Feel free to take your filet mignon into the great outdoors to cook it on the grill, but, I don't recommend it. Why? The filet, cut from the tenderloin and leanest, tenderest cut of beef, is the least likely to succeed over the dry, open flame of any seething-hot charcoal or gas grill grids. That said, indoors, on a grill pan, where it has a solid, steamy surface to sear itself above its own bubbling juices, the filet graduates at the head of its class -- with perfect, 4.0 grill marks too.
4, 8-9-ounce, 2"-thick USDA Choice Angus filet-mignon steaks.
To insure even cooking time & a pretty presentation...
... it's necessary to buck 'em up to hold their shape.
This is done by tightly-tying a rope-line around each waist.
Tie 'em even if you are foolish enough to put 'em on an outdoor grill. You can thank me later for that small piece of advice.
~Step 1. Spray the grids of a nonstick grill pan with no-stick cooking spray and place over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Once pan is preheated, place steaks on the grill grids. Season their tops with freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend*. Continue to cook 5 full minutes. Using a spatula (not a fork), flip steaks over, season the second sides and cook 5 more minutes. Flip steaks over and immediately give each one a quarter-turn, to form the signature cross-hatch grill-grid marks (note the direction of the marks in photos 3 & 4), then, cook 1 more minute.
*Note: Steak-seasoning may be substituted for freshly-ground sea salt and/or peppercorn blend.
~Step 2. Flip steaks over one last time and cook 1 more minute. Steaks will now have the signature cross-hatch marks on both sides. Using the aid of a long-handled fork (without poking holes in meat), lift steaks onto their sides and use the sides of the grill pan for support as you work. Continue to cook steaks on their sides for another full minute, turning steaks methodically and constantly during this time, to brown all around their perimeters. Remove steaks from pan.
Rest steaks 5-10 minutes prior to slicing & serving:
Would you like Superbly-Seasoned Steak Fries with that?
The Perfect 12-13-Minute, 2"-Thick, Grill-Pan Fillet: Recipe yields 4 servings.
Special Equipment List: kitchen-safe twine; kitchen shears; grill pan; spatula; long-handled fork
Cook's Note: A classic recipe to cook a filet indoors is ~ Steak au Poivre (Peppercorn-Crusted Filet Mignon) ~. It gets cooked in a skillet and is served with a luscious sauce made from the pan juices -- one of my fancy-schmancy favorites.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2018)
Comments