Filet Mignon…even the name sounds intimidating. Most captains of the grill panic at the shear mention of this great piece of meat. Nightmares of burning, drying and otherwise screwing up this fine cut of beef can make even the most seasoned grill chef break out in splotchies! No need to fear. Less IS More…
When grilling filet mignon, less is definitely more. Less seasoning, less grilling time, less flipping, less poking and prodding…you get the point. So there is no need to panic, filet mignon is such a prime cut of meat that it is very easy to grill a masterpiece. Before you even touch that steak, let’s look at what you should never, ever do to that poor juicy steak.
NEVER puncture your steak! We will talk about how to tell if it is done later.
NEVER close the lid! With other steaks, yes. With filets, nah!
NEVER cook it too long. There is nothing worst than a $15 piece of beef jerky. We will all cry if this is the end result - yes, this includes your overworked steak knife. Remember, you can always throw it back on for a few...
Grilling Filet Mignon, Step by Step…
Step 1 - Seasoning. You paid a lot for this filet (pay less next time by planning ahead and filling your freezer with these Omaha Steaks Filet Mignons...that's what we did), give it some credit that it is going to hold it’s own in the taste department. The only seasoning I recommend to help this steak out is some fresh ground black pepper. Save the course salt for the end, some say it draws out juices. We want the juicy...so no salty...until afterwards.
Step 2 - Leave it alone! In order to reduce grilling time and ensure consistent cooking throughout the steak, we must bring the filet to room temperature. This is your easiest step, once it’s seasoned just leave it on the kitchen counter. Your patience will be rewarded, trust me…just let it get into the “zone” by itself and move onto these next steps. Let it sit for at least 45 minutes. Go on, leave it alone, move on to the next step!
Step 3 - Fire it up! We are going to use direct heat to grill this delicious steak, so fire up your grill and set it and leave it at the highest temperature setting. You will know she is ready when you can’t hold your hand 2 inches above the grates for more than 5 seconds (don’t try and be tough, you'll singe your arm hairs…ouchie-wouchie).
Step 4 - Sear in those juices! Ok, the moment of truth, your steak has been getting itself ready on the counter and now it’s game time! Using TONGS (oh so delicately) place your steaks on the grill and do NOTHING for at least 2 minutes. The only exception to this rule is if you have to play firefighter and splash a little water on a disturbing flame. A little flare up is fine, but if a flame burns for more than 30 seconds, splash a tiny bit of water on it to put it out.
Step 5 - Grill marks! All we are doing here is creating those cool looking grill marks. After about 2 minutes (for medium-rare, a little more for Medium), lift, turn your steak 90 degrees and then set it back down for another 3 minutes (again, for medium-rare, a little more if you have to have it more done).
Step 6 - Flip once! After a total of about 5 minutes, it’s time to flip that steak for the one and only time. Gently lift, flip and set it back down in the same spot and leave it alone again for about 2 more minutes.
Step 7 - Rotate again. This is getting easy, you know what is next. Repeat Step 5 on this side now!
Step 8 - Check it. Again, don’t poke it, cut it or pierce the flesh in any way. This takes a little practice, but remember that you can always put an underdone steak back on the grill. Test the doneness by pushing on the steak. A rare steak will leave an indention of your finger on the surface. A medium steak will give a little, but not leave an indention. If it feels firm, it’s well done.
Step 9 - Remove and rest. Take it off the grill now, you are done with the heat section! Remove it and set it on a plate or platter and leave it alone.
Your beautiful filet has been through a tramatic experience. It went from refrigerated to room temperature to a HOT grill. This plays havoc on the juices inside so we need to give it some time to collect itself. Now that it is on the platter, let it rest again for 2 - 3 minutes (which will now seem like 2 hours!). This allows the juices to re-distribute, so they don’t all run out when you slice into that beautiful hunk of beef.
Season with salt and booya, you're in business for a fabby steak dinner!
No comments:
Post a Comment