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This pan-seared filet mignon recipe is so easy to master and renders perfect filet mignon every single time! While there are plenty of ways to cook tenderloin steak, this technique is the easiest and most repeatable. This recipe has been tested thousands of times by readers and myself with near perfect results every single time.
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! Also, see reverse searing or grilling filet mignon.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
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). A cast iron skillet allows you to easily transfer your steak from the stovetop to the oven, making this a simple recipe to master.
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.
Ingredient Notes
- 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.
Prepping and Seasoning Filet Mignon
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 Filet Mignon
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.
Step by Step Instructions (With Pictures)
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 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 3.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Steak Temperature Chart
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 |
Let Steaks Rest After Cooking
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.
Juice redistribution: during cooking, the heat causes the muscle fibers in the steak to contract, pushing the juices toward the center of the meat. If you cut into the steak immediately after cooking, these juices will spill out, leaving the steak drier. Resting allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat.
Temperature equalization: resting allows the temperature inside the steak to even out. The outer layers cool slightly while the heat continues to transfer inward, resulting in a more consistent doneness throughout the steak. It’s important to always undershoot your final serving temperature when preparing steak, as the internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
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
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 Steak 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
Ingredients
- 4, 10 ounce thick tenderloin beef filets, roughly 1.5- 2 inches thick
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil, can use 1 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 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.
- Top with a slice of garlic and herb butter and serve.
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.
This recipe is perfect. I’ve made filet twice using this method and they were perfect both times. Restaurant quality and consistency. Tonight my 15 year old son made them. Thanks Shawn! I’m looking forward to trying other recipes on your website.
Thanks James – glad to hear it. Glad he’s learning the art of steak.
Hi Shawn, I am going to be making this on Christmas and will have 2 cast iron pans w prob 6 steaks in each (if I can fit them.) any suggestions on whether I will need to tweak this recipe at all? Such great reviews, I can’t wait to try it! Thanks in advance!
AWESOME. Giving you same advice as above. I’ve cooked as many as 6 on a 12 inch. I would follow the recipe accordingly but if you are cooking more than 4-5 on one skillet then I would add an extra 2-3 minutes to the oven portion. I’ve found cooking several steaks absorbs more of the heat and won’t cook as fast. Let me know how this turns out! You could start with an extra minute or two and use a meat thermometer or cut into one to gauge doneness.
Shawn,
I will be cooking 7 steaks for Christmas Eve and want to use your recipe! I will need to buy a cast iron skillet. What would be your recommendation for this many steaks as far as skillet size and how to cook that many?
Sounds like a GREAT idea. I’ve cooked as many as 6 on a 12 inch. Not sure if you could do 7. You could get a 13.25 inch or the 15 inch. Those would work. Alternatively you could get two 12’s and do dueling (all depends on how much you use or love cast iron). I’m personally obsessed with mine. I would follow the recipe accordingly but if you are cooking more than 4-5 on one skillet then I would add an extra 2-3 minutes to the oven portion. I’ve found cooking several steaks absorbs more of the heat and won’t cook as fast. Good luck!
Thank you so much. Excited to try this. We have always barbecued our filets but with snow predicted for Christmas wanted to try something we could do indoors!
If you put too many steaks in a pan together you run the danger of the meat being tough as the juices will steam up and the meat will taste boiled. Just saying! Best to invest in two or three cast irons if serving a crowd or as another of your guests did, put a flat griddle in the bbq,
Thanks for sharing! This turned out to be some if the best steaks I have ever cooked (and I’ve cooked a lot of steaks!).
Thanks Tony – glad I made you a believer.
Tried this tonight. Outstanding! My husband and I loved it. Tasted great and cooked to perfection. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks Monica.
The very best steak recipe ever……. and it’s so easy! Thanks for sharing!
Excellent! Thanks Evelyn
I am so glad that I stumbled upon your instructions.
I was planning on grilling my filets as I do any other steak and had the grill hot already while I looked up filet specific instructions.
I liked the sound of your technique so just put my long griddle (smooth side up) on the grill over flame and mixed the butter while that was heating.
Seared the steaks 2min per side and then just slid the griddle over while leaving the left hand burner on high baking for another five minutes with the lid closed. Probably could have let them go for another couple minutes as the heat takes a while to build up once the lid is shut.
Anyway, these filets ended up rare but not too bloody – perfect in my opinion but maybe a bit rare for most.
These were Meyers steaks which you definitely do not want to overcook!
Thank you for the excellent guidance!
Awesome Ben – I’m glad you found me in the nick of time. Yes, I agree with you. The grill doesn’t contain the heat like the oven so I’ve found the grill usually takes longer. I usually do 6 minutes for rare. I could eat steak with a pulse so it’s perfect for me. Grab a skillet and give that a shot next time. I think you’ll love the results.
I absolutely loved it! You were 100% right, I’ll never go back to grilling my steaks. They were perfect! The slight charring of the outside is so flavorful and gives you the “grilled” effect that I was totally missing when I tried alternative steak cooking methods. Absolutely fabulous, and I’m a huge foodie so this made me so happy! I shared this recipe with my dad immediately because he is our grill master and steak connoisseur.. and after the pics I sent him of my results, he’s going to try it out this weekend! Thanks so much for sharing. (FYI, I don’t have a cast iron skillet so I used a stainless steel saute pan and it worked great so if you don’t have one either, don’t be scared to try it with another oven safe pan) DELISH!
Awesome, awesome, awesome Shekinah. Good call on the stainless steel pan. Same idea. Glad it worked out so well for you!
Yah hoooo! I was searching for proof this would work with stainless steel! I’m making myself a belated mother’s day dinner – – – – – and my mouth is watering reading these posts and looking at your pictures! So excited! Thanks Shawn and Shekinah! I think a good steak might just bring about world peace! 🙂
Wish I had read the comments sooner. Although the steak was very juicy and tender, it was definitely over cooked. Removing from the cooking skillet next time! You should update the recipe with that instruction. Filets are very expensive and a well done steak wastes $$.
Sorry about that Elaine. I will make sure I update that ASAP. Give me one more chance!
Thank you, Shawn, for such a great recipe and for sharing! It is my favorite way to cook steak now! When I went on vacation, I took my cast iron pan! Never leave home without it!
Thanks mom 😉
You learn the best things in life from your children. Thank you Shawn and Patty!
What a wonderful post! I think this is the best reply exchange ever! Thank you Paula, Shawn and Patty!
I’m making it tonight and I’m sure it will be another 5-star experience.