How to Grill a Perfect Filet Mignon

Filet Mignon is often considered the greatest steak cut of them all. It’s unmatched in tenderness. Has a somewhat mild flavor, compared to other cuts, and when cooked right, it nearly guaranteed to please. I’ll frequently cook my filet in the oven, but once it gets warm enough, it’s time to bring the Filets out to the Grill. Some of the best filet mignon I’ve ever had, has been seared quickly on super-hot grill over direct flames, slathered with a little compound butter, and served up hot.

When grilled, filet picks up some added flavor from the smoke of the grill, and you can’t beat the charred outside crust that open flames give you. But, to cook the perfect grilled Filet Mignon, there are a few tips and tricks that you need to know to make sure your steak doesn’t come out overcooked and dry. There aren’t many, and they aren’t hard to learn, but put them to practice, If you want your steak to have:

1. A dark golden brown crust on the outside that packs a ton of salty flavor and a great texture
2. A center that is perfectly cooked to your preference – I like medium rare!
3. A very tender, and very juicy, texture when you bite into it

Follow the tips below, and I’m sure yours will hit on every point!

How to Grill a Perfect Filet Mignon

• Buying the right filet mignon is important. Ideally find a prime grade, although choice cuts can still work very well. 
• Get a steak that is 2 inches thick (or more), with as much internal fat (marbling) as possible
• Filet Mignon is expensive (often nearly $20/lb), but it’s so rich, you may be fully satisfied with just an 8 ounce cut
• Take the filet out of the fridge about 45 minutes before you’re ready to cook it, and allow it to come to room temperature
• Turn on your gas grill, or light your coals, to allow your grill to heat up. You want to start cooking with a very hot grill (over 500 degrees).
• About 15 minutes before your grill is ready, lightly oil the filet mignon and liberally season the steaks with salt and pepper.
• If you’d like to use other rubs or spices, that’s fine; just note that some rubs may tend to burn a bit on the grill, so you may want to use slightly lower temperature
• Once the grill is ready, lay the steaks down on the grates (lay them down diagonally to get the cool looking grill marks), close the grill lid, and leave them alone for at least 3 minutes
• After 3 minutes, open the grill, and turn the filet mignon over; the cooked side should be nicely browned, with grill marks from the grate
• Once turned over, allow the filets’ second side to sear for another 3 minutes to sear
• At this point, a 2 inch filet, should be rare, and you have to figure out when to stop cooking the steak…right then, or continue to cook through to medium or well done
• The best way to tell when to remove the filet is with an instant read meat thermometer. You’d want about 130 for rare…and you’d go all the way up to 160 for well done.
• The time it takes to get there, will depend on the heat of your grill and the thickness of the steak.  My general rule of thumb, is at this stage, about 3 minutes will move the filet up 10 – 15 degrees.
• As the filet mignon continue to cook, you’ll want to move them to a cooler part of the grill with the lid on; because the outside is already seared you don’t want to burn them.
• Once cooked to your liking, remove the filets, and allow them to rest for at least 5 minutes
• While they rest, it would be a great time to make a quick sauce or slather them with some butter.
• Once rested, the filet mignon are ready to serve, along with your favorite steak sides!
• Enjoy!