Learn How to Grill a Filet Mignon on a Gas Grill with these easy to follow step by step photo instructions with great results.
A very special meal for very special times or as an everyday surprise. Grilled Filet Mignon is as good as it sounds and it can be yours with this simple technique.
I consider filet the king of all meats. If I want something very special, this is it. I usually buy the whole beef tenderloin, and a 6 to 8 oz filet will only really cost you about $6-8 which is less than a fast food trip.
My Rating
An absolute 5. The filet is always a five, but this is a great 5.
Pro Tips: Notes on How to Grill Filet Mignon:
The Meat – What is Filet Mignon?
Since this is a “how to” post, we will start with how to buy the meat. For those not in the know, a filet mignon is cut from whole beef tenderloin AKA a pismos.
You can buy pre-cut, and it will be a bit more expensive, but I usually buy the whole tenderloin and cut my own. There are many methods of trimming. Here is a YouTube Video. I like about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches. It does freeze great.
How to Buy Filet Mignon
QUALITY DOES MATTER. It is all about quality here. Prime is the top 2%; you can’t find it (it goes to the absolute best restaurants), and you don’t want to pay the price.
Next is USDA Choice. About half the beef sold in the USA is choice, and this is what you should buy usually. It will be about $10-15 per pound for the whole tenderloin.
USDA Select is next but just say no.
The grill
You need to know your grill. We are going to use direct heat here with a grill surface temperature of about 450 up to but not over 500. On my grill (which is very hot) that is just above 50%. On more normal grills it should be about 75% but get a $10 grill surface thermometer and get to know your grill.
See A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill for more details on grill surface temperature.
When is your filet done?
Your endpoint is the internal temperature you want or a little less. DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE.
The seasoning.
The timing of the seasoning is important. Do not put salt on the meat for more than a few minutes unless you are going to do 60 minutes or more.
Related Recipes:
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
How to Grill a Strip Steak on a Gas Grill
How to Grill a T-bone or Porterhouse Steak – A Tutorial
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
Start with quality filets. I like a 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch thick that will be 6-8 ozs. each.
One of the most important steps is resting the filets at room temperature for 30 or so minutes. This raises the temperature of the meat making getting your desired internal temperature much easier. While it is resting, get your grill temperature of about 450. Just over medium for me but more medium-high on lesser grills. Of course, clean and oil the grill.
Give the filets seasoning of your choice. Do it just before grilling. I use a nice sprinkling of my 7:2:2 seasoning but just a nice sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper will do.
Place the filets on the grill. Close the lid. Grill on the first side for 6 minutes. Rotate half the way through for these nice crossed grill marks. Flip and grill until you reach the correct internal temperature for your taste. For me, I do another 6 minutes (with the rotation) and get 145-150 internal temperature.
Remove and rest for 5 minutes minimum. A light foil tent is a good idea here.
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How to Grill a Filet Mignon on a Gas Grill
Ingredients
- 2 Filet Mignon - about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch thick. They will be about 6-8 oz each.
- 7:2:2 seasoning or just coarse salt and pepper
Instructions
- Start with quality filets. I like a 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch thick that will be 6-8 ozs. each.
- One of the most important steps is resting the filets at room temperature for 30 or so minutes. This raises the temperature of the meat making getting your desired internal temperature much easier.
- While the filets are resting, get your grill surface temperature about 450. Just over medium for me but more medium high on lesser grills. Please be sure the surface temperature is correct. This is the most common souce of errors. See A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill for details if you are not sure. Of course, clean and oil the grill.
- Give the filets seasoning of your choice. Do it just before grilling. I use a nice sprinkling of my 7:2:2 seasoning but just a nice sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper will do.
- Place the filets on the grill. Close the lid. Grill on the first side for 6 minutes. Rotate half the way though for these nice crossed grill marks. Flip and grill until you reach the correct internal temperature for your taste. For me, I do another 6 minutes (with the rotation) and get 145-150 internal temperature.
- Remove and rest for 5 minutes minimum. A light foil tent is a good idea here.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Quality of the meat matters a lot here. Prime or choice, please.
- Medium to medium-high grill with a surface temperature of about 450.
- Be sure the grill surface temperature is correct. This is the most common source of problems. See A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill for details.
- Rest to room temperature first.
- Season 1 hour before cooking or just before cooking. Not between.
- Your endpoint is the internal temperature you want or a little less. DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE.
- Rest tented with foil for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
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Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Originally Published June 1, 2014
John Cavuto
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
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
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
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
Steve
Novice question: do you close the grill after turning the steaks over?
DrDan
Closed. A good general rule is under 1/2 inch thick – open is usually ok. Between 1/2 to 1 inch – usually closed since you can control the temperature better. Over one inch is always closed.
Dan
Carol
Will it make a big difference if I have to put foil on the grill?
Kashlee
Thanks so much! Here goes nothing!
ken
i never rip anybody for their expertise…..your posting should be nothing more than a suggestion—if somebody screws it up, the blame falls on them…..I look at posts like this to make sure I am on the right track….looks like this Sunday it is fillets on the grill…thanks for your effort
Thomas Bailey
Theodore YOU SIR ARE A ASS .HE WAS STRAIGHT TO THE POINT AND WHAT HE SAID MADE IT VERY EASY AND GOOD. HE’S NOT THERE TO BE YOUR FRIEND IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT GET A DOG. HAVE A NICE DAY
Richard Burns
Thomas, Why must you SHOUT? It is very rude.
Jerome
Question from an absolute amateur – best way to gauge internal temperature? I know they make thermometers you insert into the meat, but doesnt that dry it out?
DrDan
Hi Jerome,
If you poke it 20 times, you might be able to tell the difference. But a few pokes are fine. The whole key to cooking like this is grill temperature (see https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/grill-temperature/ ) and the internal temperature of the meat. So a good meat thermometer is really required to get it right. You can get a $10 el-cheapo and it will work fine, it just won’t last too long. You can get something at a big box store or I have some links in my shop.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Dan
Andrea Blondell
Thank you so much for your help!! Your instructions were amazing and very easy to follow!! Tho my family and I grill on a regular basic filet mignon has always been something I was scared to attempt!! Not anymore thanks to you!!
Courtney13
Excellent direction, I am decent when it comes to grilling but I would never want to ruin filets, so this definitely helped!!! Thanks
Aimee
Fabulous,
Thank you, Fantastic advice, and look forward to putting your direction along with herb butters to the test, today.
DrDan
Hi Aimee,
Hope it works well for you. Thanks for the note.
Dan
Daniel
OMG. Best I’ve ever had!
Daniel
I’m about to use your rules here for the first time. I can’t believe you would be criticized from a non paying observer only to help him coon the best piece of meat available. JK. Have a hotdog.
Lucas
I love this technique! I adapted slightly by using Teresa Major steaks, and they were amazing! The seasoning (7.2.2) was the perfect ratio for my family. I grilled 5 steaks and added a specialty of my own, grilled garlic and herb shrimp. Thank you for such precise direction and including variables to look out for.
DrDan
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Jd
Sam’s club sells Prime at a good price.
lilly
this looks very scrumptious
i will try this out soon
thanks for posting it here
Chris
Love filets! My local HEB has USDA Prime and it’s nice to get what would otherwise cost upwards of $100 in a premium steak joint.
DrDan
I’m jealous, I only get prime for very special occasions.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Paul
Number 5 Thank you
DrDan
Thanks for the note. Glad it worked well for you.
Dan
Claudette Bostrom
Love this recipe!! This recipe is super easy to follow & make, turns out delicious every time!! I made this a couple months ago & it has become my husbands favorite meal on the grill. Im making it tonight for some friends we are having for dinner. Cant go wrong! Thanks for sharing!
Leslie Miller
Can you update the nutritional information to include serving size?
DrDan
Hi Leslie,
Sorry but the plugin does not pull serving size into the nutrition box. So it is on the recipe card. I can manually place it like I did here.
Dan
Joe
Great suggestions, and simple! Thanks!
Christine
Great instructions! My love and I are becoming experts at filet now…
DrDan
Thanks for the note Christine. This is one I have done over and over for years but finally got around to pictures.
DrDan
Rick
Where did you get the grill thermometer ?
DrDan
That one I believe came from Amazon for about $8. Also anyplace that sale grills will probably have them for about the same price. The ones that are in the hood are almost aways way off. Just don’t pay any attention to them.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Tina
I’ve tried for years to cook steak for my husband but never could get it quite right. Followed your recipe and it came out perfect! Thank you so much
DrDan
Thanks for the note and rating. I just finished a dinner party for 8 tonight with grilled filet. Our filet were 2 inch thick so it took about 15 minutes. I adjusted
DrDan
Donna Voisine
What is the 7 2 2 spice made of?
DrDan
7 parts kosher salt
2 parts pepper
2 parts granular garlic powder
See link in post or https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/everyday-spice-mix-721-mix/
DrDan
Don Marino
To my family, McCormick Montreal Steak rub is the chosen spice on expensive steaks. We spray a thin coat of olive oil spray on the meat and then rub the spice generously. Since I prefer my steak rare, 5 minutes a side is sufficient. Enjoy!
Peter
Excellent instructions. I am trying for Saturday with 4 VIP guests. Might have been useful to link with a mushroom or other sauce but I guess I can research that elsewhere.
Many thanks for the help.
Paula Smitherman
I just found your site when I was googling for directions on grilling tenderloin filet steaks (my hubby does a fine job of it but I was just curious about how long on each side). We are about to grill ours (I made two sauces; peppercorn and mushroom, first time I’ve tried either one and I must say they turned out extremely well, if I do I say so myself). I LOVE your recipes! Simple, full of flavor, very doable and delicious. I am delighted and will be returning to your site weekly to try your recipes. Especially your crock pot recipes look very good; I’m usually disappointed with how bland and “crock-potty” my dishes seem to turn out when I use it, but yours look and sound much tastier. I so want to use it from a time-saving aspect. Thank you for sharing your time and cooking talent with the world, Dr. Dan!
Very sincerely,
Paula Smitherman
Brandon, MS
DrDan
Hi Paula and welcome to the site.
So glad it worked well for you. Look around and let me know if you have questions. About the crock pot recipes, my current favorites are the Ziti and the crock pot pizza… I guess I’m into Italian right now.
Thanks for the comment.
DrDan
Heather
I’ve been a vegetarian for over 25 years…until last month when I decided to start eating chicken (free range, organic, etc.) for various reasons. It is not a decision I made lightly. My fiancé was also veggie and wanted to try grass fed beef. I bought two filets ($25/lb) that should be top notch and will be trying to cook them tonight according to your instructions. I am both excited and nervous, I’ve never really eaten beef before and certainly have not cooked it, but I figured what the heck. I just don’t want to ruin $30 worth of food by destroying it, haha. Wish me luck and I’ll let you know how it goes.
Chris
Believe it or not, Trader Joes had some lovely filet mignon steaks and I was craving beef. We have a gas grill that registers temperature well, I have a meat thermometer so I decided to look up a guide for grill technique. I followed the instructions and mixed the 7:2:1 seasoning and the steaks grilled beautifully. Perfect instructions, easy, and absolutely delicious. Thank you!
Phil
The random dog picture was funny. This is a great recipe and guide! You’re totally right though, no matter how pro you are, having a thermometer on your grill is a must. A newbie will commit a mistake on relying time to cook. The meat in your picture looks juicy and delicious! I’m starved just by looking at them.
L Hampshire
i was surprised to see you recommend covering with foil. I tried this once, and the meat continued cooking under the foil wrap – not a nice surprise – we had well-done filets
DrDan
I mean to tent them some. They need to rest after cooking to reabsorb fluid. So just a light tenting. Also many times you will get 2-5 degrees increase after removing from the grill.
I think I will reword a little.
DrDan
maurice
Gratitude from the jersey shore. I don’t grill much but the instructions made me look like I knew what I was doing. The beach house had a top notch grill so that helped. Most satisfying for me was the happy family.
Mark Johnson
The cook time was perfect.
Mike Louis
I grilled using these instructions and got very very sick. My entire family was vomiting
DrDan
Hi Mike,
Sorry to hear your family is sick but food poisoning from meat is generally ground meat, chicken and seafood. Not generally associated with solid meat like tenderloin.
I have published two articles on food safety:
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/food-safety/
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/thanksgiving-food-safety-and-food-help/
I suggest investigating other foods consumed at the meal to narrow the cause down and not consuming any of those dishes unless you are sure they are safe.
Dan
Bonnie
The instructions were very easy to follow. Since I am not a grill pro.lol. I will be using your site again.
ray
Yes it works, however learn to do it by feel and look. Colors and feel of your quality filet will stand out:-)
Ted (Theodore) Villella
Well i do agree with your approach but the tone of your piece bordered on codesending. People, especialy young people seek your wisdom which may well be lost on many because you call them foolish because they do not have your knowledge and experience. You lack tact iand by in demonstrating that, you greatly diminish an otherwise excellent piece of advice on one of the greatest pleasures one can enjoy. A rewrite demostrating a greater respect and appreciation of your audience is required. I hoped to appaud but i cannot. Technically accurate but lacks joi d’vivvra.
JF
Wow, Theodore. If we were all experts we wouldn’t be looking at this to begin with. Didn’t find it at all condescending nor lacking in tact.
DrDan
Hi JF,
In Ted’s defense, I had a couple of remarks regarding attempting to cook expensive meat by time alone vs using a thermometer that were a bit “snarky”. I had just had issues with commenters not following instructions and ripping into me on the oven filet recipe for over-cooked filet. Plus, I was having a bad day. He and I communicated after that privately and I did a few minor modifications. This is the version that is on the site now.
Thanks for the note.
Dan