Learn how easy it is to cook filet mignon in the oven at home for juicy, tender results with a delicious crust.
It makes a melt-in-your-mouth centerpiece for special meals at home or holiday celebrations.
⏱️ How Long to Cook Filet Mignon in the Oven
For a 1-inch filet mignon baked at 400°F:
- Sear: 2–3 minutes per side
- Medium-rare (130°–135°F): 5–7 minutes in the oven
- Medium (140°–150°F): 8–10 minutes in the oven
Thicker filets or other doneness levels will take longer.
Featured Comment by Gina:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Perfect instructions, perfectly done, couldn’t be easier! The timing chart was very helpful. Thank’s doc."
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🤔 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What: Tender filet mignon with a flavorful seared crust for special meals.
Why: Fast, reliable, and easy to cook to your preferred doneness with a thermometer.
How: Rest at room temperature, season, pan-sear for 2–3 minutes per side, then finish baking in the oven to your target temperature.
🐄 Ingredients — Filet and Seasoning Suggestions
- Filet mignon: Use 6- to 8-ounce filets about 1 to 1½ inches thick. Prime or well-marbled Choice both work well.
- Butter or oil: Butter adds flavor; use a high-heat oil such as avocado or canola if you prefer.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt and black pepper are all you need, or use your favorite steak seasoning.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook Filet Mignon in Oven
1. If you have time, let the filet mignon rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes. Pat dry and season all sides.
2. Sear the filets in a hot skillet for 2–3 minutes per side in butter or oil until a crust forms.
✅ Pro Tip: Searing adds the best flavor and crust. You can skip it, but the oven time will be longer.
3. Transfer the skillet to a preheated oven and roast to 3–4°F below your target temperature.
4. Move the filets to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
👇For step-by-step photos and full instructions, scroll to the printable recipe card—or keep reading for tips and serving ideas.
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⏰ How Long to Cook Filet Mignon in the Oven
After a 2–3 minute sear per side, finish a 1-inch filet mignon in a 400°F oven:
- Rare (125°–130°F): 4–5 minutes
- Medium-rare (130°–135°F): 5–7 minutes
- Medium (140°–150°F): 8–10 minutes
- Medium-well to well done (150°F+): 12 minutes or longer
Remove the filet about 3–4°F below your target temperature and rest for 5–10 minutes. Thicker or colder filets will take longer, so use an instant-read thermometer and check early.
Oven temperature is flexible: 400°F is my standard, but 375° to 425°F will also work; lower temperatures take longer and higher temperatures cook faster.
Rare steak warning: Thin or room-temperature filets can reach rare very quickly and may need only 1–2 minutes in the oven after searing. Check the temperature before the oven step and again very early.
Without searing: You can bake filet mignon entirely in the oven, but it will take longer and won’t develop the same browned crust.
👍 Tips for Success
- Use a thermometer and check early: Filet mignon cooks quickly, and you can always cook it longer—but you can’t uncook it.
- Use cast iron for the best sear: Its even heat gives you excellent browning, but any oven-safe skillet rated for at least 400°F will work.
- Time your salt: Season immediately before cooking or at least an hour ahead.
🍽️ What to Serve with Filet Mignon
Serve filet mignon with simple sides that don’t compete with the steak. Good choices include roasted potatoes, asparagus, green beans, a fresh salad, or crusty bread.
For extra richness, top the hot filet with a pat of butter or compound butter just before serving.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
Store cooked filet mignon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking, or slice it cold for sandwiches or steak salads.
🐄 Other Steak Recipes
❓ FAQs
Yes. It will take longer and won’t develop the same browned crust, but you can bake it entirely in the oven. Cook to your preferred internal temperature.
I use 400°F. You can also use 375° to 425°F—lower temperatures take longer, while higher temperatures cook faster.
Yes, for reliable results. Filet mignon cooks quickly, and timing alone is not accurate enough to judge doneness.
Rest it for about 5–10 minutes so the temperature finishes rising and the juices redistribute before serving.
📖The Recipe Card
Filet Mignon in the Oven (Pan-Seared and Oven-Baked Method)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 filet mignon - about 1-1½ inch thick and about 6-8 oz
- 1 tablespoon butter - or oil
- salt and pepper or other steak seasoning
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat, rest, and season
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim filets if needed. Let them rest at room temperature for 30–60 minutes.
- Pat dry well with paper towels. Season all sides to taste with the seasoning of your choice. Just kosher salt and black pepper or All-Purpose Seasoning, which adds garlic powder, is enough.
2. Searing the steaks
- Heat the butter or oil in a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the filets for 2–3 minutes per side until well browned.
3. Finish in the oven
- Transfer skillet to the oven. Roast until the internal temperature is 3°–4°F below your target. Medium-rare takes about 5–7 minutes in the oven to reach 130°–135°F.
4. Rest and serve
- Remove from the pan, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Prime beef is excellent, but well-marbled Choice works well.
- Season immediately before cooking or at least an hour ahead.
- Always use an instant-read thermometer—don’t cook by time alone.
- For rare or thinner filets, check the temperature before and very early during oven roasting.
- Remove the filets 3°–4°F below your target temperature; they will continue cooking while resting.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally published March 10, 2012; updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and edits to improve navigation.
Nanette Miller says
Finally this recipe has settled the debate on which method works best - Seer, then bake or bake then seer. I am definitely on the seer then bake team.
Simple directions that create the perfect steak every single time! I use McComicks steak seasoning or sea salt and cracked peppercorn to season.
Aurore Stubbs says
Hello,
Thank you for your recipe and clear instructions.
Could you please tell me how to achieve the reverse searing of a filet mignon
thicker than 2"?
In the past I did a reverse searing with a rib roast, but always cooked a filet in a pan with olive oil and butter.
Thank you ,
Kind regards,
Aurore
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Aurore,
Welcome to the blog. I generally do not cook very thick fillets. Thinner ones for individual serving size with a good seared crust for me. But I do understand..
I will give you a brief method, but suggest you check some other sites that routinely cook thicker filets. You need to use lower heat to get close to the final internal temp. Always rest at room temperature. Use a 250°F oven (not convection) and cook to about 10-15° below your final doneness. Remove from the oven and tent while you get a skillet (cast iron preferred or something heavy) very hot (get it fully hot, almost smoking), then sear for a minute or so on each side. Use a high-temp oil and let the butter melt on it after the sear.
Hope that helps, but again, double-check before you cook a $50 steak.
Dan
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Jacob,
Sorry you had a problem. Could you be more specific? Searing time, oven temp, thickness, but most importantly, what temperature were you aiming for, and what is "vastly overdone" for you?
Dan
Gail says
I’d like to make this for a party of 25. Can I sear the filet and store in fridge and bake it in oven later?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Gail,
Welcome to the blog.
I don't think you will be happy with the results of searing, refrigerating, and baking. Not that I have done it, but I'm thinking of fluid shifts in the steak and the outside overcooking by the time you get the filets cooked in the oven.
I don’t have a plan for cooking 25 filets and having them ready at the same time with this recipe. I do cook filets frequently on my grill, which is large enough for 25 filets, so you may want to check out my grilled filet recipe if that sounds like a good option. If you choose to use the grill, let them rest at room temperature, and monitor your grill and meat temperatures closely. You should definitely practice cooking filets several times before trying mass cooking.
Sorry, I was not more help.
Dan
PS Additional thought. While eating dinner, I did think of another solution. Use a large electric or stovetop griddle to sear, then move them to a preheated heavy sheet pan to finish.
Randy Bowman says
When pan searing what do you use if you don't have a cast iron pan ?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Randy,
Welcome to the blog.
Any oven-safe skillet will do. Most stovetop skillets are oven-safe to a set temperature determined by the manufacturer. Mine are all over 400°, mostly 450° or 500°. It was on the paperwork when you bought it but we all toss that, so do a search for your skillet and be sure they are oven safe to 400°. I will add that 400° oven is arbitrary and you can use 350° if needed, it will take a bit longer.
Now, it you just aren't sure. You can preheat an oven safe pan while searing and transfer the filets after searing on the stovetop to the oven pan to finish to temperature.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Gina says
Perfect instructions, perfectly done, couldn’t be easier! The timing chart was very helpful. Thank’s doc.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Gina,
Welcome to the blog. When I was rewriting I felt the frame around the timing chart was a good idea... it is what most people are looking for, so just highlight it.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Deborah L says
Dr Dan, This is an easy recipe and great taste! I'm thinking of making it as filet au poivre next time. Your sauce recipe says to add minced scallops. Really? Should that read scallions? or shallots? That seems an indignity to the scallops.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for the note and proof read. That paragraph was copied from a 2010 post that I deleted, so you are the first to find it in 13 years.
I changed it to green onions that I think most home cooks will understand better. I also gave the post a fast cosmetic buff-up but do not rewrite anything else. (opps, I did change the weight and thickness range to 1 -1/2 inches and 6-8 oz. I have been doing a lot of 6 oz filets over the summer.
Dan