Filet Mignon

filet mignon My veggie friends…please look away..**Gross yucky meat alert!!!**

Waaaahhhhoooooo.Filet was on sale today for $13.99 a pound! I usually buy Ribeyes, but this was too good of a deal to pass up. I was going to do the whole steak house dinner thing, ya know, steak, creamed spinach and onion rings, but it just didn’t happen.
Filet is the King(or queen, to be politically correct) of all beef. Cuts like buddah!
I have a few rules to cooking the perfect steak

1)Start off with a SUPER HOT cooking surface. I get my grill with a cast iron flat plate to 500
degrees
2)ALWAYS bring your meat to room temperature prior to cooking. This ensures even cooking.
3)Less is more. Drizzle with canola oil, and put a nice thick coat of kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper(ok, seriously, do any of you foodies even have a pepper shaker in your
house??????????????????)
4)Don’t flip..place the steak on your cooking surface and resist the urge to flip it
Let it sit there and form a nice crunchy crust. About 4 minutes. Then flip and don’t you dare
touch it. DON’T DO IT. you want the nice same crunch on the opposite side.
5)Let your meat rest before cutting into it. I know it might be difficult to wait, me being quite
impatient, this took a while to get used to. But if you cut into meat that has not rested, it will
look like a blood bath on your plate because the juices didn’t redistribute.

Now I know I have said it before I like my steak rare! Cut off its horns and wipe its ass and slap it on my plate RARE! Others might mike it a bit more “done”. In my opinion, a steak over medium is ruined and I might as well be eating the bottom of a shoe. mmm tasty.
I made a yummy compound butter to go on top.
1 stick butter
juice and zest of 1/2 of a lemon
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic minced and sauteed in butter
Salt and pepper
Mix all ingredienst together and place on a sleet of cling wrap. Form into a log by rolling inbetween the cling wrap and freez until hard.


And I leave you with a photo of me and the kids. Good lord, my kids are always in their undies. Are yours?
What could we be doing staring in the oven?
2 words…….SHIRNKY DINKS.
Do y’all remember those? I bet you haven’t thought of them in years. Well they are just as fun as when I was a kid!!!

Comments

  1. Donna-FFW says:

    Oh My! That filet looks just wonderful… and the compound butter on top is just perfect. Love all your tips too.. Your kiddies look adorable looking into the stove like that.

  2. Chef Fresco says:

    I used to not eat red meat for some crazy reason. Then I met Michael – and now I love it. This looks amazing!

  3. Mmmmmn! Precious photo!

  4. Coleen's Recipes says:

    PERFECT steak photos, but I love the photos of your little ones even better. I remember my kids being mesmerized like that with shrinky dinks.

  5. leslie. you are too gorgeous.

  6. Kerstin says:

    Your steaks look amazing! And I really enjoyed all your tips too. My hubby always cooks our red meat, but I really should learn too!

  7. Andrea says:

    Love it! That’s exactly how I cook filet, minus the compound butter – can’t wait to give it a try!

    And yes, I too have kiddo’s who live in their undies! What is up with that?

  8. Jenn@slim-shoppin says:

    Your steak looks amazing. I am an impatient person too when it comes to cooking meat, I always want to flip it!

    I totally remember shrinky dinks! How fun!

  9. In my defense, one was a bush (it just has weeds sticking out of it), you should see the back yard, I need a pool. Weeds don’t grow in pools do they? I am trying not to use chemicals and boy do these things re-seed quick, 1 weed = 19,000,000,000 seeds.
    Nice steak, gorgeous kitchen and the picture just makes me miss my kids being little again.

  10. Cute picture of you and your kids. The filet looks PERFECTLY cooked and delicious. Love it!

  11. I love filet, it’s my favorite steak, hands down!

    AND OF COURSE I remember shrinky dinks! HEhe

  12. Leslie M. says:

    hahahhah… I had to read it even with the warning in HOPES you were gonna have that cut off it’s horns routine again! hahahahh that just get’s me every time! I told you the only *ss I ever wiped was my kids and that was with a baby wipe and I slapped Desitin on that when I was done!!!

    Too funny!
    If I ate meat these would be great!! Your Pictures are Beautiful!

    Leslie
    LeslieVeg@msn.com
    http://leslielovesveggies.blogspot.com/

  13. Cristine says:

    The steak looks amazing! I’m drooling over here and it is only 930 am! 🙂

    Great pic of the kiddos, too!

  14. Jennifer says:

    Awesome tips but whats more awesome? the PERFECTED filet there!!!! DROOL!!! Your kiddies are cute!

  15. $13.99/lb? Sheesh, it’s been a while since I even visited the meat counter at the grocery store. I buy a side of beef every six months from the farmer down the road. By the time it’s cut and packaged I pay about $2.50/lb and get a few nice filet minons in there. At any rate (!) your steak looks fabulous and I am TOTALLY with you about anything over medium being too done. The juices are what flavors the meat, kep cooking it and there aren’t any! My husband likes it well done (gag) and THEN slaps steak sauce on it. ICK.

    Cute kidlits, I still have some shrinky dinks here from last year when we made them! 😉

  16. Katrina says:

    Yummy filet (although I’m a well done kinda gal–I knwo-ruin it why don’t I!)
    FUN Shrinky Dinks! My 2 year olds current favorite thing to do is take off his pants! Thank goodness he hasn’t started in on the diaper yet!

  17. oh my gosh you are too funny. Shrinky Dinks!
    I would be sitting there right with you watching my shrinky dink shrink! totally into that stuff
    13.99 a pound? that is cheap. no such around these here parts.
    that first shot? money!

  18. Michele says:

    Great tips! The new Fairway Market in NJ had filet on sale for 4.99 a pound! I have a bunch of it in my freezer. You just reminded me! I like my steak Med rare, yours looks perfect!

  19. Bridgett says:

    That looks like perfection on a plate. A definitely hit in my house.

  20. brace yourself: i’ve never had filet mignon. i know, i know, and i call myself a meat-eater. it’s a gorgeous hunk of beef, and i’m glad you found it on sale! 🙂

  21. oneshotbeyond says:

    looks right to me! It’s just how I cooked my steak for my steak salad I posted today on OSBP. I just love steak!!! Yours looks so perfect!

  22. noble pig says:

    I like a little less moo in my cow than you but it looks awesome, especially with the buddah!

    Love the dinks too!

  23. The Blonde Duck says:

    That looks beyond divine. I adore steak!

  24. I remember Shrinky Dinks – I had no idea they were still making them.

    The steak looks great.

  25. I had no idea they still make shrinky dinks.

    The filet mignon looks great.

  26. Saffron Spring says:

    My boyfriend always makes fun of me when I tell him that he needs to let the meat “rest.” I sent him a link to your blog to prove I wasn’t crazy. Your pictures are beautiful…and yes, my 3-year old son is always in his underwear 🙂

  27. Chef E says:

    Okay I want that piece of meat! You just reminded me I have compound butter in the freezer! Mushroom and lemon butter caper…

    I love to see kids encouraged to cook as I am a cooking instructor…

    Found you via Chef Fresco…

  28. My Sweet & Saucy says:

    That last photo was way too cute!

  29. Culinary Wannabe says:

    What great steak pictures! And rare is good by me! Heck, beef carpaccio is one of my fav meals of all time.

  30. J.Danger says:

    Its ok- mine are always in their undies too!

  31. Great tips, that’s how we do our steaks too. And yes! I totally remember shrinky dinks! OMG, I didn’t know they still made them. I’m gonna have to get me some 🙂

  32. Peter M says:

    Perfection…as embodied in a steak…very nicely done (even for a blonde)! 😉

  33. Mc Allen says:

    yummmmmm, seriously!! and I love the tip about the butter log, can’t wait to try that!! Great job! ♥ LA

  34. 5 Star Foodie says:

    This filet mignon looks wonderful and so delicious with compound butter! Excellent!

  35. Rosa's Yummy Yums says:

    that meat looks incredibly tempting and cooked to perfection! Drool…

    I love that last picture.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  36. William "the Clothier" says:

    She’s back! Glad to see you back in the building

  37. Shrinky dinks! What a riot. And yes, all kids love to hang out in their undies (except mine are now a bit old for that!)

    I love red, charred crisp on the outside, just warm and almost raw inside. Yum! Your filet looks fabulous!

  38. biz319 says:

    Delicious! I worked in a high end restaurant and one WHOLE table ordered filet mignon, only to each ask for the steak to be well done!

    I tried to explain that the meat would be ruined, and suggested a cheaper alternative. They insisted.

    I dropped the plates, they each took one bite and said “this is the toughest filet I’ve ever had!”

    Duh!

  39. Alyssa Goodnight says:

    Loove Shrinky Dinks! We have the Shrinky Dinks oven, which is very cool.

    P.S. You make me want to cook!

  40. Charlotte says:

    Shrinky Dinks. That sounds fun.

  41. Love the last photo:)

  42. Rebekah says:

    yummy!!!! making my mouth water over here!!!!

  43. ilcucchiaiodoro says:

    wow how nice your blog. It compliments

  44. Zesty Cook says:

    i am in love with this:)

  45. What a cute photo of your kiddos! Clearly they knew you were making something yummy!

  46. Michael and Denise says:

    looks soooo yummy, i have not had a filet in a while, can you come to my house and cook it for me. LOL

  47. Michael and Denise says:

    looks yummy!! I have not had a filet in a minute, can you come to my house and cook for me! LOL

  48. Your filet looks great! I like blackening season on mine and topped with blue cheese. But it’s gotta be medium rare!!!
    The compound butter sounds wonderful. I’ve been meaning to take a stab at making some myself. You have inspired me all over again.
    Adorable kiddys! I sure do miss those days. 🙂

  49. Run DMT says:

    That steak looks gorgeous! YUM! My girls are always in their panties too! I think underwear is to them what fleece pajamas are to us.

    Check out this poem Allana wrote for me. I think it pairs nicely with your filet.

    http://denisermt.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/happy-mothers-day/

  50. matt wright says:

    dang that is one perfectly cooked steak. lovely stuff.

  51. Azz Monkey Clothing (tm) says:

    Ha! You remember shrinky dinks Leslie?!!! You are a nut!!!

  52. I happened upon your blog somehow…that happens to me alot…lol

    anyways i wanted to say that my kids also are always in their underwear….they are right now as I type this 🙂
    Works for me!

  53. Mrs. {Erin} Cox says:

    Oh my …. *slurp*

  54. Seriously, so Blessed!! says:

    okay, so i am trying to impress my husband by showing him that i too can cook a steak…with that said, i cannot cook a steak for anything. i am really wanting one right now, and our pit is broken at the moment (windstorm last year, yes, last year) he hasn't even gotten the parts to fix it. great. so anyway, are there any tips you can give to me for cooking it without the right tools?

  55. Wow all I can say is that you are a great writer! Where can I contact you if I want to hire you?

  56. **anonymous**
    Thank you. You can contact me through the "Contact Me" page at the top of my blog.

  57. Love that last photo:)

  58. My two cents? I’m starving…no dinner and now it’s too late. I should NEVER have seen this steak; it will be hard to sleep. 🙂

  59. Great job on the steak, although I just had a heart attack at the price! We raise our own beef and I had no idea how expensive tenderloin had become, holy moly!
    I must try your compound butter, I love that you sauteed the butter, brilliant!
    Cute kids by the way!

  60. When searing at that high of a temperature, black pepper will burn slightly, taking its fruity notes away and leaving behind a bitter taste. Although you may not notice it unless you go overkill on the pepper itself, it is suggested that it is used after the steak has been cooked. Hence the “freshly cracked pepper”.

    • Thank you for your comment Nicholas. The amount of pepper I season my steak with doesn’t result in a bitter taste at all. However if I was making Steak au Poivre, yes..you are correct, there would be some bitter tasting peppercorns there 🙂

  61. Oh my gosh. My husband makes our steak this exact same way (uses our square cast iron griddle) and it is the best. We always make a bearnaise sauce, but next time (this weekend) we will be trying your butter melt. We love rare steak too!! Thanks for reminding us of how to cook the best steak ever!