The best pan-seared filet mignon steaks you'll have. Perfectly cooked and based in butter with garlic and rosemary! Perfect for special occasions.
Season well with kosher salt and pepper at least 1 hour before cooking.
Note: If you had them in the refrigerator, set them out for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour so they lose their chill.
Place a cast iron skillet or a heavy bottom oven safe pan over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
Use tongs and place each steak in the skillet, don't pierce them with a fork or all the juices will bleed out. Allow the steaks to sear for 5-6 minutes, untouched, to develop a good crust.
Reduce temperature to medium-high heat and flip steaks with tongs. Add butter, garlic and rosemary and baste steaks for an additional 5 minutes or until desired doneness. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness per chart in Notes.
If cooking for Medium Rare, sear steaks on each side 3-4 minutes and test doneness so you don't over cook steaks.
Remove from heat, loosely tent and allow steaks to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with brown butter pan drippings and garnish with rosemary or an additional pat of compound butter just before serving.
TEMPERATURE GUIDE - USE A MEAT THERMOMETER
Very Rare: 115°F to 120°F
Rare: 125°F
Medium: 138°F to 145°F
Medium Well: 150°F
Well Done: 160°F and over
SEARING ON THE STOVE, FINISHING IN OVEN
If starting on the stove top and finishing in the oven, sear them over high heat just until a crust develops, about 2 minutes each side. Transfer to a 415°F oven and bake for 4-5 minutes for Rare, 6-7 for Medium and about 10 minutes for Well done. Once they come out of the oven, baste them with herb butter or place a Tablespoon of your favorite compound butter. Here's my classic Maître d’Hôtel Butter recipe.