An elegant dinner party can be created with bacon-wrapped pan-seared filet mignon steaks. The delicious crust is made by searing food in a cast iron skillet, which seals in the juices.
This recipe is one of those throwbacks from the 1970s, when bacon-wrapped filet mignon steaks were a popular dish. But bacon is ALWAYS in style and so is filet!.
We wanted traditional food for our Vegas Gr8 Dinner, so Vince and I selected an entrée of bacon-wrapped filet mignon served with lobster tails.
This is an easy main course to create. The bacon adds a nice amount of fat and flavor because Filet Mignon doesn’t have a lot of fat, in addition to making a stunning presentation.
Although you can cook these on a hot grill, I like to sear the filets in a hot cast-iron skillet before baking them. The sear locks in the beef’s juices and flavors, and you also get the bacon’s additional flavor.
Start the steaks on their sides with the bacon rendering in the pan once the steaks have been seasoned and the skillet is very hot. Utilizing the rendered bacon fat, you cook the filets next.
Lay the steaks flat so they can sear and caramelize after the bacon has been cooked on all sides.
Since the bacon is already fairly salty and the garlic rub adds a nice flavor, I don’t salt the meat. And I like to taste the finished product before salting. But by all means, add salt if you prefer it!.
Video: Preparing filet mignon
This meal is very simple to make. However, some people have trouble wrapping bacon around the filet. Watch the video in the recipe card at the bottom of this post to see the steps and learn my advice!
Hold the knife perpendicular to the side of the filet to stop it from cutting into the meat. Then, move the knife around the exterior circumference while using the meat’s outer edge as a guide.
Wrap the filet mignon with bacon.
Wrap the filet in the bacon slice, slightly stretching it. If your filets are small, once slice should be enough. If more bacon is required, slightly overlap the slices before securing the bacon to the meat with cotton butcher’s twine or wooden toothpicks.
Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon is the impressive gold standard of steak that exudes elegance but is surprisingly easy to make!
The best steak ever might be bacon-wrapped filet mignon finished in butter with garlic and herbs in the oven. It’s juicy, buttery tender, and dripping with unforgettable flavor. For the ideal melt-in-your-mouth bite, drizzle on some balsamic chive cream sauce, herb butter, or horseradish sauce. The best part is that, despite its impressive appearance, this filet mignon recipe only needs a short amount of preparation and direct cooking time. Serve your Bacon Wrapped Filets with twice baked potatoes, balsamic asparagus, and winter fruit salad and soak up the compliments! In this post, learn the simple chef-inspired techniques to consistently achieve the perfect temperature, texture, and flavor even if you have never made steak before.
This is a comprehensive guide on how to prepare filet mignon. Use the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the post if you want to go straight to the recipe.
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Christmas is almost here, can you believe it? I have lots of comforting, delicious recipes for special occasions, but nothing beats a juicy, tender, bacon-wrapped filet mignon. This dish feels extra special, is simple to prepare and nearly foolproof. It is also topped with the most incredible balsamic chive cream sauce. This recipe is perfect if you’ve ever wanted to impress with dinner!
It’s perfect for any occasion. Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon is a surprisingly easy recipe that exudes elegance. Halve the recipe for date-night-in or Valentine’s Day, or serve it for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries or any time you want to enjoy a low maintenance yet high reward, highly impressive meal.
This stunner is quick and easy to prepare. Season the steak while the bacon is par-cooking in the oven, wrap the filets in bacon and secure with butchers’ twine or toothpicks, sear, then transfer to the oven. Done and done!
The bacon adds flavor and juiciness. The bacon isn’t just for beautiful presentation, it creates the juiciest filet mignon you ever sunk your teeth into with a tantalizing crispy bacon crunch.
The steaks are spice rubbed in more than salt and pepper. The simple spice rub brings the wow factor while still showcasing the gorgeous flavor of the steak.
The steaks are seared in oil and cooked in butter. This promotes a deeply caramelized crust without burning the butter while reaping the flavorful, juicy tenderness of the fresh garlic and rosemary infused butter.
The steaks are seared on the stove and finished in the oven. This method will change your steak cooking forever! It locks in all of the juices and flavors while delivering the coveted charred crust and evenly cooked buttery soft steak every time.
Cook the steaks exactly how you like. You can even cook steaks different temperatures from rare, medium-rare or medium.
Serve with any sauce. You can serve this filet mignon steak recipe with the balsamic chive cream sauce (pictured) horseradish sauce (divine) or classic herb butter and each promise an extravagantly delicious bite.
The pricey, incredibly tender, and lean filet mignon (pronounced “fee-le mee-nyawn”) variety of beef steak is frequently offered at upscale eateries. Here’s what to know:
What makes filet mignon so special? Filet mignon is considered the king of steaks because it is the most tender cut of beef with swoon worthy melt-in-your-mouth texture. A prime cut filet mignon can literally be cut with a fork.
What does filet mignon mean? Filet mignon is a French name, with filet meaning thread or strip and mignon meaning small and pretty. It is aptly named because it is a small cut from the strip of beef tenderloin. It is also known as: Filet, Filet Mignon, Fillet, Tenderloin Filet, Tenderloin Steak, Tournedos (Tenderloin Tips).
What does filet mignon taste like? Filet mignon is known for its soft, buttery tender, melt-in-your mouth texture. It is a lean yet succulent cut of meat, very fine-grained and low in fat, which also means it is quite mild and subtle in flavor and not nearly as flavorful as ribeye, NY steak, or even top sirloin. Filets are often cooked with added fats such as butter or bacon (like in this recipe!) to keep the steak moist and tender and prevent it from drying out. Filet mignon is almost always served with a flavorful sauce to add additional flavor as well.
What cut of meat is filet? Filet mignon is a slice of beef taken from the smaller end of the beef tenderloin, which is found inside the rib cage of the cow. This muscle is not weight-bearing and performs very few actions so it has very little connective tissue and muscle fibers traditionally toughened by exercise. As a result, filet mignon is an extremely tender. The Chateaubriand, Porterhouse and T-bone steaks also include the filet mignon as the medallion of meat on the other side of the bone across from the sirloin.
What size and shape is filet mignon? Filet mignon is naturally rounded or oval because it comes from the tube-shaped muscle. This muscle is cut into slices which are usually 1 to 2 inches thick and 2 to 3 inches in diameter. You may also see smaller pieces taken from the tapered end of the tenderloin, next to the “tail” which are no more than an inch in diameter. Average tenderloin steak weighs 8 ounces although you may also see 10 or even 12-ounce filets.
What’s thenutritional value of a tenderloin steak? An 8-oz portion contains 1-gram total carbs, 1 gram net carbs, 12 grams fat, 42 grams protein, and 290 calories. It is a good source of a number of B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
Because filet mignon is a pricey cut of beef, you should know how to choose the best value.
How much filet mignon do I need per person? The general rule of thumb is to allow 8 oz. of steak per person, so you will need one tenderloin filet per person.
What should I look for when buying filet mignon? Look for Prime or Choice cuts (more on that below) well-trimmed steaks without any silverskin, even, modest marbling, and a nice bright red color. Try and purchase steaks of similar size, about 8 ounces each, and thickness, about 1 ½-2 inches each, to ensure even cooking time. This is the best size for a gorgeous caramelized crust while the interior remains a juicy medium-rare. As the steaks get thicker, they are tougher to cook through without overcooking the exterior.
What is the price of filet mignon? Why is filet mignon so expensive? Filet mignon is so expensive because it is lean yet succulent and considered the most tender cut of steak. It is particularly expensive right now, ranging from $20 to $25 per pound although you may have luck with sale deals or better priced options at Costco. The price will depend on the size, the steak grade, if it’s organic, your geographical location and where you purchase it. Although this tenderloin filet is quite costly, it’s much less expensive to make at home than dining out. Just make sure you make it worth it with an exceptional recipe like this one!
Where to buy tenderloin steaks? Filet mignon is widely accessible and should be easy to find. I recommend going to your local butcher because they will have the freshest meat and can cut the steak to your specifications right then and there. If you can’t source a local butcher, ask the butcher at the supermarket to cut the steaks for you so you know you’re getting the freshest cut possible. You can even call ahead and speak with the butcher. Increasingly, groceries are selling the highest quality Prime meats as well. I have purchased Prime Aspen Ridge Natural Angus Beef at Pavilions and Vons. You can use their store locator here. You can also purchase grass fed and aged steaks for a higher price from retailers such as Omaha Steaks, Kansas City Steaks, etc.
Pan-seared Bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon – Bruce Holley
