Steakhouse quality filet mignon (tenderloin)

I've been working on the perfect steak for years, and I thought I'd share the results of my labors here. Steak has become almost as much of a passion as homemade ice cream.

The birth of a steak-lover: my honeymoon

I still remember when I became a steak-lover. Prior to getting married, I hadn't been into steak too much. But on our honeymoon cruise, dinners were a "fine dining" experience, something new to me. On top of that, you could order all you wanted. So I ordered the filet mignon, and when it just melted in my mouth like no steak I'd ever had before, Diane and our server talked me into ordering another one. At least that's the way I remember it. :)

Years later, I took Diane to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Irvine for an anniversary (as I recall, compliments of my boss and his wife, Gary Bastien...thanks again, Gary!). That was also an incredible steak by which I now measure all others. In fact, I don't bother ordering steaks at most restaurants, because they just don't measure up.

I decided that if I didn't want to pay $30 or more a plate, plus $8 for a salad, and $7 for a potato, I needed to learn how to do the perfect steak at home. I tried broiling with mixed success, various steak rubs, and various cuts of beef. Finally I settled on grilling filet mignon. Most residential broilers don't get hot enough to really do steak right.

Choosing a BBQ for grilling steak

If you already have a propane BBQ, you can probably use what you have (unless it just doesn't get hot enough). If you're in the market for a new BBQ, my only recommendation is to get the highest BTU BBQ you can find that is large enough for your family or serving needs. Also, I prefer the big fat stainless grates, rather than the small wiry ones. They cook the meat more evenly.

My grill is a four-burner CharBroil brand. We got the "Commercial Series" at Lowes, only because it has a lot of surface area, and I have a big family. The cart it sits on is too cheaply made and broke the first season, but I've been more than satisfied with the inner workings of the grill. I still need to repair the wheel on the cart. Sigh...

Picking the right cut of meat

Here's a hint on preparing the best steak. Buy the best steak. Most of my problem in fixing the perfect steak was that I wasn't buying the perfect steak. Now, I only buy the filet cut (a.k.a. tenderloin or filet mignon). You could also get a t-bone or porterhouse steak, which include the filet. The filet is by far the most tender cut, and if prepared right, will simply melt in your mouth.

The filet costs about $16/lb. (each is about a half pound), and I get all my filets for a meal cut 1-1/4" thick while I wait. This way, I know they haven't been sitting on the shelf for two days, and since they're all the same thickness, it's easier to time  the meal so they're all finished at the same time.

Seasoning and preparing the tenderloin

There are different preferences for seasoning, but the preparation process is the same. I prefer a steak rub of kosher salt (it's courser than table salt) mixed 1:1 with course black pepper. Don't use normal finely ground pepper or table salt, because it will be too salty and too peppery for most people. You could also use McCormick Montreal Seasoning, which is pretty good, or any of the Char Crust brand rubs.

1. Wash the filets about an hour before you intend to grill them and dry them with a paper towel.
2. Set them out and let them come to room temperature until fifteen minutes before grilling. This helps to cook the steak more evenly. If you grill a cold steak, it will be perfect on the outside long before it's perfect on the inside.
3. When it's close to time to grill, get your salt and pepper rub ready by mixing it on a plate. Roll your filets around until they are evenly coated, then dust off some of the excess. It doesn't need to be thick.
4. Sprinkle olive oil on the filets and coat each one evenly. Don't be afraid to get you're hands nice and oily. Then wash up and you're ready to grill.

Grilling the filet mignon

1. I preheat my BBQ to about 400 or 450. I also preheat a cast iron griddle on the top hood-mounted rack while I'm cooking the steak.
   
2. Grill the filets about 3 or 4 minutes per side, depending on the output of your grill. I tend to like my steak medium to medium well. Definitely do not overcook the steak and dry it out. It's better to err slightly on the rare side.
3. After both sides have cooked, I eyeball them and add another minute or less to each side if needed.
4. Put the filets on the preheated cast iron griddle. Then you can bring the steak in while it's still sizzling and get everyone's mouths watering.
5. The steak should rest about five minutes before serving it. During that five minutes, top each filet with real butter and let it melt over the top. Call everyone in, and by the time your mealtime prayer is done, the steaks will be ready to serve.

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Nice!!
written by Amber Gardner , September 30, 2009

That is great advice. I've never let them get to room temp before. Thanks for the tips, I'm havin some Harper Family Grillin later this week

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