No oven needed. Just 30 minutes in a cast iron skillet followed by a 2-minute sear for the perfect filet mignon.
EQUIPMENT: Thermapen One, cast iron skillet, trivet, fish flipper, temperature controlled induction burner
Reverse-Sear Filet Mignon
Difficulty: AverageServings
2
servingsPrep time
10
minutesCooking time
42
minutesResting Time
15
Ingredients
2 1 1/2-inch-thick filet mignons (about 8 ounces), room temperature
2 teaspoons kosher salt
spray avocado oil
Directions
- Season the filets on both sides with the salt and place on a trivet set inside a cast iron skillet.
- Set the induction burner to 250°F. Cover and place cast iron skillet on induction burner. Cook for 30 minutes checking temperature until the internal temperature is 10°F below your desired final temperature. Check internal temperature after 20 minutes. Final temperature for rare is 125°F. Medium-rare is 130°F.
- Remove trivet and filets from skillet and rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a dry 12-inch cast-iron pan over high heat until it reaches at least 600°F, about 10 minutes. (You’ll know you’re close when a half teaspoon water dropped into the middle of the pan is completely evaporated in 5 seconds).
- Spray a very light coat of avocado oil onto both sides of the filets.
- Sear filets for about 2 minutes per side using a fish flipper to turn over every 30 seconds to achieve the Maillard reaction* on both sides.
- Rest the filets on a rack 5 minutes.
- Spread compound butter over the filets.
- Slice diagonally against the grain.**
Notes
- *The Maillard reaction creates brown pigments in cooked meat in a very specific way: by rearranging amino acids and certain simple sugars, which then arrange themselves in rings and collections of rings that reflect light in such a way as to give the meat a brown color.
- **Before you cook the fillets, slice a tiny piece from one end which is against the grain. It’s much easier to tell when the meat is raw.
