Pan Seared Filet Mignon

Sliced filet mignon arranged on a wooden cutting board, showing a juicy medium-rare center. A spoon drizzles garlic-herb butter and pan juices over the steak.

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Pan seared filet mignon is one of the most impressive steakhouse dinners you can make at home in under 30 minutes. This stovetop method gives you a deep, golden crust, a bourbon butter baste that takes the flavor over the top, and full control over doneness from start to finish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Resting time:10

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 644kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Equipment

Kitchen twine
Meat thermometer - preferably leave-in

Ingredients

2.3 lbs 4 - filet mignon steaks that a about 1 1/2 inches thick 6-9 oz each
1 Tbsp kosher coarse salt more or less to taste
1.5 tsp black pepper more or less to taste
2 Tbsp avocado oil or another high heat, neutral oil
4-5 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves
1-2 rosemary sprigs
1/4 cup bourbon optional - use beef stock for alcohol free option

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

When To Season Steaks:

This is a big question and you have two best options: right before adding to the pan or 40-50 minutes before cooking.
If you plan ahead: you can even dry brine the steaks up to 2 days before cooking. (Follow instructions of that in my post or my dry brined steaks guide.)

Prepare the Filet Mignon Steaks:

Take the steaks out of the refrigerator and out of the package and let them rest while you gather remaining ingredients and tools. Pre-cut your twine pieces.
Food safety tip: remember to always pour some seasoning out into a separate small dish when working with raw meats. That way you don't touch anything but that dish and wash it right after seasoning the meat.
Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel on all the sides.
Season each filet with salt and pepper on all the sides. Make sure to get top, bottom, and all around the side.
Tie a kitchen twine around the middle of each filet. Make sure it's tight but not too tight so it's cutting into the meat. This helps keep the filets uniform and cooking evenly.
If using a leave-in meat thermometer, insert it into the thinnest filet (that way you know when it will be done first and can pull it off first). Insert the probe in the middle, through the side, to wards the center.

Cooking Filet Mignon in the Pan:

Make sure to preheat the cooking pan (I prefer a cast iron skillet) over medium heat for several minutes. (I usually give it good 3-5 minutes).
Add oil to the pan and add the steaks. Let them sear for about a minute and a half and then flip. Let them sear another minute and a half and lower the heat some.
Cook the steaks for about 2 minutes and then flip again. Cook another 2 minutes on that side. Reheat until the steaks are about 15℉ away from your desired temperature.
Note: if you don't have a leave-in thermometer, pick up the steak with metal tongs and check the temperature used a hand-held meat thermometer, inserting the probe through the side.
When the steaks are about 15℉ from your desired temperature, deglaze the pan with bourbon if using. Add butter, pressed garlic, and rosemary sprigs to the pan. Gently shake the pan back and forth to mix. Let the butter melt and use a large soup to spoon the butter over the steaks while they finish cooking.

Rest the Steaks (Important!)

As soon as the steaks reach your desired temperature, take them out of the pan and onto a platter or a cutting board with grooved to catch the juices.
Cut off the twine and let the steaks rest for about 5-10 minutes undisturbed.
Don't discard the pan drippings! You can spoon it over the steaks or make a quick pan sauce.

Notes

Steak temperature guide for filet mignon: medium-rare and medium are preferred temperatures for filet mignon.
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium-rare: 130-135°F
- Medium: 135-140°F
Pan sauce options: The bourbon butter pan sauce in this recipe is delicious on its own, but you can also serve filet mignon with red wine steak sauce, peppercorn sauce, mushroom steak sauce, best cream sauce for steaks, or steak Diane sauce for a steakhouse-style finish.
Reheating guide: I've tested numerous ways to reheat steaks and the best way I found is in the pan. Preheat the pan first to medium-low and then reheat a whole or sliced steak JUST until warmed in the center. The goal is not to cook but to just heat through.

Nutrition