Pan sear filet mignon in a cast iron skillet once and you will never grill steak again (unless you absolutely have to grill filet mignon). There are plenty of ways to cook tenderloin steak but this recipe is by far my favorite along with reverse searing. If you go out to a nice steakhouse then this is most likely the method they are using to cook your steak.
Filet mignon is known for its tenderness and buttery texture. They have a delicate flavor compared to other cuts of beef, such as pan-seared ribeye or New York strip. It is often considered a luxury cut and is usually reserved for special occasions.
Because filet mignon is a lean cut of meat, it is important to cook it properly to avoid drying it out. I recommend cooking it to medium-rare or medium doneness to preserve its tenderness and juiciness.
If you enjoyed this recipe, I highly recommend you also check out my blueberry glazed filet mignon, balsamic glazed filet mignon, and bacon-wrapped filet mignon. If you’re looking for a good steak to share with a crowd, look no further than my porterhouse steak recipe with dipping sauces or my surf and turf recipe for two!
Why This Recipe Works
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 in color. 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.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Seasoning the Steak
Remove your steak from the fridge 1 hour prior to 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 prior to 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 prior to cooking to climatize. No additional salt or seasoning is required.
How to Cook Filet Mignon
The secret to cooking the perfect filet mignon is to combine pan searing with an oven finish. Why is this the best way to cook filet mignon? This method gives your filet a nice seared exterior with a perfectly juicy and tender inside that’s evenly cooked throughout. A cast iron skillet allows you to easily transfer your steak from the stovetop to the oven, making this a simple recipe to master.
To summarize, sear filets for 2 minutes per side on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet on high heat with butter or oil and then immediately transfer to a preheated oven at 415°F. I typically bake filets for about 5-6 minutes for medium-rare.
Precisely timing your cook time for steak always yields consistent results. It may sound like overkill, but I use my phone to time each side on the skillet and then in the oven. If you really adhere to cooking times I promise you will never overcook a steak again.
Step 1.
Leave the butter on the counter to soften or place it in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until malleable, 10-15 seconds. Use a fork to mash in the herbs and garlic until fully mixed. Store in the refrigerator and remove 10 minutes before adding to the filet.
Step 2.
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.
Step 3.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil 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 4.
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.
Step 5.
Optionally spoon some of the seasoned pan drippings over the steak to infuse it with extra flavor.
Step 6.
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 7.
Top with a slice of garlic and herb butter and serve.
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 actually cook the steak. Second, the juices evenly distribute throughout the meat, yielding the perfect bite every time. Always let your steaks rest!
What to Serve With Filet Mignon
You can never go wrong with steak and potatoes. Pair this porterhouse steak with my parmesan roasted fingerling potatoes or my garlic butter roasted red potatoes. If you’re looking for ultra-crispy potatoes, try my pesto smashed potatoes! If you prefer mashed potatoes, try my rich and delicious cream cheese mashed potatoes.
My favorite veggie of choice will always be my roasted bacon and parmesan Brussels sprouts. Make this recipe surf and turf with pan-seared lemon butter scallops or baked lobster tails.
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.
It’s very important to start with steak that’s had a chance to warm up on the counter. Cooking cold steaks is going to impact cooking times significantly. Also, be sure you’re starting with a very hot skillet. You should not add your steak until the oil is smoking.
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 Steak Recipes
- T-bone steak with garlic and rosemary
- Ribeye with blue cheese butter
- Steak frites with chimichurri
- Steak crostini with chimichurri
- Everything you need to know about sous vide steak
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this recipe, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
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Pan-Seared Filet Mignon Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Description
The only filet mignon recipe you will ever need. Never grill steak again—the fail-proof method to cooking the perfect filet mignon.
Ingredients
- 4 10-ounce thick tenderloin beef filets (roughly 1.5– 2 inches thick)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Vegetable or canola oil (can use 2 tbsp butter but it has a lower smoke point)
Garlic & Herb Butter
- 1/2 stick of butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
For the herb butter
- Leave the butter on the counter to soften or place it in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until malleable, 10-15 seconds. Use a fork to mash in the herbs and garlic until fully mixed. Store in the refrigerator and remove 10 minutes before adding to the filet.
For the filets
- 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 1-2 tablespoons of oil 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.
- Top with a slice of garlic and herb butter and serve.
Notes
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.
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet or pan, sear the steaks first 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 source but will also add additional cooking time to your oven duration. Plan on 2-3 additional minutes.
Temperatures for steak
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
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 858
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 552mg
- Fat: 67.5
- Saturated Fat: 31g
- Carbohydrates: 1.1g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 55.4g
- Cholesterol: 233mg
Keywords: filet mignon, steak, tenderloin steak
Flavor was incredible but I struggled with cook time since my family likes it medium-well. I did 8 min and put them in another 4 and they still were med-rare. I will need to get a good thermometer and practice temperatures to reach perfection. I’ll be cooking with a cast iron for steaks from now on. To the grill: bye Felicia!!!
★★★★
Hi Jennifer,
Hmmm. Make sure your cast iron is really hot before adding steaks. If you’re cooking several steaks on one cast iron, 4 or 5. It may have caused this. May take extra time on the stove top. Also, make sure your steaks sit out 30 minutes before cooking. Cold steaks right out of the fridge will take a lot longer. I hope this helps!
Thank you for this perfect recipe!!!! I’m a vegan but I cook meat for my husband and family.
My meat thermometer broke and I was panicked that I would ruin the filets I bought. When I tell you I followed these instructions to a T and my filets were PERFECTION.
My mom and husband were licking their plates clean.
I can’t attest to the flavor (obvi) but from their reactions I felt like a chef. Lol thank you!!!
Thanks for confirming my experience. After 6 minutes they were raw. Put in for another 8 minutes to make them med rare. They were room temp to start, and too well done on the edges.
You seared for 2 minutes per side in a hot skillet and then after 6 minutes in the oven, they were raw? Filet mignon still has a pink center even at 140F, which is bordering on medium. I would try verifying the internal temp next time to double-check. The color can be deceiving.
Thanks for sharing this cooking technique. I made this for dinner tonight and it turned out perfect!
★★★★★
Excellent! happy to help.
This has to be one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Tender, moist, flavorful, and melted in my mouth. The times were exact and perfect. I will be making this again it will go with the many new side recipes I have and want to try. Thanks so much for the great and perfect recipe.
★★★★★
Thanks Samantha, glad it turned out well.
This made the perfect steak for my hubby on Father’s day 🙂 I love my cast iron skillet, and always cook my steak in it, but I sometimes cook it to death when trying to reach “safe” temps on my meat therm. But this timing worked so perfectly I was actually a little bit surprised. Following the 2-2-6 rest for 6 rule from now on!!
★★★★★
Yes! I know, I’ve been in your shoes many times before. Have to trust the cook times.
I followed your recipe and timing to the letter and made my first filet mignon dinner for my family; it was outstanding! So much so, that all three of our kids cleaned their plates and my oldest compared it to his favorite steak house. Thanks for making me look like a pro!
★★★★★
So happy to hear it Rehani! There is nothing like being a hero in the kitchen. Thanks for the comment.
Do you still sear the filet for two minutes per side when the cut is on 1.5 inches? And then how long do you recommend keeping the filet rounds in the oven for to get a medium rare/medium temperature? Thanks!!
I would follow directions as listed for 1.5 inches
Hi Darren – I wouldn’t worry about that as it won’t make a noticeable difference. I’ve never had one side turn our more seared than the other. Ideally, a steak only needs to be flipped once. You’d also be surprised how much direct heat is lost when transferring to an oven. The burner is what really delivers the direct heat. The purpose of the sear is just to crisp up both edges. You could bake for the entire cooking time but you lose that seared finish. I also can’t guarantee the same results if you switch up pans. Hope this helps.
Do you leave it in the pan for resting? And is temp 415?
Great question Geri. I suppose I should be a little more specific in this post.
I remove mine from the skillet for the 5 minute resting period so the filet does not continue to cook. I place on a plate and lightly cover with tin foil (not a tight seal). The steak will actually still be “cooking” during the 5 minutes. Keeping it in the hot skillet may overcook.
Yes, the oven should be at 415 for the oven portion. 2 minutes per side in the skillet on stove top, immediately transfer to oven at 415 and bake approx. 4-8 minutes depending on final desired doneness. Rest plated for 5 minutes!
Thanks for the clarification. Can’t wait to try it tonight!
Do you keep it in the cast iron when you move it to the oven or transfer to a baking dish?
Hi Lisa,
Yes, you keep it in the skillet the entire time. That’s the beauty of the cast iron. Easily transfer from stove top to oven. Sear 2 minutes per side on the stove top and then immediately transfer to preheated oven and start timer. I do about 6 minutes for medium rare.
Would a grill iron skillet work?
Sure, I don’t see why not. As long as you can sear on the grill or stove top first and then transfer to the oven. That’s the important part.
I’m trying this Saturday!
How’d it turn out?
Ridiculously delicious!
★★★★★
Outstanding! We tried this recipe on a snowy evening when our grill was buried under ice and snow. It was cooked to perfection following your timing chart. We agree that restaurants must use this strategy. It reminded us of Andres Steak House in Naples, Florida. Sizzling hot and juicy rare. Herbed butter added the right touch. Using the cast iron skillet reminded me of my childhood. BTW, all my sons got a Lodge for Christmas. Looking forward to trying other recipes this winter. Let it snow! let it snow!
Awesome! Glad you liked it…I love my cast iron skillet.
Hi Shawn! I made this last night for my husband….(Valentines Day). It was delicious and he loved it! I’m NOT a fan of Valentines Day, so this was a perfect way to celebrate without wasting money, haha! I used a iron skillet with ridges and it worked out great. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
This is the ONLY way I cook filets since I read this recipe. Better than any steak at any steak house . We never go out for steak. Not even to Ruth’s Chris steakhouse!!
Am I the only who, when using a cast iron skillet, has their entire house filled with thick smoke? Every time I try to make a steak on a cast iron skillet it looks like my house is on fire. That’s the only reason I don’t like to make steaks in the house.
★★★★★
No – this happens to me as well. You can try to turn down the heat a little, but unfortunately some smoke is inevitable. Turn on your stove or microwave vent before you start cooking and open a window. Hopefully this will help combat the smoke. If it’s still too much, try using canola oil in place of butter for searing. This has a higher smoke temp.
I had the same problem. Installed a range vent hood that vents out of the house. Problem solved. Worth every penny.
I know this is an older post but those complaining of smoke can use Clarified butter or Ghee in the pan. High smoke point (485deg) and you still get the butter flavor.
This was unbelievable!we always grill filets but thought we’d try this.using your times made it so simple..had to show hubby your recipe cause he didn’t believe I made it.it was better then alot of restaurants!thank you so much!