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One of my favorite and unique steak dinners of all time was at this restaurant called Acqua Al 2, in Florence, Italy. Acqua Al 2 is known for its many cuts of beef, specifically the balsamic-glazed filet mignon and blueberry glazed filet mignon. after some trial and error, I was able to recreate my spin on the infamous recipe!
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
I ordered two petite filets at Acqua Al 2, one covered in a thick balsamic-heavy red wine sauce over steak and the other, a sweeter blueberry reduction. I was skeptical of the blueberry steak. It’s difficult to imagine, but the sweet and tart flavors complement a savory, meaty steak, beautifully. Covering your filet in a sweeter sauce brings out the filet’s natural flavor even more.
For more outstanding steak flavors, give chimichurri sauce a try, or make a blue cheese compound butter to place on top.
The Secret to Perfect Filet Mignon
The secret to cooking the perfect steak is combining pan searing with an oven finish. This gives you a nicely seared exterior (high heat) with a juicy and evenly cooked interior (indirect lower heat).
The overall consistency and predictability of this cooking technique give this recipe a very high success rate on the very first try. I’ve followed it to the T with great success with hundreds of steaks. If this is your first time preparing filet mignon or if you’re struggling to get it right, then this recipe is for you.
Ingredients
- 10-12 ounce tenderloin beef filets (roughly 1.5- 2 inches thick): look for steaks that are about 2 inches thick and appear plump and deep red. Avoid steaks with signs of browning or slimy texture.
- Salt and pepper: for seasoning and optional dry brining.
- Vegetable or canola oil: these oils are best for searing because they have a higher smoke point than butter or olive oil.
- Dry red wine: look for chianti or similar. This is a great way to use older wine that’s losing freshness.
- Blueberries: use fresh or frozen. Simmering time will vary depending on what you choose. Frozen blueberries tend to break down faster and are sweeter.
- Brown sugar: brown sugar or table sugar helps to balance the acid from the berries and wine. Without it, the sauce will be overly tart. You can back-sweeten to taste with additional sugar if needed.
- Corn starch: serves as a thickener for the blueberry glaze. You can also use potato starch.
- Garlic, butter, and rosemary: I add whole garlic, butter, and rosemary to the pan before placing the steaks in the oven. This enhances the pan drippings so you can spoon them over the filet just after cooking.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Blueberry Reduction
The blueberry glaze consists of freshly mashed blueberries (I use a potato masher or similar), red wine (Chianti of course), brown sugar, and salt. The red wine is needed to give the sauce better overall consistency.
As the blueberries are simmered, they will naturally break down and soften, rendering a rustic jammy consistency. I highly recommend using a blender or immersion blender to puree the blueberries with the wine into a smoother texture. This helps the sauce thicken more rapidly and presents better when served.
The sauce should be syrupy when it’s finished simmering and will continue to thicken as it cools. The perfect consistency will easily coat the back of a spoon and easily maintain its borders when you run a rubber spatula through it.
Seasoning the Steak
Remove your steak from the fridge 1 hour before cooking to bring it closer to room temp. This is going to ensure even cooking and more accurate cooking times. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season generously with coarse sea salt or kosher salt and pepper.
Dry Brining Steak
You can take seasoning one step further with dry brining. Dry brining is the process of drying out the exterior of the steak with salt before cooking, locking in the juices, and enhancing the flavor. To dry brine steak, place the steaks on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and season liberally with coarse sea salt or kosher salt, and pepper. Place the steaks in the fridge uncovered for at least one hour or preferably overnight. The drier steak surface will make for even better crusting.
Steak should still rest on the counter for at least 30-45 minutes before cooking to climatize. No additional salt or seasoning is required.
How to Cook Filet Mignon
Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 415°F. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, this is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season all sides liberally with salt and pepper. This can be done while your steak comes to room temp.
Step 2.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil (all you need is a very light coating) to an oven-safe cast iron skillet and turn the heat up high, allowing the skillet to become very hot. Twirl the pan to distribute oil as it heats. Once the oil starts to smoke, place the filets face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your filets a nice seared edge.
Step 3.
Optionally add some butter, fresh rosemary, and a whole garlic clove/herbs to the pan before transferring it to the oven. The butter will melt and the herbs will season the pan drippings for a later step. Transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] skillet may be hot, handle it with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Medium well, 8-9 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for an 8-10 ounce portion, roughly 1.5-2 inches thick.
Quick Tip
Precisely timing your cooking time for steak always yields consistent results. I use my phone to time each side on the skillet and then in the oven. If you adhere to strict cooking times, I promise you will never overcook a steak again.
Step 4.
Optionally spoon some of the seasoned pan drippings over the steak to infuse it with extra flavor.
Step 5.
Remove filets from the skillet and set them on a plate or cutting board and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature.
Step 6.
For the blueberry glaze: as the steaks are cooking, combine blueberry glaze ingredients (except the corn starch) in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to crush the blueberries, breaking the skins (this helps them break down easier). Optionally, use an immersion blender at the end for a smoother consistency (this is my preferred method).
Step 7.
Gently simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens into a jam, about 15 minutes. Stir in corn starch and immersion blend for a smoother consistency.
Step 8.
Remove from heat and let rest. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Top each steak with a generous serving of blueberry glaze or serve as a dipping sauce.
Temperature for Steak
The timing/temperature chart below corresponds to the pan sear/oven method in this recipe. It’s a great guide assuming you choose a steak of similar size and thickness as listed in the recipe. I recommend a digital thermometer to verify your steak’s internal temperature for the desired level of doneness. Always measure in the middle of the thickest part of the steak.
| Doneness | Internal Temp | Oven Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Very Rare/rare | 120°F to 125°F | 4 minutes |
| Medium rare | 125°F to 130°F | 5-6 minutes |
| Medium | 135°F to 140°F | 6-7 minutes |
| Medium well | 145°F to 150°F | 8-9 minutes |
| Well done | 160°F and above | 10+ minutes |
SMOKE WARNING: Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen’s overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation.
Let Steaks Rest
The legend, Anthony Bourdain once said, the most important aspect of cooking any steak is the rest period after you take it off the heat. Letting a steak rest for 5-7 minutes before cutting is critical for two reasons. One, it continues to cook the steak. Second, the juices evenly distribute back throughout the meat, yielding the perfect bite every time. Always let your steaks rest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cast iron is really versatile and can be used for so many different recipes on my site. Here is the one I have. Any oven-safe pan should do the trick, however, as a disclaimer, I based the cook times and results on cast iron.
If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, you can sear your filets on the stovetop and then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. This method works really well at keeping your steaks elevated from the direct heat while in the oven. Just note, this will likely add additional baking time.
If cooking more than 4 steaks on a standard skillet, you may need to adjust the cooking times. I wouldn’t attempt to cook more than 6 filets at a time in a single skillet because the heat loss is going to be too significant.
This is a difficult recipe to pull off for 10-12 people unless you have two skillets. If cooking for a larger crowd I would also suggest reverse searing a whole tenderloin or cooking your steaks on the grill. Learn how to grill your filet mignon here.
More Filet Mignon Recipes
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Filet Mignon with Blueberry Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 8-10 ounce tenderloin beef filets, roughly 2 inches thick
- vegetable or canola oil, can use 2 tbsp butter but it has a lower smoke point
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 garlic clove, whole, peeled
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Blueberry glaze
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (mashed)
- 3/4 cup dry red wine, I like Chianti
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pureed
- 1 tablespoon corn starch, thickening agent
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 415°F. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking, this is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season all sides liberally with salt and pepper. This can be done while your steak comes to room temp.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil (all you need is a very light coating) to an oven-safe cast iron skillet and turn the heat up high, allowing the skillet to become very hot. Twirl the pan to distribute oil as it heats. Once the oil starts to smoke, place the filets face down and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the filets and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your filets a nice seared edge.
- Optionally add some herb butter and a whole garlic clove/herbs to the pan before transferring it to the oven. The butter will melt and the herbs will season the pan drippings for a later step. Transfer your skillet directly to the oven. [WARNING] skillet may be hot, handle it with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Medium well, 8-9 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for an 8-10 ounce portion, roughly 1.5-2 inches thick.
- Optionally spoon some of the seasoned pan drippings over the steak to infuse it with extra flavor.
- Remove filets from the skillet and set them on a plate and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature.
- Serve each filet topped with 3-4 tablespoons of blueberry sauce.
For the blueberry glaze
- For the blueberry glaze: as the steaks are cooking, combine blueberry glaze ingredients (except the corn starch) in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to crush the blueberries, breaking the skins so they can reduce down easier.
- Gently simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in corn starch and immersion blend for a smoother consistency.
- Remove from heat and let rest. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Top each steak with a generous serving of blueberry glaze or serve as a dipping sauce.
Notes
Rare: 120°F to 125°F
Medium rare: 125°F to 130°F
Medium: 135°F to 140°F
Medium well: 145°F to 150°F
Well done: 160°F and above
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Anything I can sub for wine?
You could use a splash of water or a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar.
We loved the recipe and will make it again.
I did make some slight additions. I wanted the sauce to be a little more earthy for beef so I used Mourvedre wine and added a splash of blueberry balsamic for a more savory effect.
Can you use blackberries instead?
I’ve never tried but I don’t see why not!
This is amazing! The flavor is unbelievable! Thank you!
This is my favorite restaurant in the world, and my favorite filet. I tried to re-create this recipe eating at the Florence and Washington DC location. I use a little cream in mine per the chef in DC.
In the middle of my steak I realized I was having one of the most perfect bites of steak I’d ever had.
In the middle of my steak I realized I was having one of the most perfect bites of steak I’d ever had.
I’ve eaten at Aqua Al 2 in Italy and always raved to friends about the filet with blueberry glaze. When I asked the chef for the recipe, he replied that I would burn the house down. So it remained a memory untill now! Your adaptation is marvelous! I can’t thank you enough!
So glad to hear it! The real thing is amazing. I’m glad you liked it. Admittedly, I don’t think my variation is on the same level but it’s fun to make nonetheless.
What bottle of wine do you use exactly?