Learn to cook filet mignon like the best steakhouses. Start by pan-searing it briefly in a cast iron skillet, then finish cooking it in the oven. Fast and easy, it makes perfectly juicy and tender beef filet steak—our favorite special dinner recipe.
🐄Ingredients
Beef tenderloin filets—6 to 8 ounces, about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick
Butter—or oil
Seasoning—Kosher salt and black pepper. Or seasoning of your choice.
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Featured Comment from Gary:
"This is my go-to recipe for Filet Mignon. They are always perfect."
The best way to cook beef tenderloin filets combines two time-honored techniques. Pan-searing on the stovetop will create a tasty Maillard reaction for flavor. Then, cook in an oven to your perfect final temperature.
Learn to sear and bake filet mignon at home. My beef tenderloin filet recipe is perfect for a date night recipe; just follow the simple step-by-step photo instructions.
👨🍳How to Cook Filet Mignon—Step-by-Step
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. If you have time, rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
2. Pat dry well with paper towels and season to your taste.
3. In a cast iron or oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.
4. When hot, sear both sides of the filets for 2-3 minutes.
5. Transfer to the preheated oven. Cook to your desired internal temperature minus about 3°-4°. Medium-rare takes about 9-11 minutes to reach an internal temperature of about 135°- 140°.
6. Remove from pan, tent lightly with foil on a plate, and rest for 5-8 minutes before serving.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏰How long to cook filet mignon
The oven time for a medium-rare 1-inch filet in a 400° oven is about 5 to 7 minutes, plus 4 minutes of searing, for a total cooking time of 9 to 11 minutes. Remember to allow an additional 5-8 minutes of rest after cooking.
Approximate cooking times in a 400° oven are estimated for planning only. The estimated times are for 1-inch thick filets; thicker filets take longer.
- Rare—cold red center(125°-130°)—4-minute sear and 4 to 5 minutes oven time for about 8 to 9 minutes total cooking time. Please see the caution below for rare.
- Medium rare—warm red and soft center(130°-135°)—4-minute sear and 5 to 7 minutes oven time for about 9 to 11 minutes total cooking time.
- Medium—pink and firm (140°-150°)—4-minute sear and 8 to 10 minutes in the oven, for about 11 to 13 minutes total cooking time.
- Medium well—minimal pink(150°-155°)—4-minute sear and 12 to 15 minutes oven time for about 16 to 19 minutes total cooking time—not recommended.
- Well done—firm and brown(160°+ )—4-minute sear and 15+ minutes oven time for about 19+ minutes total cooking time—not recommended.
Actual cooking time will vary by thickness, rest time, searing, and oven temperature—NEVER COOK BY TIME ALONE, and use a thermometer.
Pick the internal temperature you want when served. Remove the steak a few degrees less and tent lightly with foil. The filet temperature will rise 2°-4° while resting. You can not uncook meat but can always cook it a bit more. Be sure to check your temperature early,
WARNING FOR RARE: For rare, it may be only a few minutes in the oven. If you did an intense sear with a rest to room temperature or if your filets are thinner, check the temperature of the meat when it goes into the oven if you want it to be rare. It is hard to hit what you want, so observe and remove it early. You can always cook it a bit more later.
Tips and options to get it right every time
Quality matters—buy prime grade if you can afford it, or well-marbelized choice grade. If you have questions, talk to your local butcher—they love to discuss their products and have a wealth of knowledge.
The thicker the steak, the more important the precooking rest at room temperature becomes to achieve the final internal temperature you want. If the steak is over 1 ½ inches thick, see the FAQ section for the reverse searing cooking method.
Skipping the rest before cooking will increase the cooking time by as much as 50% and adversely affect the surface.
If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, any oven-safe skillet that can move from stovetop to oven will do. Most skillets will be oven-safe but have a temperature limit set by the manufacturer.
How to season tenderloin filet steaks
A good shake of Kosher or sea salt and black pepper is enough. We like to use my All-Purpose Seasoning Salt, which adds garlic. Other seasoning options include rosemary or a sprig of fresh thyme. Try some homemade Steak Butter with garlic, blue cheese, and herbs of your choice.
Real butter adds some excellent flavor. If you have issues with smoking butter, then in the future, use high-quality vegetable oil.
If you want to use fresh herbs, like thyme or rosemary, put them on top of the steaks with a pat of butter as you move them to the oven.
The timing of any salt is important. Do not put salt on the meat for more than a few minutes before cooking unless you do it for 60 minutes or more. Between those times, it will pull water out of the meat but not allow enough time to reabsorb back into it.
Other steak recipes
Grilled Filet Mignon
The perfect Filet Mignon Recipe uses the tried and true sear and oven bake method to get the best filet mignon every time—moist, tender, and flavorful.
Check out some other great steak recipes, such as Grilled New York Strip Steaks, Seared and Baked Strip Steak, and Grilled T-bone Steak.
🍽️What to serve with filet
Filet mignon goes with almost anything you like with a nice meal. Our favorites are crusty bread, Oven Roasted Baby Red Potatoes or Parmesan Baked Potatoes, and a side salad or hot vegetables like Green Beans with Almonds or Roasted Asparagus.
Choose a red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet for a wine pairing.
🍳Why use cast iron
The best choice is a cast-iron skillet. Its flat bottom transfers heat over its surface without hot spots, making cast iron the best option for pan-searing meat. It is cheap, and every cook should have a skillet or two.
❓FAQs
No. You must monitor the temperature correctly, or you will ruin your expensive meat. Please do not try to cook by time alone.
An instant-read meat thermometer will serve you well with this and many other recipes.
Resting before cooking will elevate the internal temperature of the meat before cooking. This helps prevent overcooking and drying of the surface of meat while getting the correct internal temperature.
30 to 60 minutes will do a good job, but even 15 minutes will have some benefits. Without this, cooking will take longer, and you may overcook and dry out the outside of the meat—significantly if cooking a thicker filet.
Resting after cooking is probably the biggest secret to a great filet most people skip. It is essential since it will allow the fluid that escapes the cells during cooking to migrate back into the cells and make for a moist and tender filet.
I like to tent the cooked filets with foil for about 5+ minutes before serving.
For steaks 2 inches thick or more, use a reverse searing method.
1. Rest the steaks at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
2. Oven roast at 250° in a cast iron or other stovetop and oven-safe pan for about 45 to 60 minutes to a target temperature of 10° under your desired final temperature.
3. Move the pan to the stovetop and sear over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side to brown to your preferred color.
🐄About Filet Mignon
Use only prime or choice-grade filet mignon steak. An 8 oz. of filet mignon is a nice serving size. That will usually be between 1 to 1 ¼ inches thick.
Filet Mignon steaks are sometimes called filet steaks or beef tenderloin steaks. It is part of the psoas muscle of the cow. Since the psosis does very little work and is not weight-bearing, it is the most tender cut of beef.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
📖 Recipe
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
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Ingredients
- 2 beef tenderloin filet mignon - about 1-1 ½ inch thick and about 6-8 oz
- 1 tablespoon butter - or oil
- salt and pepper or other seasonings - to taste or 7:2:2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Start with 1 to 1 ½ inch thick filets, about 6-8 oz each, and trim well. Rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes if you have time.
- Pat dry well with paper towels. Season all sides to taste with the seasoning of your choice. Just kosher salt and black pepper or All-Purpose Seasoning is enough.
- In a cast iron or oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.
- When hot, sear both sides of the filets for 2-3 minutes—sear, flip, sear, and give them a final flip before putting them into the oven.
- Transfer to the preheated oven. Cook to your desired internal temperature minus about 3°-4°. Medium-rare takes about 9-11 minutes to reach an internal temperature of about 135°- 140°. If you want the meat rare, check the internal temperature when it goes into the oven. Also, check the temperature a few minutes early to prevent overcooking.
- Remove from pan, tent lightly with foil on a plate, and rest for 5-8 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- An 8 oz filet will be about 2-3 inches in diameter and 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inches thick. Quality matters a lot with filets. Use prime if you can, but choice grade will work.
- Resting at room temperature will help you get the final internal temperature you want without drying the surface of the meat.
- Try to season one hour before cooking or just before cooking.
- You may use butter or oil in the pan. Butter has a lower smoke point, but I have never had an issue.
- Pan and butter should be hot, and the meat should dry and seasoned before starting to sear.
- Sear each side to approximately the final color you want and do a final flip just before going in the oven.
- If you want rare, especially if the filet is thinner, check the temperature when it goes in the oven.
- I suggest checking the internal temperature of the filet about 4-5 minutes after going into the oven.
- The time is very variable here, depending on the thickness of the meat, the exact starting temperature, the stovetop, the amount of searing, the exact oven temperatures, and the pan. There are many excellent reasons NOT to go by time. Time estimates are given as guides for time management.
- PLEASE USE AN INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER. DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE; YOU MUST CHECK INTERNAL TEMPERATURE.
- Times are provided to help with planning only. You are responsible if you overcook a filet. You can always cook it a bit more later, but you can not uncook an overcooked filet.
- Remove from the oven a few degrees below your final desired temperature. It will rise a few degrees when tented.
- Let rest tented for 5-8 minutes before serving.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.
Editor's Note: Originally published March 10, 2012, updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Sara says
I made this tonight for my husband and I for our anniversary. Literally one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever made! The filets were incredibly tender and the flavor was amazing.
Ty says
Delicious! Followed the recipe perfectly and it was amazing! Med rare! So good! Thank you!
Mayela says
How long for medium?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Mayela,
Welcome to the blog.
There is no good answer. Medium is about 145-degree internal temperature. So we cook to a final internal temperature and never by time. So the variability of the oven, the pan, the thickness of the meat, and how long you sear will all affect the amount of oven time. So read instructions #4,5 and 6 in the recipe card for more information. My oven time, with my pans, my searing, and 1-inch thick filets is usually 12-15 minutes. Your time may be markedly different.
Dan
bonnie hildebrandt says
How long if well done?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Bonnie,
Welcome to the blog.
Please do not cook this by time. You are cooking to a final internal temperature. You probably want 155 to 160. And the time will vary by the thickness and size of the filets. For my usual 1 1/4 inch 8oz will probably take about 16-18 minutes but it is very easy to overshoot so watch carefully and do not try this without an instant-read thermometer.
Dan
Heather Stessman says
First time doing steak in the oven. Perfection!
Christina says
I followed your recipe exactly and our steak was PERFECT! Thanks!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Christina,
Welcome to the blog.
There is nothing like a nice filet. I just did two tonight.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Connie says
Hi,
Haven't seen this question: I need to sear my filets at home and then refrigerate them to bring later on to another location's kitchen to then finish them in their oven. Suggestions?
Should I take the out of the fridge for a half hour or hour before putting them in the hot oven?
Presume I should transfer them to a pre-heated pan first? (There will be about 10 filets).
Thanks for your help!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Connie,
Welcome to the blog.
Sorry for the delayed response. I was getting the "Guide to Cooking for Two" finished and published and than address a few issues. It was a multi-year project.
On to your question.
I would not pre-sear and then try to get the filets to finish cooking in the oven at later. The fibers will loss moist and I doubt you will like the results.
Since it sounds like you can't sear at the second location, I would take raw filet. I would have them rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before seasoning, then into a preheated oven with a preheated pan. In about 10 minutes, Flip them and check their temperature. Cook a bit more if needed. When you are within about 10 degrees. Hit them with a broiler to finish. I have done similar with some chicken recipes but not filets. That is the best I can suggest and believe it would be good.
Let me know if you do it so others will know.
Dan
T says
Thanks for the instructions. Husband didn't feel like grilling tonight so I fixed it in the oven. Seared first in a mix of salted butter and garlic/lemon/herb infused olive oil for 3 min/side, then 10 min. in 450 convection for med/med-well. It was perfect. The whole family loved it, even 3 picky teenagers.
DrDan says
Hi T,
Welcome to the blog.
I think everybody, including picky teenagers, love a good filet.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Sam Wallace says
How about 10 oz fillet, cooked to medium
Thanks Sam
DrDan says
Hi Sam,
Welcome to the blog.
First, I almost don't want to answer.... please DO NOT cook by time. There are variables of the thickness of the meat, temperature of the meat at the start of cooking, Conductivity of your pan. The temperature of your stovetop and the real temperature of your oven. You really need to use an instant read thermometer to get the results you want.
But now an answer, I would check it at 10 minutes but expect about 14 minutes or a little more. For medium (like the picture at the top of this post with some pink), the internal temperature was about 145.
A little short is always better. You can always stick it back in for a little more cooking but you can't uncook it.
Hope that helps. I have two prime 10 ozs filets for the grill this evening.
Dan
Linda Norden says
I sear for 2 mins then 6-7 mins at 450F, perfect medium rare every time. 12 or 13 mins seems awfully long.
DrDan says
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog.
Your experience is why I have the warnings all over the recipe. Different equipment, different thickness and weight of the meat. It sounds like you have hit the right combo for you and thanks for reporting your experience.
Dan
Jess says
Hi Dr. Dan,
I realize your specialty is cooking for two, but I'm wondering what your thoughts are on searing 20 filets, then putting them in the oven all at once to finish? I guess I am more concerned about the small rest in between searing and the oven for the first few. (I'm fine with time management and temperatures as I cook often) I usually grill 20 filets for our NYE friends dinner, but thought this would be nice to try without having to go out in the cold. I'm wondering if I just shouldn't leave it in a loin and then cut/serve after resting? (My problem there is that I have folks that eat med-rare and med-well, so I've always done filets and removed them/started them at different times to achieve the correct temp for all at the same time) Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
DrDan says
Hi Jess,
Welcome to the blog.
So I have never done more than 4 like this but have some ideas.
You don't have to use the same pan in the oven as the stovetop. A hot sheet pan would do and should be able to hold 20 filets. I would think the ones in the middle would cook a bit less so you might be able to do med-rare in the center and the outside more well done.
For the searing, you could use three large skillets or a griddle on the stove top. You could also vary the starting time there. You will want to get about the same sear on them though. I have a large electric grilled that should work also. It can fry bacon so it should be able to sear a steak at full temperature.
Of course, the grill would be less fussy but griddle to sheet pan should work. I grill all winter. Large natural gas grill 3 feet from the door.
So those are my thoughts, probably worth what you paid for them.
Let us know if you do this and how it worked in case anybody else has a similar issue.
Dan
Mar says
I cooked it exactly as stated. Used butter. Cast iron pan. 3 min each side. 12 min in oven. Turned out overcooked. They were 8 oz filets
DrDan says
Sorry it didn't work well for you. What internal temperature were you aiming for and what was the internal temperature when you removed it from the oven? Did you check the temperature before that time?
Dan
Claire Borelli says
I bought a full filet roast. Can I cook before cutting individual filet steaks? What do you recommend?
DrDan says
Hi Claire,
Welcome to the blog.
What you do with your filet roast is really a choice for you and what you have. If you have the whole tenderloin or a large chunk, you can do a wonderful roast.
But since I'm usually cooking for 2 or 4, I usually cut mine into filets then cook or freeze them. If you decide to cut up your tenderloin, watch a couple of Youtube videos first. It is more than just cutting.
All my recipes for beef tenderloin are at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/category/beef-tenderloin/ including a small roast and the whole tenderloin. These posts were written in the first month of this blog and were meant for me and the family as notes. So they do not have the detailed photo instructions you see on this post.
Hope that helps some. Ask more if you need to.
Dan
Shelia says
Best filet I ever made! So good! I used half butter and half olive oil. Seasoned with Montreal steak and garlic salt. Put some fresh garlic in my butter. Browned well on stove and put in 400 oven. Cooked to 135 for medium rare. Awesome!! 5 stars!
Joyce Ann Millard says
My husband & I purchased USDA Prime Filets & made this recipe on 1/17/18, & it was absolutely delicious & perfect. We used kosher salt, coarse ground pepper, & granulated garlic. It was so good that we are preparing 2 Prime Filets tonight in the same manner for our Valentine's Day dinner plus some sides. We have also done this recipe with NY Strip Steaks and they were delicious too! Thank you...perfect! Joyce Ann
DrDan says
Hi Joyce,
Thanks for the note. It is our special occasion meal.
Dan
Jayne says
I love this recipe but what do you do if the filets are already wrapped in bacon...do you sear the sides of the filet as well?
DrDan says
Hi Jayne,
Welcome to the blog.
I would for a few minutes total. The bacon will take 15-20 minutes to cook so give it a bit of a start.
Dan
Gaetane theriault says
I agree with you...I made the filet mignon as suggested and I've never had a better steak! Thank you so much!
Cindy says
Just made this for dinner tonight and it came out PERFECT!!!! We normally grill the filets, but it is too cold outside, so I decided to try this recipe and I am so glad that I did! Thank you so much for sharing.
Kenneth says
I fixed this new years day for my wife. I paired this with the parmesan garlic crusted potato. I am not sure what to say, I have been grilling quality steak for 45 years but it is Alaska and was cold, dark, and I just didn't want to grill outside in my parka. This was the best filet I have ever fixed. This will be my go to for filets. It had just a small ring of seared meat around the edge then the remainder was the perfect medium/medium rare bright pink just the way my wife likes it. Not only was this a 5+ but the parmesan garlic potato was as well. The best part is they could both be in the oven at the same time. Thanks Dr. Dan