Nothing beats a pan seared filet mignon. Seared stove-top in a garlic herb butter and finished in the oven yields a juicy, tender, perfectly cooked steak every time.
28 ozfilet mignon-about 2 inches thick - room temperature
1teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
2tablespoonsalted butter – European butter is preferred
2clovesgarlic – smashed
2sprigs fresh rosemary
2sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
Take steaks out of refrigerator about 30-60 minutes before you plan to cook them to allow them to come to room temperature.
Liberally season both sides of each steak with salt and black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Add the butter, garlic, rosemary, and thyme to a cast iron pan over medium heat.
Let the garlic and herbs cook for 2-3 minutes. Swirl the pan frequently to prevent the garlic, herbs, and butter from burning.
Increase the heat to medium-high and when the pan is hot enough place the seasoned steaks into the hot pan.
Sear the steaks for 2-3 minutes on each side, spooning the butter over the steaks during the cooking process. Don’t move the steak until it’s time to flip it. Don’t let the butter burn, constantly spooning and swirling.
Flip the steaks over and repeat the process searing the other side for 2-3 minutes.
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and transfer the pan with the steaks to the middle rack of the preheated oven.
When the internal temperature reaches 125-130° F the steak will be medium rare. Very carefully remove the pan from the oven and remove the steaks from the pan. The internal temperature will continue to rise by about 5 degrees.Rare: 115-120° F; Medium rare 125-130° F; Medium 130-135° F; Medium well 140-145
Place the steaks on a plate and let them rest for 5 -8 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices time to reabsorb and redistribute into the beef.
Serve with roasted or baked potatoes and your favorite green vegetable or salad.