"Restaurant-Style Filet Mignon with Compound Butter Recipe

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• For the compound butter:
• 4 2-inch thick beef tenderloin steaks
• 2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• Sea or kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 Tbsp each fresh rosemary, parsley and oregano, finely chopped
• 2 garlic coves, minced (blanched for 1 minute in hot water prior to mincing for reduced pungency)

Details

Adapted from ifoodblogger.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
About two hours in advance, liberally salt both sides of each steak and put back in the fridge. Let the salt melt and be pulled back into the meat. Salt tenderizes and amps up the flavor.

Preheat oven to 410F.

To make the compound butter, take the butter out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while preparing herbs and garlic. In the meantime, rinse rosemary, parsley and oregano, chop and set aside. Blanche garlic, if needed, by bringing 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan, taking the water off the heat and letting the garlic blanch in hot water for 1 minute, then cooling in cold water. If the butter is too hard, microwave for 10 seconds or pound by a pasta roller. Add the chopped herbs and minced garlic, and mix in until evenly distributed. Shape into a log and refrigerate until ready to use. Remove the butter from the fridge 10 minutes prior to using.
Remove filet mignon steaks from the fridge about 45 minutes before cooking and let come up to room temperature.

The best way and the one that I like immensely is to use a BBQ thermometer with a probe. This little gadget makes things so simple and fool-proof that I use it practically daily, both for grilling and for oven cooking. I love my ThermoWorks thermometer which has high heat probes good for open fire grilling. For just oven cooking, a much more cost effective. Just insert the probe, set the target temperature and let the alarm alert you when your steaks are ready.

Heat the olive oil and the butter in a large (12") cast iron pan over high heat. When the butter starts smoking and turns dark brown in color, place the filets in the pan and sear undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Flip and sear for another 2 minutes. Flip the steaks again and immediately transfer the pan into the preheated oven.
Bake to desired doneness: rare - 130F, medium-rare - 140F, medium - 155F, well done - 165F.
Remove the filets from the skillet and place on a platter. Cover with foil and let the steaks rest for 5 minutes. Top with a slice of compound butter and serve immediately.