Grilling filet mignon is easier than you think. With a gas grill, simple seasoning, and a meat thermometer, you can cook a juicy, tender filet better than most steakhouses. This guide shows you how to pick the right cut, season it well, and grill it to perfection—every time.
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- 💕Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🐄 Ingredients
- 👨🍳Quick Overview: Grilling Filet Mignon
- ⏰ How Long to Grill Filet Mignon and Doneness Levels
- ✔️ Tips for Perfect Filet Mignon on the Grill
- 🐄 Choosing the Best Filet Mignon
- 📋 Other Steak Recipes
- 🍽️ What to Serve with Filet Mignon
- ❄️ Storage and Leftovers
- ❓FAQs
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by George:
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"DrDan, you are the man! Just barbecued 3 fillet mignons for my birthday and followed your instructions to a tee. Best tasting and juiciest we've had in a long time. I almost feel like a master chef now."
💕Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for holidays or date nights – Great for Mother’s Day, Christmas, Valentine’s Day—or just when you want a great steak.
- Juicy and tender every time – This foolproof method brings out the best in filet mignon.
- Beginner-friendly – Clear steps, simple seasoning, and grill temps take out the guesswork.
- Quick and impressive – Done in 20–25 minutes with steakhouse results.
- Gas grill preferred—but charcoal works too – Just use a meat thermometer and manage the grill temp.
🐄 Ingredients
- Filet Mignon – About 1 to 1½ inches thick and 6–8 oz each. Go with USDA Choice or Prime for the best tenderness and flavor.
- Thicker filets (closer to 1½ inches) are ideal for rare to medium-rare.
- Thinner filets (closer to 1 inch) make it easier to hit medium or more without overcooking the outside.
- Seasoning – Kosher salt and black pepper are plenty, but you can also use a steak blend like Montreal seasoning or my All Purpose Seasoning 7:2:2 (salt, pepper, garlic). Add garlic powder, rosemary, or thyme if you like a little extra flavor.
👨🍳Quick Overview: Grilling Filet Mignon
1. Rest, preheating, and seasoning
Let the filets rest at room temperature while you preheat the grill to a surface temp of about 450°F. Clean and oil the grates. Season to your taste.
✅Pro Tip: For juicier steaks, salt either right before grilling or at least an hour ahead. Salt pulls moisture at first, but given time, it reabsorbs and helps flavor the meat from within.
2. Grilling
Grill with the lid closed, flipping every 4–5 minutes until you reach your desired internal temperature. Rotate halfway through each side if you want those nice crossed grill marks.
✅Pro Tip: Remove the steaks from the grill about 3–5 degrees early. Carryover cooking during the rest will bring them up to the perfect doneness.
3. Resting
Tent the steaks lightly with foil and let them rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
✅Pro tip: Don’t skip the rest. It gives time for juices to redistribute, keeping the filet tender and moist.
👇For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
⏰ How Long to Grill Filet Mignon and Doneness Levels
A 1-inch thick filet mignon takes about 10–11 minutes on a 450°F grill to reach medium-rare (130°–135°F), which is a warm red center.
Thicker steaks (1½ inches) will need 2–3 minutes longer. If you skip the rest to room temperature, expect up to 50% longer cooking time—and a higher risk of overcooking the outside before the inside is done.
🔥 Estimated Grill Times for a 1-Inch Filet on a 450°F Grill
These are just planning estimates. Use a meat thermometer and always check early.
- Rare (120°–125°F) – Cold red center, about 6–8 minutes
- Medium-rare (130°–135°F) – Warm red center, about 10–11 minutes
- Medium (140°–145°F) – Pink and firm, about 12–14 minutes
- Medium-well (150°–155°F) – Minimal pink, about 14–16 minutes
- Well-done (160°F+) – Firm and brown, 16+ minutes (⚠️ Not recommended)
✅ Key Tips
- Always cook to internal temperature, not by time.
- Remove the steak 3–5 degrees before your final target to allow for carryover cooking during the rest.
- Check the temp early—you can always cook more, but you can't uncook a steak.
⚠️ Rare Steak Caution:
Grilling filet to rare is tricky. It can over- or under-shoot fast. Remove early and check frequently. You can always throw it back on.
✔️ Tips for Perfect Filet Mignon on the Grill
- Rest to room temperature. Helps it cook evenly and avoid an overcooked exterior with a cold center.
- Preheat fully. A hot grill gives better sear, more even cooking, and helps prevent sticking. Don’t rush this step.
- Use a grill surface thermometer (recommended). 450°F is medium-high on most gas grills. The hood thermometer is often wrong. A must for charcoal.
👉 More help: Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill - Use an instant-read meat thermometer. No guessing. No cooking by time. Or you’ll ruin your filets.
- Rest after grilling. Let the juices go back where they belong—inside the meat.
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🐄 Choosing the Best Filet Mignon
- Buy USDA Choice or Prime. Prime has better marbling and flavor, but it costs more and isn’t always available. Choice is easier to find and still delivers great results when cooked properly.
- Stick to 1 to 1½ inch thick filets. Thicker steaks are best for rare to medium-rare. Go a little thinner if you prefer medium or well-done.
- Pick steaks of similar size. Even sizing helps them cook at the same rate, so nothing gets under- or overdone.
- Skip anything lower than Choice. Lower grades are leaner, tougher, and just not worth the price—even on sale.
📋 Other Steak Recipes
Looking for more steakhouse-quality results at home? Try these easy recipes—all beginner-friendly and made for the gas grill:
- Grilled Ribeye Steaks – Big flavor and perfect for searing.
- Grilled New York Steaks – A classic, tender, and juicy.
- Grilled Sirloin Steaks – Leaner but still full of flavor.
- Grilled Porterhouse Steaks – Get both a strip and tenderloin in one steak.
Want a stovetop method? Try my Pan-Seared Filet Mignon—a simple sear and oven finish for tender, juicy results every time.
Pan Seared Filet Mignon
The perfect Filet Mignon Recipe uses the tried-and-true sear and oven-bake method to get moist, tender, and flavorful filet ever/y time
🍽️ What to Serve with Filet Mignon
Filet mignon is the star, but the right sides and toppings make it a full steakhouse experience.
- Classic sides: Baked potatoes, roasted or grilled vegetables, green beans, or a simple salad.
- Grill-friendly picks: Grilled asparagus, corn on the cob, or crusty bread.
- Toppings: Add a pat of butter, garlic herb butter, or my favorite—Blue Cheese Garlic Butter—for a final flavor boost.
Wine pairing?
Go with a red like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet. Or pop a sparkling wine if you’re celebrating. Honestly, filet plays well with most wines.
❄️ Storage and Leftovers
Store leftover filet mignon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s excellent served cold on a salad or gently reheated in a 250°F oven for about 15 minutes—just until warmed through.
You can also freeze cooked filet for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly to prevent freezer burn, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
❓FAQs
Filet mignon is a steak cut from the beef tenderloin, one of the most tender muscles on the cow. It’s lean, mild in flavor, and known for its soft, buttery texture. What is Filet Mignon?
You might also see it called beef tenderloin steak or just filet. Since the tenderloin doesn’t do much work, the meat stays extra tender, even without much marbling or fat.
You can—but you really don’t need to. Filet mignon is naturally tender, so a marinade won’t improve texture. A simple seasoning is all it takes. If you want to add flavor, try a quick Steak Marinade or use compound butter after grilling.
Nope. Don’t do it. The outside will overcook before the inside has a chance to thaw, and you’ll end up with a dried-out crust and a cold center. Always thaw filet mignon fully in the refrigerator before grilling.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Grill Filet Mignon
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 Filet Mignon - About 1 to 1½ inches thick. They will be about 6-8 oz each.
- coarse salt and pepper - Or other seasoning of choice
Step-by-Step Instructions
Rest the steaks
- Start with quality filets, 1 to 1½ inches thick. Let them rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the grill and season:
- Heat the grill to a surface temperature of about 450°F (medium-high on most gas grills). Clean and oil the grates well.
- Pat the filets dry with paper towels. Just before grilling, season generously with kosher salt and black pepper or the seasoning of your choice.
Grill
- Place the filets on the grill and close the lid. Grill the first side for about 4–5 minutes (less for rare). Rotate halfway through for crosshatch grill marks. Flip and continue grilling until your desired internal temperature is reached—about 10–11 minutes total for medium-rare.
Rest
- Remove from the grill and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Choose Prime or Choice filet mignon for the best tenderness and flavor.
- Preheat the grill completely—450°F is the ideal temperature. Use a grill surface thermometer for accuracy.
- Never cook by time alone. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature.
- Season just before grilling or at least 1 hour ahead. Avoid seasoning in between.
- Don’t skip resting after cooking; the internal temperature will rise a few degrees, and the juices will redistribute, giving you moist, tender results.
- For rare steaks, watch carefully. Remove them early to prevent overshooting the target; you can always cook them a bit more, but you can't uncook them.
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 June 1, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Ann says
We never have filets at home that is always a restaurant meal for us, but decided to cook them up for Thanksgiving this year since there would only be us two and boy are we were glad we did! They were delicious per your cooking tips. Thanks so much for the instructions & this will not be our last time cooking them!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Ann,
Welcome to the blog. Glad you enjoyed the filets.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Linda Schulter says
Any advice for cooking filets indoors during the fall/winter seasons when we typically don't grill outside?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog.
It is linked early in the blog post... it looks almost like an ad but the direct link is https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/pan-seared-oven-roasted-filet-mignon/
It has a brief pan searing then transferred to the oven to finish. Very simple and is the way most restaurants will cook. You can skip the searing and add about 7-10 minutes to the oven time. But the searing will add a lot of great flavors.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Dan
Ken Crass says
You state that you should be careful about seasoning and do it right before you grill. Seasoning with salt up to 24 hours before cooking makes a huge difference in the texture and flavor of a steak . Salt dissolves protein strands into gel which allows them to retain water better as they cook .Water makes meat more tender and juicy. I suggest salting as early as possible before cooking-up to 24 hours before but not less than 1 hour. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the results! Read Salt,Fat,Acid,Heat by Samin Nosrat.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Yes, you can salt long before cooking. You just should not do it between 0 to 60 minutes or it will pull water out and not allow time to reabsorb. If you can't do more than an hour then do it immediately before cooking.
Dan
Kathy Howarth says
Have you ever grilled a whole filet?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Kathy,
Welcome to the blog.
The answer is no and probably never will, we just don't host that sort of meal anymore. It would require a large grill and probably indirect cooking but not in the low and slow range. So look around, I'm sure others have.
I do have a whole tenderloin recipe, it was one of the first on the blog, the photos were lost and it is by no means up to my current post standards but it was very delicious. I keep it for reference for my family. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/beef-tenderloin-part-4-tenderloin-roast/
Dan
edward weinstein says
not a grill master , but someone that likes alcohol , poured shots of every thing i had and put it on the steaks ,everyone loved the taste .did it while the filet mignon were grilling ! cant remember what i did but they were unbeleivable in taste ! just a note the alcohol burned off !
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Welcome to the blog.
I have no idea why I let that be posted.
Dan
Unduescallywag says
I guess if your drunk enough pretty much everything tastes good.
Walter "Woody" Hope says
The thermometer you want has a shaft of about 7" long by about 3/16" diameter. Do not use one of those meat thermometers with a glass shaft about 1/4" diameter. Those are for roasts, if for anything at all. The former minimizes juice leakage.
In one swift fluid motion: One at a time, grab the sides of the filet with sturdy but lightweight metal tongs, pull it off the grill and land it on a stable solid plate on a flat surface, poke the thermometer so the tip ends up in the center of the thickest part (the thermocouple is in the TIP), read the high point and either pull to rest or tong it back on the grill ASAP. BTW Dr. Dan, this recipe is how I have always done my filets...same page we are, sir!
Patrick Martin says
Great instructions. I had stopped cooking steaks at home but I cooked three filets tonight following your directions and they came out perfectly!
Jess says
Perfect! Thank you so much. Our entire family devoured the steaks!
Alan Lamb says
My wife was smiling from ear-to-ear upon eating our two filet mignon cuts this evening! Your directions were perfect and you definitely helped make my evening!
Cristian says
Breaking in a new grill with this recipe and the steaks came out 👌🏽 perfect!
Thank you!
George Pattakos says
DrDan, you are the man! Just barbecued 3 fillet mignons for my birthday and followed your instructions to a tee. Best tasting and juiciest we've had in a long time. I almost feel like a master chef now. Wish I could do it with a roast now.
Barbara Smith says
I’ve been trying to sign up for your email letters, and I can’t access the Captcha pictures. It’s off to the side and very small.
Can you help me?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Barbara,
Welcome to the blog. I signed you up. It is not much of a newsletter, just a notification when something is published. You should get an email to confirm you want it. Also, very easy to unsubscribe.
Thanks for the notes and glad your steaks came out well
Dan
Barbara Smith says
Thank you Dr Dan!
I’ve never been able to cook steaks. I used your recipe, and my filet turned out perfectly!!
Christy Johnson says
Hi there! Hey I'm grilling 12 filets at the same time, does this make a difference on that time frame? I thought about 7 minutes flip 7 minutes. Then take them off rest until the corn is done which will be on the top shelf which will be about 6-8 minutes more. My daughter is skeptical I can do it but dog gone it I'm going to try! I use a gunpowder seasoning our local butcher has prepared it's great! Have no idea what it consists of but it sure is delicious!
Thanks for any suggestions you can give me! I got a picky daughter!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Christy,
Welcome to the blog.
The cooking time should not vary any just don't crowd them together. Don't forget there are variables in the cooking time, exact grill temperature, the thickness of the meat, the temperature of the meat when it goes on the grill.
One final hint, the main issue with most large grillings is overcooking. So if somebody wants rare, pay special attention. And remember, you can always toss the meat back on the grill for a few minutes but you can not uncook something.
Dan
Cottage Bob says
Must be nice. 10 ounces here costs 20 bucks.
John Cavuto says
Be very wary of the grill times. I followed a number of sites for a 1 inch to 1.5 inch piece. Most came in around 10 minutes total. I did 9 and ended up with something between medium and well. Just cook it like you would a ribeye - total 6 minutes tops.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi John,
Welcome to the blog.
May I ask the grill surface temperature you had?
I just did two tonight with a surface temp right on 450. They were 1 1/2 inch thick and toke exactly 15 minutes to 135-140. That is why I emphasize using grill surface temperature, the final internal temperature and not time to cook things like this.
I suspect the grill temperature is the difference.
Dan
Bill says
Good info. Someone mentioned finding Prime beef at Sams Club. I never have myself in our central Florida clubs but Costco regularly has Prime steaks and entire loins, sometimes trimmed. Really fine beef.
When you’re steaks are 2” or more how much longer do you cook per side or do you add additional time under the grill hood but indirect heat not over the flames?
DrDan says
Hi Bill,
Welcome to the blog.
I agree, I have never seen prime anything at Sams but their choice seems extra good. I get prime at me local meat market for extra special times. I don't have a local Costco but that would be a great thing.
For extra thick (more than 1 1/2 inches). The problem is getting the right internal temperature without burning or at least over cooking the outside. If you're aiming for rare/medium rare, you can probably just follow these instructions.
If you want to more cooked inside, I would decrease the surface temperature by 50 degrees and increase the time some. That way, you have a temperature gradient longer before the outside is a problem. You could also move them to an indirect heat area. As always, cook to a final internal temperature.
Dan