Categorized:

  • Beef and Pork
  • Main Dish

Tagged:

  • beef
  • olive oil
  • pepper
  • salt
Close up image of filet mignon sliced to show medium rare interior. - 1

Filet Mignon

Ingredients

  • 4 (8 oz each) filet mignon steaks*
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp light olive oil or vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Let steaks rest at room temperature 1 hour uncovered to help take the cold chill off and dry the exterior.
  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place an oven safe wire cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • After steaks have rested, dab dry with paper towels then season both sides with salt and pepper and gently press salt and pepper over steak.
  • Transfer steaks to wire rack on baking sheet spacing apart. Insert a oven probe meat thermometer into center of one steak, inserting from the side**.
  • Bake in preheated oven a few degrees shy of target temperature (testing in center, refer to times below). This should take about 40 - 65 minutes. Time varies based on the doneness you prefer and how thick the steaks are. 2-inch steaks take near the greater time.
  • Near the end of steaks baking begin preheating a cast iron skillet over moderately high heat. It should preheat 5 - 10 minutes (or longer on electric stoves), until pan smokes. You want the skillet super hot for the next step and pre-heating it is critical to achieve a nicely seared crust in a small amount of time without over-cooking the steak.
  • Once steaks are done baking add 1 Tbsp light olive oil to preheated skillet, use oven mitts to lift pan and swirl oil around to coat bottom evenly.
  • Add steaks and sear, and press down on the steaks several places across the top to help achieve a good contact on bottom of steaks (just do this using kitchen tongs from transferring). Sear briefly just until nicely browned on bottom about 45 - 60 seconds.
  • Turn steaks and sear opposite side until browned about 45 - 60 seconds longer.
  • Serve warm as is or with a desired sauce (see post above recipe for my favorites).

Notes

  • *Use steaks that are almost the exact same size (all about 1 1/2 inches thick each or all about 2-inches thick each, and all very close in weight) so they bake evenly and finish at the same time. You can also use a peeled 2 lb beef tenderloin and cut into 4 evenly sized steaks.
  • *Recipe can be made using 1 - 6 filet mignon’s as long as they are nearly the same size. If using more than 4, or if the 4 you have are fairly long then sear in two batches so skillet isn’t overcrowded and they brown nicely.
  • If one of the steaks does happen to be smaller monitor the temp of that one first, then transfer the thermometer to a larger after you’ve removed the smaller one from the oven.

Steak Doneness Temperatures

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