

So, when it comes to tenderloin (filet mignon), here's my favourite:

Bleu Cheese crusted Tenderloin.

This can be cooked to your preference, broiled, grilled or pan seared, all will work, but it's the final stage that's important:

When your steak is nearly done (by either of the methods above), spread a 1/2 & 1/2 mixture of bleu cheese and cream cheese over the top (a couple of tbs / steak) and broil for a couple of minutes to brown and crust the cheese mixture. Note that for extra oomph and flavour, I will normally add in a few small halved garlic cloves to the mixture.

Try it, and I hope you enjoy it!!

Nice Jim!

Another is to just wrap some bacon around it, S&P and grill.

Tenderloin, whether beef or venison, does need some extra boost .. my favorite for beef is a combination of the two Jims', but using a bleu cheese & butter mix, over a bacon wrapped filet. This goes onto a piece of toast, which has been brushed with some oil oil infused with thyme, garlic, and S&P.
 
ok... might just be me, but i like steak and bernaise sauce. One bernaise sauce i've been making is a red miso bernaise.
Here goes:
Sweat shallots in a pot... add white wine vinegar and bunches of tarragon and reduce until 1/8 volume or less.

then using a double boiler (or metal bowl over fire if you have no fear), whip up the egg yolks to ribbons...whisk in the reduction, toss in a little chopped tarragon, and a few globs of red miso to adjust the salt.

Sear your steaks over the hottest freaking thing you can and bring it up to a little less than the temp you want and rest it until you hit the internal temp you're looking for. Sauce with bernaise. Maybe some grilled asparagus on the side? who knows.

Crap...now i'm hungry
 
The classic treatment for these steaks is brandy flambe. About one third or quarter of a cup of brandy in a soup ladle, ignite, pour on steaks slightly before done to taste, let subside and (optional: add butter) serve.
These steaks tend to dry so don't cook more than medium. I prefer raw so it's about 2.5 minutes on my gas cook-top.
I like the extra earthy taste that a good whiskey gives, especially one with smokey flavor, instead of the brandy.
 
You might want to consider making tournedos from them. There are variations, but wrapping them in bacon is the basic motif.

Personally, I think a filet should be left mostly as is. Filet is a superb cut of beef and a basic grilling is usually enough. If you want to add to it, think about sauteéing some mushrooms in a red wine and perhaps making a Bernaise sauce.
 
The tenderloin I get at work is always roasted, and yes it does need a flavour boost. Some of my favorite ways was topped w/ a cognac/cream sauce and there was another one i think it was a redwine reductin beef demiglace type deal.
 
You guys are awesome! I knew I came to the right place for the answers. When I first looked at this bundle, I thought, this will be perfect! It has ribs, chicken wings, hamburg, sirloin strips, boneless pork chops, all of which I've cooked forever. Then I saw the filets, and thought, hmmm, what the heck will I do with those?

You've given me some great ideas. I was a bit concerned about the flavor but didn't want to overcomplicate it. I'm thinking they should probably cook to a temp of about 120before resting?

Sue
 
SNIP<<<
These steaks tend to dry so don't cook more than medium. I prefer raw so it's about 2.5 minutes on my gas cook-top.>>>>SNIP

My wife can't stand any more than the very slightest touch of pink and prefers well-done, which IMHO is culinary blasphemy when it comes to any of the top cuts of beef.

Me, I like very rare. My favourite saying is "Knock it's horns off, wipe it's ***, walk it through the kitchen and put it on the plate".
 

Alacrity59

Wanting for wisdom
My wife can't stand any more than the very slightest touch of pink and prefers well-done, which IMHO is culinary blasphemy when it comes to any of the top cuts of beef.

Me, I like very rare. My favourite saying is "Knock it's horns off, wipe it's ***, walk it through the kitchen and put it on the plate".

I often need to nuke my wife's meat to get it to the uniform grey she was raised with. I try to sneak a little colour into her meat from time to time. She appreciates poultry that is not dry but somehow the pink in beef she associates with blood and can't tolerate. As long as I can cook my steak my way I'm happy.
 
I often need to nuke my wife's meat to get it to the uniform grey she was raised with. I try to sneak a little colour into her meat from time to time. She appreciates poultry that is not dry but somehow the pink in beef she associates with blood and can't tolerate. As long as I can cook my steak my way I'm happy.

When I cook a thick steak (or pork chop) for her, I usually butterfly it. Easier to get it cooked to her liking and not have it dry, hence resembling shoe leather.
 
We use a basic variation of the steak au poivre here at home:

Combine butter, pepper, and minced garlic in a bowl
Smear the entire outside of the filet with the pepper/garlic butter
Grill as usual

Delicious outer browning, very light spice note.
 
Get thick circular cuts. Marinate overnight in Italian dressing in a Ziplock bag. Aluminum foil around the edges held with a string. Get the Weber going with real hardwood charcoal like "Cowboy charcoal" (look it up) - burns very hot but doesn't last long. Apply olive oil to grill surface. Sear to taste. Serve with cauliflower mashed with garlic & green onions. Bearnaise sauce works well with this, but if you can find any Detroit Zip Sauce, put some of that in a cup and dunk!
 
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Call me simple, but I've always done my filets with salt and pepper-once in a while I'll add garlic. I grill 'em to medium rare-to-well and enjoy. No need for steak sauce, just some taters and green beans.
 
Invite friends on a beautiful sunny day and put a bottle of ros&#233; wine in the fridge.
Cut filet mignon in thick slices (2/3cm) and let it marinate in soya sauce, black pepper, fresh grated ginger, lemon (or lime) zest for 3-4 hours.
Assemble on small wooden skewers widthwise (like lollipops) and dip it in sugar powder.
Quickly cook it on a grill, a plancha or an nonstick pan, it have to stay caramelized outside and juicy inside.
Open the nice cold bottle of ros&#233; wine and enjoy with arugula salad and rice :thumbup1:
 
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Steak Diane is a good use of filet mignon. There are plenty of recipes around, I usually simplify them a lot as I want to be able to taste the beef as well as the sauce. You can also cook them using a blackened redfish and substituting beef for the fish. It's very good, but watch and don't burn yourself on the boiling butter.
 
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