Bobby Flay's filet mignon brings the heat and the sweet (2024)

FAQs

How does Bobby Flay cook a filet mignon? ›

For the filet mignon:

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch cast iron pan until it begins to shimmer. Put the steaks in the pan, rub-side down and cook until a crust forms, about 3 minutes. Turn the steaks over, lower heat a bit and continue cooking until medium-rare doneness, about 4 minutes longer.

A hot skillet delivers the best sear. Add some butter or a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil and sear steaks for 1–2 minutes on each side. The final internal temperature of your steak should be 135°F for medium-rare and 145°F for medium.

This steak comes from the short loin of the animal and is just about the best steak cut if tenderness is what you're after. There's a reason people describe its texture as “melt-in-your-mouth,” because it just about does.

The vegetable oil has a higher smoke point. You can add that great butter for flavor at the end! Check the temperature of your meat before you transfer the skillet to the oven. If the filet mignon is within about 5-10 degrees of your desired temperature, you may need even less than 3 minutes in the oven.

For roasts that are 2 to 3 pounds, roast at 425°F for 35 to 40 minutes for medium rare (135°F) and 45 to 50 minutes for medium (150°F) doneness. For roasts weighing 4 to 5 pounds, roast at 425°F for 50 to 60 minutes for medium rare (135°F) and 60 to 70 minutes for medium (150°F).

Reverse seared filet mignon takes about 45-60 minutes in the oven, depending on its thickness. Then, you'll need another 1-3 minutes to sear the steak on each side, followed by a resting period of 5-10 minutes.

Slow roast.

Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a steak registers about 115°F for medium rare, 20 to 30 minutes (start checking at 20 minutes). If you'd like the steak more rare or more well-cooked, add or subtract 10 degrees for each level of doneness.

Technically, filet mignon is as kosher as any other cut of meat. The problem with filet mignon and other cuts from the rear is that they are located near the sciatic nerve and fatty deposits known in Hebrew as chelev, which are Biblically forbidden.

Because filet is super lean, it lacks the necessary intramuscular fat that imbues a truly delectable steak with its signature rich flavor. Without that gorgeous (and flavorful!) marbling, filet can become dry if it's cooked past medium, and it also needs a little help to achieve a distinctive flavor.

These cuts—ribeye, New York strip loin, and filet mignon—can certainly be dubbed the best, and few will disagree. “Filet is the most tender cut, but has the least amount of flavor. Ribeye is the most flavorful, but the least tender of the three, and New York is in the middle.” Flannery explains.

How does Bobby Flay cook a steak in the oven? ›

Place steaks in pan, rub-side down, and sear for 35 to 40 seconds. Salt the non-rub side while the steaks are searing. Turn steaks over, and place pan in oven until steaks are medium rare, 8 to 10 minutes, brushing with glaze during last 2 minutes. Remove steaks from oven, and brush again with glaze.

After testing, I've found that the best way to cook filet mignon is to pan sear it in a hot cast iron skillet. Some recipes have you get a good sear on the stovetop and then finish in the oven but I don't find that to be the best method.

Broiling steak gives it a quick sear that baking does not. However, if cooking past medium-rare, broiling could crisp the outside of filet mignon too much while not cooking the inside enough.