Filet mignon is one of the tenderest cuts of beef available, and so is among the most expensive. Because it is so expensive, some people are hesitant to attempt to cook it themselves. After all, if you mess it up, it feels like you wasted a lot of money. However, cooking filet mignon is not as difficult as you might think. The trick is to be patient and pay attention to your timing. As long as you’re prepared to be careful while you cook, you’ll make a filet mignon good enough to rival a high-end MA catering company. National Filet Mignon Day just passed on August 13th, so now is the perfect time to learn!
Ready to give the pros at MA catering companies a run for their money? Follow these steps to cook a delectable filet mignon yourself.
Turn Up the Heat
A quality cut of filet mignon has very little fat on it, so if you cook it too slowly, it will dry out. That’s why if you cook it in a pan, you want to sear it quickly. However, we’re going to show you how to cook it in the oven. To ensure the meat doesn’t have time to dry out, roast the meat at 500ºF. Preheat the oven before putting in the meat so you know it’s hot enough. To avoid overcooking, cook the meat no longer than 20 minutes.
Let It Rest
There are several reasons why you should let meat rest before cutting it. If it’s too hot, you can’t cut it cleanly, and you’ll tear the meat. Meat also continues to cook even after you’ve removed it from the heat source. To ensure the meat is fully cooked and cool enough to cut, after removing the filet mignon from the oven, cover it with aluminum foil and let it rest on a cutting board for another 20 minutes.
Use Simple Flavors
Filet mignon is an incredibly tender cut of meat and has a delicious natural flavor. You don’t want to overpower it with rich sauces or gravy. All you need to do to enhance the flavor is rub the meat with olive oil after letting it rest and then season it with a little coarse salt (like sea salt) and fresh ground pepper. Sprinkle some dried rosemary for a little added flavor if you like.