Filet Mignon at home

[EatinAintCheatin]

How do you cook your filets at home? I've been using the same method for a while and it works pretty good, but I'm always looking for improvement. Here's my method:

Let the steaks come to room temp. Grind some Penzey's tellicherry black pepper corns, coarse. Just before putting the steaks in the skillet apply a little melted butter on each side sprinkle some coarse sea salt and the pepper.

I have a gas grill with a 12,000 BTU side burner. I light the grill and side burner and put a cast iron skillet on the side burner. When the skillet is as hot as I can get it with 12K BTU's, and the grill is preheated to about 375, I put the steaks in the skillet. I don't really time it...just feel them every so often and check the bottom for a nice crust. When I do flip the steaks I pop the skillet into the grill, which is pre-heated to about 375. Remove the steaks when they are medium rare. Carry over will usually take them to between medium rare and rare, just where we like it.

The whole process usually around 5-7 minutes.

I used to use my crawfish burner and skillet but found that it was too hot and the pepper burned.

Any handy suggestions or tips? It's what's for dinner tonight...along with a bottle of Boarding Pass Aussie Shiraz.

[hungryone]

My crummy grill side-burner is too weak to do anything other than warm sauce. I rub good olive oil all over the filets, grind on some sea salt & pepper, then crank the gas grill up to high. When it is good-n-hot, I stick the filets on the hottest part, wait for a good sear, then flip over and then do the sides, too. If you move the meat around (using tongs) as it gets a nice sear, the insides stay nice and rare. Squeeze a tiny bit of lemon juice over each one before serving.

[buzd]

I used to do my steaks in the iron skillet and under the broiler until I switched to a charcoal grill and started using hardwood charcoal exclusively. I can get the grill up to about 700 degrees and I can taste a huge difference in the meat. It's easy to get a nice sear on the outside without overcooking the inside.

[jimbeaux]

Lea & Perrin's, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a ton of Tony's. Grilled on hot charcoal grill for about five minutes a side. Remove and sit to retain juices for 5 minutes. Perfect every time. But does anyone sell decent filets for less than $20 a pound, other than Sam's?

[EatinAintCheatin]

Lea & Perrin's, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a ton of Tony's. Grilled on hot charcoal grill for about five minutes a side. Remove and sit to retain juices for 5 minutes. Perfect every time. But does anyone sell decent filets for less than $20 a pound, other than Sam's?

Winn Dixie had a sale, that just ended. USDA Choice beef tenderloin for $9.99/lb. I picked up a couple that are about 1 1/2 inch thick.

For me personally, butter, salt and pepper is all I want on my filet.

I can get my grill to 650+ degF, but that's still not like a smokin' hot cast iron skillet.

I have one of those Jenn Air (made by Nexgrill) models from Lowe's that I bought in 04. I tricked it out with several mods to get more heat. But I still like using the skillet for better contact when searing.

[Shannon]

I've been doing all of my steaks in a cast iron skillet based on a post from UptownKevin years ago. I also do the blue cheese butter he posted about the same time.

Our charcoal grill has not made it out of the garage since Katrina. I don't even know what is left of it. Isn't that sad? Husband just lost the desire, and the charcoal was his thing. So my steaks are done stovetop in cast iron and thrown into the broiler for a minute or so.

I miss the flavor of charcoal cooked steaks.

[edible complex]

lemon pepper, on the grill 5 mins each side, topped with a healthy slice of molten saga blue.

[UptownKevin]

I've been doing all of my steaks in a cast iron skillet based on a post from UptownKevin years ago. I also do the blue cheese butter he posted about the same time.

Our charcoal grill has not made it out of the garage since Katrina. I don't even know what is left of it. Isn't that sad? Husband just lost the desire, and the charcoal was his thing. So my steaks are done stovetop in cast iron and thrown into the broiler for a minute or so.

I miss the flavor of charcoal cooked steaks.

Happy to hear I've left a lasting impression! You'd be shocked at the emails I get from all over the country about something I wrote almost 5 years ago.

Cooking a Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet (http://www.nolafoodie.com/id36.html)

For the record, I still cook them the exact same way with fantastic results. Still much better than charcoal (though my charcoal Weber is used for everything else).

-Kevin

www.NolaFoodie.com
www.GoodFoodTampa.com

[EatinAintCheatin]

Happy to hear I've left a lasting impression! You'd be shocked at the emails I get from all over the country about something I wrote almost 5 years ago.

Cooking a Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet (http://www.nolafoodie.com/id36.html)

For the record, I still cook them the exact same way with fantastic results. Still much better than charcoal (though my charcoal Weber is used for everything else).

-Kevin

www.NolaFoodie.com
www.GoodFoodTampa.com

Kevin,

Thanks for the link. I like that you preheated the skillet in the oven. I'm going to put the skillet into my grill since I can get the grill to 650. Then transfer it to the side burner for searing. I don't have the broiler part figured out so I may just put it back into the grill. It's just too hot to use the oven broiler today.

EAC

[Isabella Maja]

Happy to hear I've left a lasting impression! You'd be shocked at the emails I get from all over the country about something I wrote almost 5 years ago.

Cooking a Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet (http://www.nolafoodie.com/id36.html)

For the record, I still cook them the exact same way with fantastic results. Still much better than charcoal (though my charcoal Weber is used for everything else).

-Kevin

www.NolaFoodie.com
www.GoodFoodTampa.com

Hey Kevin!

Will you go ahead & post your method for bleu cheese butter so we can have it in the archives here?
Thanks!

Hope married life is treating you well!

Isabella

[EatinAintCheatin]

Here's the results:

Lit the grill and put the cast iron skillet in there for preheating. I used a stainless piano hinge to close the gap on the vents in the back of the grill so I had that baby up to 700 degF. Remove the skillet and put on the side burner. Added the steaks and seared them on side A. Flipped them after 2 minutes and popped the skillet into the grill, which was still at a comfortable 650. Let them cook for about 3:30 and then removed to rest, ON A PRE-HEATED PLATE. Steaks rested for 5 minutes while we prepared the broccoli and rice pilaf.

Perfect medium rare. Steaks were 1 1/2 inch thick. About 8 oz. each.

And by the way: Jon, the Boarding Pass Shiraz was awesome. I'm finishing the last sip right now as I type. I feel GOOD!......

Good evening!

EAC

[Shannon]

Happy to hear I've left a lasting impression! You'd be shocked at the emails I get from all over the country about something I wrote almost 5 years ago.

...

-Kevin

www.NolaFoodie.com
www.GoodFoodTampa.com

The steaks are damn good! After I started cooking them 'your' way, my husband refused to eat steaks out - he liked them better at home.

You've left two other lasting impressions/recipes/techniques that have become a staple in my household - the pico de gallo/guacamole (and mango 'salsa'), and mojitos. I actually just emailed your mojito recipe to a friend a few weeks ago. I got a mint plant because of that recipe. :D

... And I've been away from the boards a while (living under a rock I guess) - I didn't hear that you'd gotten married. Congratulations!