Prime Filet Mignon Recipe

Bring to room temperature & season

Remove the filet mignons from the refrigerator 30–45 minutes before cooking to come to room temperature. Pat dry with paper towels. Generously season all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (approx. 1 tsp each side total).

Sear and roast

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet (cast iron preferred) over high heat until smoking. Add 2 tbs neutral oil and swirl. Sear filets 2–3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Add 2 tbs unsalted butter, crushed garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs to the pan and tilt the pan, basting the steaks with the foaming butter for 30–45 seconds. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches desired doneness: 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare (about 6–8 minutes for 8 oz filets), 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium (8–10 minutes).

Rest

Remove steaks from the oven, transfer to a warm plate, and loosely tent with foil. Rest 6–8 minutes (reserve pan juices for sauce). Resting allows carryover cooking and juices to redistribute.

Cook potatoes

Place peeled and cut Yukon Gold potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt to the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes depending on size.

Heat milk and butter

While potatoes cook, warm 1 cup whole milk with 2 tbs unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter melts and the milk is hot but not boiling. Keep warm.

Mash and season

Drain potatoes well and return to the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate excess moisture. Mash or ricer the potatoes until smooth. Gradually add warm milk and butter, mashing to desired texture. Add additional milk 1–2 tbs if needed to reach a creamy consistency. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm until plating.

Portion

Weigh or scoop approximately 8 oz (by weight) of mashed potatoes per plate and mound onto each plate.

Blanch then sauté (recommended for bright color and tender-crisp texture)

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add broccolini and blanch 1 minute, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain well. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccolini and sauté 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp and lightly blistered. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 1/2 tsp lemon juice (from the zested lemon), and optional 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper. Toss and remove from heat.

Keep warm

Keep broccolini warm until plating; reheat briefly in the skillet if needed.

Sauté shallot

After removing the steaks from the skillet (reserve the fond and juices), wipe excess fat if the pan is excessively greasy but leave browned bits. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add 1 finely minced shallot and sauté 1–2 minutes until translucent and aromatic.

Deglaze with wine

Add 1 cup Barolo (or a full-bodied dry red wine) to the pan to deglaze, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and reduce the wine by about two-thirds until syrupy (this will take 6–10 minutes).

Add demi-glace & reduce

Add 1/2 cup beef demi-glace (or concentrated reduced beef stock) and 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Continue simmering until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and reaches a glossy, slightly thickened consistency (about 4–6 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Mount with butter

Off the heat, swirl in 2 tbs cold cubed unsalted butter a few pieces at a time to emulsify and give the sauce a silky finish. If desired, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of the reserved steak resting juices for extra flavor. Keep the sauce warm (low heat) until plating.