Cook your filet mignon the way top steakhouses do for absolute best results. Pan sear and finish in the oven, and you will have the best filet mignon you have ever tasted. And it is so simple to do.
This is my go-to method for this cut of the beef tenderloin. An extremely dependable 30 minutes including resting time.
Start with a hot pan and sear both sides to get that tasty Maillard reaction then finish by transferring to a hot oven to finish to the final internal temperature you want.
My Rating:
An easy 5. I have done this over and over and could survive on it.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
How to pick a filet mignon.
Start with quality filets. It is all about quality here more than almost any other cut of beef. Prime is the top 2%; you can buy it for $35 per pound which I have done at the best meat shops.
Next, just under Prime, is Choice. About half the beef sold in the USA is Choice, and this is what you should usually buy. It will be about $10-15 per pound. Select is next but just say no. If you see a beef tenderloin that does not have one of these three ratings, it is guaranteed to be bad.
You can buy whole beef tenderloins and trim it yourself, and if I’m having company and need 6-8 filets, this is what I do.
I tend to be at Sam’s Club early in the day on my way home from work (today I was there at 7:30 AM), and they almost ways have some filets marked down. I think of that as aged beef. So about 8 oz 1 1/2 inch thick cuts are a great start.
How to Season a Filet Mignon.
Just salt and pepper will do. That is enough. I like some garlic and recommend a light coat with 7:2:2 seasoning (see my post on making 7:2:2 HERE).
I don’t use any other seasoning and definitely no marinade or sauce. I like butter, so I use butter as an option in the recipe. You can also top with a pat of butter for serving. My wife loves her Blue Cheese and Garlic Compound Butter.
How to Cook A Perfect Filet Mignon
The real secret to cooking the perfect filet mignon is to initially pan sear to get some Maillard reaction (tasty browning) followed by finishing in a 400-425 degree oven to the final temperature you want. It is that simple. Really.
I love to use a cast iron pan for this. It does not have to be cast iron. Any oven-safe pan that can move from stovetop to oven will do.
If you don’t have that, sear in a stove top pan and move to a different oven safe pan to finish. If using the later technique, I would preheat the oven pan with the oven, so the filet goes in a hot pan.
You can also grill. How to Grill a Filet Mignon on a Gas Grill
When is it done?
I’m more of a medium rare guy but here are the recommendations. Remove the meat from the oven 3-4 degrees less than your final desired temperature. Lightly tent with foil for about 5 minutes. The temperature will rise, and the moisture will absorb into the cells for more tenderness.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees convection (or 425 regular ovens). Start with 1 1/2 thick filets about 8 oz each and trimmed well. Remove any silver skin.
Season all sides to taste. Just kosher salt and pepper will be fine. I use my 7:2:2 (see my post on making 7:2:2).
In an oven safe pan (I love my 10-inch cast iron) over medium-high heat melt 1 tablespoon of butter or use oil. Some prefer an oil at this point due to the lower smoke point of butter, but I have never had a problem. When hot, sear both sides of the filets for 2-3 minutes. Sear, flip, sear and final flip before going to the oven.
Transfer to your preheated oven. Cook to about your desired done temperature. (see chart). Remove from oven a few degrees early. For me, medium-rare is always about 12-15 minutes to get an internal temp of about 145. Also, time can vary some due to the exact temperature of the meat to start, the exact temperature of the oven, the pan used, and the thickness of the meat. Rare may be as little as 5 minutes so beware if you want rare. DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE, YOU MUST CHECK INTERNAL TEMPERATURE. Times are provided to help planning only.
Remove from pan and tent lightly with foil on a plate and let rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting. It needs to absorb fluids internally, and the temperature will rise a few more degrees during the rest.
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Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
Ingredients
- 2 Filet Mignon - about 1 1/2 inch thick and about 8 oz
- 1 tablespoon oil - or butter
- salt and pepper - to taste or 7:2:2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees convection (or 425 regular ovens). Start with 1 1/2 thick filets about 8 oz each and trimmed well. Remove any silver skin.
- Season all sides to taste. Just kosher salt and pepper will be fine. I use my 7:2:2 (see my post on making 7:2:2).
- In an oven safe pan (I love my 10-inch cast iron) over medium-high heat melt 1 tablespoon of butter or use oil. Some prefer an oil at this point due to the lower smoke point of butter, but I have never had a problem. When hot, sear both sides of the filets for 2-3 minutes. Sear, flip, sear and final flip before going to the oven.
- Transfer to your preheated oven. Cook to about your desired done temperature. (see chart). Remove from oven a few degrees early. For me, medium-rare is always about 12-15 minutes to get an internal temp of about 145.
- Tme can vary some due to exact temperature of the meat to start, exact temperature of the oven, the pan used, and the thickness of the meat. Rare many be as little as 5 minutes so beware if you want rare.
- DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE, YOU MUST CHECK INTERNAL TEMPERATURE. Times are provided to help planning only.
- Remove from pan and tent lightly with foil on a plate and let rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting. It needs to absorb fluids internally and the temperature will rise a few more degrees during the rest.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- You may use butter or oil in the pan. Butter has a lower smoke point, but I have never had an issue.
- Pan should be hot before starting to sear.
- Sear each side to approximately the final color you want and do a final flip just before going in the oven.
- There is lots of variability on the time here. The thickness of the meat, the exact starting temperature, the stovetop, and exact oven temps and the pan. All very good reasons not to go by time. Time is given as guides for time management.
- PLEASE USE AN INSTANT READ THERMOMETER. DO NOT COOK BY TIME ALONE; YOU MUST CHECK INTERNAL TEMPERATURE. Times are provided to help planning only. You are responsible if you overcook. People keep doing this.
- Remove from the oven a few degrees below your final desired temperature. It will rise a few degrees then tented.
- Let rest tented for 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 March 10, 2012
I'm DrDan and welcome to my blog. You will find delicious easy everyday recipes mostly for smaller households. Please look around and enjoy your visit. 
Connie
May 14, 2019 at 3:44 pmHi,
Haven’t seen this question: I need to sear my filets at home and then refrigerate them to bring later on to another location’s kitchen to then finish them in their oven. Suggestions?
Should I take the out of the fridge for a half hour or hour before putting them in the hot oven?
Presume I should transfer them to a pre-heated pan first? (There will be about 10 filets).
Thanks for your help!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
May 17, 2019 at 4:46 pmHi Connie,
Welcome to the blog.
Sorry for the delayed response. I was getting the “Guide to Cooking for Two” finished and published and than address a few issues. It was a multi-year project.
On to your question.
I would not pre-sear and then try to get the filets to finish cooking in the oven at later. The fibers will loss moist and I doubt you will like the results.
Since it sounds like you can’t sear at the second location, I would take raw filet. I would have them rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before seasoning, then into a preheated oven with a preheated pan. In about 10 minutes, Flip them and check their temperature. Cook a bit more if needed. When you are within about 10 degrees. Hit them with a broiler to finish. I have done similar with some chicken recipes but not filets. That is the best I can suggest and believe it would be good.
Let me know if you do it so others will know.
Dan
T
March 3, 2019 at 8:35 pmThanks for the instructions. Husband didn’t feel like grilling tonight so I fixed it in the oven. Seared first in a mix of salted butter and garlic/lemon/herb infused olive oil for 3 min/side, then 10 min. in 450 convection for med/med-well. It was perfect. The whole family loved it, even 3 picky teenagers.
DrDan
March 4, 2019 at 4:39 pmHi T,
Welcome to the blog.
I think everybody, including picky teenagers, love a good filet.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Sam Wallace
February 22, 2019 at 3:43 pmHow about 10 oz fillet, cooked to medium
Thanks Sam
DrDan
February 22, 2019 at 4:40 pmHi Sam,
Welcome to the blog.
First, I almost don’t want to answer…. please DO NOT cook by time. There are variables of the thickness of the meat, temperature of the meat at the start of cooking, Conductivity of your pan. The temperature of your stovetop and the real temperature of your oven. You really need to use an instant read thermometer to get the results you want.
But now an answer, I would check it at 10 minutes but expect about 14 minutes or a little more. For medium (like the picture at the top of this post with some pink), the internal temperature was about 145.
A little short is always better. You can always stick it back in for a little more cooking but you can’t uncook it.
Hope that helps. I have two prime 10 ozs filets for the grill this evening.
Dan
Linda Norden
January 13, 2019 at 9:59 pmI sear for 2 mins then 6-7 mins at 450F, perfect medium rare every time. 12 or 13 mins seems awfully long.
DrDan
January 14, 2019 at 11:31 pmHi Linda,
Welcome to the blog.
Your experience is why I have the warnings all over the recipe. Different equipment, different thickness and weight of the meat. It sounds like you have hit the right combo for you and thanks for reporting your experience.
Dan
Jess
December 26, 2018 at 12:14 pmHi Dr. Dan,
I realize your specialty is cooking for two, but I’m wondering what your thoughts are on searing 20 filets, then putting them in the oven all at once to finish? I guess I am more concerned about the small rest in between searing and the oven for the first few. (I’m fine with time management and temperatures as I cook often) I usually grill 20 filets for our NYE friends dinner, but thought this would be nice to try without having to go out in the cold. I’m wondering if I just shouldn’t leave it in a loin and then cut/serve after resting? (My problem there is that I have folks that eat med-rare and med-well, so I’ve always done filets and removed them/started them at different times to achieve the correct temp for all at the same time) Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
DrDan
December 26, 2018 at 5:12 pmHi Jess,
Welcome to the blog.
So I have never done more than 4 like this but have some ideas.
You don’t have to use the same pan in the oven as the stovetop. A hot sheet pan would do and should be able to hold 20 filets. I would think the ones in the middle would cook a bit less so you might be able to do med-rare in the center and the outside more well done.
For the searing, you could use three large skillets or a griddle on the stove top. You could also vary the starting time there. You will want to get about the same sear on them though. I have a large electric grilled that should work also. It can fry bacon so it should be able to sear a steak at full temperature.
Of course, the grill would be less fussy but griddle to sheet pan should work. I grill all winter. Large natural gas grill 3 feet from the door.
So those are my thoughts, probably worth what you paid for them.
Let us know if you do this and how it worked in case anybody else has a similar issue.
Dan
Mar
December 25, 2018 at 6:09 pmI cooked it exactly as stated. Used butter. Cast iron pan. 3 min each side. 12 min in oven. Turned out overcooked. They were 8 oz filets
DrDan
December 26, 2018 at 8:10 amSorry it didn’t work well for you. What internal temperature were you aiming for and what was the internal temperature when you removed it from the oven? Did you check the temperature before that time?
Dan
Claire Borelli
December 14, 2018 at 3:11 amI bought a full filet roast. Can I cook before cutting individual filet steaks? What do you recommend?
DrDan
December 14, 2018 at 2:53 pmHi Claire,
Welcome to the blog.
What you do with your filet roast is really a choice for you and what you have. If you have the whole tenderloin or a large chunk, you can do a wonderful roast.
But since I’m usually cooking for 2 or 4, I usually cut mine into filets then cook or freeze them. If you decide to cut up your tenderloin, watch a couple of Youtube videos first. It is more than just cutting.
All my recipes for beef tenderloin are at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/category/beef-tenderloin/ including a small roast and the whole tenderloin. These posts were written in the first month of this blog and were meant for me and the family as notes. So they do not have the detailed photo instructions you see on this post.
Hope that helps some. Ask more if you need to.
Dan
Shelia
December 5, 2018 at 5:50 pmBest filet I ever made! So good! I used half butter and half olive oil. Seasoned with Montreal steak and garlic salt. Put some fresh garlic in my butter. Browned well on stove and put in 400 oven. Cooked to 135 for medium rare. Awesome!! 5 stars!
Joyce Ann Millard
February 14, 2018 at 3:04 pmMy husband & I purchased USDA Prime Filets & made this recipe on 1/17/18, & it was absolutely delicious & perfect. We used kosher salt, coarse ground pepper, & granulated garlic. It was so good that we are preparing 2 Prime Filets tonight in the same manner for our Valentine’s Day dinner plus some sides. We have also done this recipe with NY Strip Steaks and they were delicious too! Thank you…perfect! Joyce Ann
DrDan
February 17, 2018 at 12:57 pmHi Joyce,
Thanks for the note. It is our special occasion meal.
Dan
Jayne
September 15, 2018 at 1:17 pmI love this recipe but what do you do if the filets are already wrapped in bacon…do you sear the sides of the filet as well?
DrDan
September 15, 2018 at 1:26 pmHi Jayne,
Welcome to the blog.
I would for a few minutes total. The bacon will take 15-20 minutes to cook so give it a bit of a start.
Dan
Gaetane theriault
December 2, 2018 at 5:18 pmI agree with you…I made the filet mignon as suggested and I’ve never had a better steak! Thank you so much!
Cindy
January 29, 2018 at 8:55 pmJust made this for dinner tonight and it came out PERFECT!!!! We normally grill the filets, but it is too cold outside, so I decided to try this recipe and I am so glad that I did! Thank you so much for sharing.
Kenneth
January 11, 2018 at 5:06 pmI fixed this new years day for my wife. I paired this with the parmesan garlic crusted potato. I am not sure what to say, I have been grilling quality steak for 45 years but it is Alaska and was cold, dark, and I just didn’t want to grill outside in my parka. This was the best filet I have ever fixed. This will be my go to for filets. It had just a small ring of seared meat around the edge then the remainder was the perfect medium/medium rare bright pink just the way my wife likes it. Not only was this a 5+ but the parmesan garlic potato was as well. The best part is they could both be in the oven at the same time. Thanks Dr. Dan
Mark D
January 7, 2018 at 6:51 pmThis is a great recipe and thickness of the steaks makes a difference in the cooking time. Tried it twice with about 1 inch steaks. First time cooked in oven a little to long but steaks were still very tender. Second time cut down on oven time to about 7 minutes and steaks were perfectly medium rare. Nothing went to waste!!!
Phyllis Dodd
January 4, 2018 at 7:49 pmFixed this tonight – I had never done steak in the oven. It is simply scrumptous and so very easy! I will certainly do it again!
DrDan
January 5, 2018 at 10:06 pmHi Phyllis,
Thanks so much for the note. I love simple recipes like this.
Dan
Laura
November 20, 2017 at 11:37 pmFollowed your instructions and made the best steaks yet for my son tonight before his wisdom teeth come out tomorrow and solid foods won’t be happening for a couple days. Thank you for clear and wasy to follow guidelines! Used temp, not time and they came out perfectly! We thank you!
Bill D
October 30, 2017 at 7:19 pmI am always against using a thermometer to figure out cooking time because you have to pierce the meet, allowing some of the good juices to escape. Is that not a problem in the real world and only a problem in my head?
DrDan
October 30, 2017 at 7:31 pmMore in your head really. There is research showing that small amount of moisture loss doesn’t matter. A few pokes to get it right is well worth it. After you get used to it, most of your cooking becomes “one poke” dinners.
Chris Slick
July 4, 2017 at 7:44 pmThank you! This method delivered a perfect steak–the best I have ever prepared myself! It literally cut like butter and was bursting with meaty flavors.
45 minutes prior to cooking, I removed the steaks from the refrigerator, dried them in paper towel to absorb all excess liquid, applied generous salt and pepper, and coated them with olive oil. I let them set on the counter for 45 minutes to get nice and room temperature.
I followed the directions above, and preheated the oven to 425, also preheating the broiler pan I would later place the steaks on.
And into the medium high nonstick pan. Because they were coated in oil, I didn’t need any extra oil or butter in the pan–just dropped them right in. 2 mins each side.
Right into the foil-lined broiler for 10 minutes (they were about 1.25″ so I adjusted for slightly less time. The digital meat thermometer made it very easy.
Wow. Just wow. The results are amazing. I will never cook a steak any other way again.
DrDan
July 4, 2017 at 11:30 pmHi Chris,
I will take 20% of the credit. So much of this depends on good quality ingredients which you obviously started with. Add in a digital thermometer and you should get great results.
Welcome to the site and thanks for the note.
Dan
Judy O
May 14, 2017 at 6:13 pmHi, Dr. Dan-I am using your method (my husband’s new favorite)to cook some filets tomorrow. I have some beautiful (and expensive)filets I will be serving to out of country guests. My question to you is should I leave them unwrapped in the fridge so they get a dry exterior?Thank you for your input. Judy
DrDan
May 14, 2017 at 6:51 pmHi Judy,
Leave them covered, they will lose too much moisture.
Dan
Anne
April 16, 2017 at 8:22 pmYou saved Easter dinner! Steaks ready – went to light BBQ, and out of propane (I know, charcoal is better, but…!).
A quick google search brought me here. Great result (my husband says he’d rather this preparation than the grill.). Couldn’t be easier. I used butter with a splash of olive oil to help keep from burning, but think next time I’ll use all butter.
Thanks Dan! A great and foolproof recipe.
DrDan
April 16, 2017 at 8:40 pmHi Anne,
Glad it worked well for you. My grill is natural gas so no trip to refill the tank for me anymore.
Thanks for the note
Dan
Corey Anderson
January 16, 2017 at 4:37 pmOnce again, another wonderful simple recipe from Dr. Dan. I love how you don’t overcomplicate your recipes, your techniques are straightforward for all, but especially beginner cooks. And the food always tastes great — I also love your Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Kabobs and Oven Baked Blueberry Pancake!
DrDan
January 16, 2017 at 5:26 pmThanks Corey.
Dan
Debbie
December 31, 2016 at 5:21 pmExcellent recipe! I was afraid I’d overcook them so I got them a tad underdone for my taste, but still very very good…and I might now appreciate a little pink in my steak!
John Burik
December 31, 2016 at 2:56 pmDid this a couple months ago, excellent! Doing again tonight.
Debbie
December 31, 2016 at 1:08 pmSuggested temp for medium well? My filets are only 5 ounces so I will pay close attention, but I’d like suggestions for the temp to cook to.
DrDan
December 31, 2016 at 1:27 pmThe final temp for medium well is 150-155 but remember that the temp will go up for a few more minutes after cooking during the rest. So I would aim for about 3 – 5 degrees less.
Now the problem of only 5 oz. If you rest them to room temp before cooking, you may be almost there with just the searing. So it may take only a few minutes in the oven.
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/kitchen-cheat-sheets/#temperatures
Mary Wachsman
December 26, 2016 at 7:30 pmTried this it was wonderful!
DrDan
December 26, 2016 at 10:08 pmThanks for the note and Happy Holidays.
Dan
Carson Fran
December 19, 2016 at 9:21 pmGreat technique! For those worried about burning the butter, sear the steaks with vegetable oil and throw in a couple of dabs of butter just before putting it into the oven. Again, as the author noted, don’t depend on time — get a good instant read thermometer and remove from the oven at 120-125 degrees F and let these beauties rest.
DrDan
December 19, 2016 at 9:38 pmHi Carson,
Thanks for the note. As you noted, people need to get a thermometer. I feel like I say that all the time. Sometimes I want to just delete the time estimate out of recipes like this but you need something to help with time management.
You hint on the butter is also good. I didn’t know I was causing so much worry for people with the butter. If they are concerned they should use the oil. I did this just two days ago for my wife’s birthday and used oil but added compound blue cheese butter after for the butter flavor.
Dan
Dan
Linda
June 23, 2016 at 7:09 pmOMG!! The BEST RECIPE I have ever found on the internet for filet mignon!! And sooooo easy!!! This recipe is fool-proof, so anyone who says otherwise is doing something wrong. I will make this recipe and only this recipe for filet for the rest of my life!! THANK YOU!!!!!!
DrDan
June 23, 2016 at 7:19 pmThanks for to note…. You must have seen good old Rob’s comments above… He is good for a laugh.I should have deleted it, but it was the holiday season.
Dan