Seared Filet Mignon

Four ingredients. One hot pan. That’s all it takes for a filet mignon with a deep, brown, buttery crust and a rosy center. This is steak cooking stripped down to its essentials, and when you’re working with a cut this good, that’s exactly the right approach.

The butter and olive oil combination matters. Oil raises the smoke point so the butter doesn’t burn at high heat, while the butter contributes that rich, nutty flavor you can’t get from oil alone. Wait until the foam subsides before adding the steaks. That’s your visual cue that the water has cooked out of the butter and the pan is hot enough to sear properly.

Three minutes per side gives you rare. The filets will have a gorgeous crust on both sides with a cool, red center. For medium-rare, go four minutes per side. Pull them and let them rest on a cutting board for five minutes before serving so the juices redistribute.

Pro Tips

• Bring the steaks to room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before cooking. Cold steaks sear unevenly
• Pat the surface bone dry with paper towels. Surface moisture steams instead of searing
• Season generously with salt and pepper right before they hit the pan, not hours ahead. Salt draws out moisture
• Don’t move the steaks once they’re in the pan. Let the crust form undisturbed

Variations

• Compound butter finish: Top each steak with a pat of herb butter (thyme, garlic, parsley) as it rests
• Peppercorn crust: Press cracked black peppercorns into the steaks before searing for a steak au poivre style