Cooking Filet Mignon

[LenaS]

What are you ideas on the best way of cooking filet mignon - frying, barbequing, broiling, etc. and what seasonings are best? Thanks, Lena http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[pmmahan]

yumm....my mouth is watering...
I think filet mignon is best fried in a skillet, in a sauce made of shallots, red wine, and shiitake mushrooms (Back to the Best, CL, july or august 2000)
Other seasonings/flavors?
balsamic vinegar
tarragon
thyme
rosemary
since this meat is so good, I'd recommend going light on the seasonings.

[LenaS]

Thanks PM - so I guess the best way is to pan fry - where is that recipe that you are talking about? thanks again.... Lena

[Gail]

You could also try this with your filets:


BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH PORT-BALSAMIC SAUCE

1 cup ruby Port
1 cup dry white wine

2 8-ounce beef tenderloin steaks
All purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Boil Port and wine in heavy small saucepan until mixture is reduced to 2/3 cup,
about 8 minutes. Set aside.

Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Dust with flour; shake off excess. Melt 1
tablespoon butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks;
cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer
steaks to platter (do not clean skillet); tent steaks with foil to keep warm.

Add Port mixture and vinegar to same skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any
browned bits. Boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Remove
from heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and whisk just until melted. Season
sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer steaks to plates. Spoon sauce over and
serve.

Serves 2.

(From: Bon Appétit
December 1998
RSVP
Acqua al 2; Florence, Italy)




[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 10-26-2000).]

[LenaS]

oooo-weeee - Gail - who ever you are! - that sounds amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can almost taste it right now - thank you so much! Having company for the weekend - and that will be it!

[Beth]

Gail, thanks for that one. When we moved from CA to TX, I lost out on a year or so of Bon Appetit and missed a lot. I recently bought some Omaha Steaks filets for DH. Since DH loves port, and I'll try anything with balsamic lately, we'll have to try this one.

[Peggy]

Oh Gail!!! That recipe looks yummy! We have a Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon in our wine cellar that is just begging to be enjoyed. That just may be the recipe that gets that cork popped!

Lena - My humble opinion about cooking filet mignon is that they should be broiled or barbequed. I normally wouldn't consider frying them, although Gail's recipe may force me to make an exception. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Peggy

[Ed]

Hi,

Filet Mignon, ah that's real good eating.

If a person is good at grilling that's a fine way to cook it, if a person would rather not do any grilling then fixing it on the top of the stove is real good too.

One thing I purchased a while ago that I really like is a grill pan. This is a real good way to cook a good Steak if you don't want to mess around with the grill. It's been my experience that the grill pan does a fine job.

Below is a recipe I copied from Cooking Light for some Port Wine Mushroom Sauce that goes real well with Steak. (in fact it goes good with hamburgers too) I don't remember what issue it was from.

I like this sauce and all that have had it here think it's just fine and I have passed the recipe on to some who have asked for it.

I should also tell you that I usually double it even if it's just for the 2 of us.

Port Wine Mushroom Sauce

1 1/2 cups sliced shittake mushroom caps
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1/3 cup port or other sweet red wine
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinagar
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon dried Rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Note: Mushrooms 1 1/2 cups = 3 1/2 oz
(I use any kind of fresh mushrooms I have available and they taste just fine to me.)
1.) Combine mushrooms and flour in a bowl, and toss well.
2.) combine wine, shallots, and vinegar in a medium skillet. bring to a boil; cook until thick, reducing liquid, by cooking about 3 minutes until thick and syrupy.
3.) reduce heat to medium. Add broth, worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and Rosemary; cook 1 minute.
4.) Add mushroom mixture; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. stir in Mustard.
Yield: 1 cup ( serving size 1/4 cup.)
This deeply flavored brown sauce is reminiscent of the classic bordelaise sauce but made in a fraction of the time. It's virtually fat free, another plus.
Try it with Beef, Lamb, Venison, or Pork.
The Mushrooms are tossed with flour which helps thicken the sauce. Stick with Port wine if possible otherwise use Red grape juice, it won't change the flavor.

If you try this sauce I'm sure you'll like it.

Ed

[lanie]

I have to say after trying the mushroom-wine filet mignon from CL and 'frying' the steak - I think that is the way I will go from now on - always have barbequed steaks - but you pretty much have to be exact or you can ruin a great piece of meat - that 3 min on each side worked perfectly for med/rare and oh that recipe for port-wine sauce Ed looks fantastic - guess you could keep that for a bit in the fridge??

[This message has been edited by lanie (edited 10-27-2000).]

[pmmahan]

Lena- the recipe that Ed posted was the one I was referring to. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner! It really is a great recipe. My fiance was bowled over when I made it.

[Denise]

I have to put in my 2 cents worth on the Port wine mushroom sauce Ed posted - DELICIOUS! I made it with elk steaks and felt like I was eating a dish from a fancy restaurant. It was so easy too!

[Ohioan]

Ed, that does sound delicious. I'm going to try it on broiled tofu. Thanks!

Phoebe

[lanie]

Ed - do you really like that pan (I know you like the pan!) - and is it a 'real' heavy one - have been toying with the idea of buying one - thought it just might be another 'gadget' - but watch a cooking show here (Bonnie Stern) and she swears by it - what kind do you have? What else do you use it for? thanks - lanie http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[sneezles]

As someone who now raises cattle but also a long-time perosn who NEVER puts sauce on a good steak-I just had to put my two cents in (I've been waiting for someone else to say it first!). Grill the filet wrapped in bacon-3 minutes a side-this is the ultimate piece of beef, why would you want to disguise the taste!

[Gail]

Originally posted by sneezles:
As someone who now raises cattle but also a long-time perosn who NEVER puts sauce on a good steak-I just had to put my two cents in (I've been waiting for someone else to say it first!). Grill the filet wrapped in bacon-3 minutes a side-this is the ultimate piece of beef, why would you want to disguise the taste!

Because Christmas loses its special feel if you celebrate it every day. Because while nothing will ever equal the taste of a good, pure cut of meat, every now and then it's fun to do something different and take a little break from the norm. And because when you really think about it, NEVER is an awfully long time... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 10-27-2000).]

[LenaS]

Gail - I couldn't agree more - 'nothing' should stay the same (hopefully) and 'spice' is a slice of life! Bon Appetit! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Beth]

Lean, I thanked Gail (and now Ed too) for recipes, but forgot to say that we usually grill or pan-fry. If you're going to cook indoors, I think pan-frying gives me more control that broiling (where it's unseen and can be forgotten) and the pan can easily be degalzed, whether you're making a more formal sauce, or just want to get an au jus type.

[Beth]

Well said, ladies! The same reason you like a bottle of nice wine with a special meal. The same reason you use an extra-fine chocolate in a special desert when eating it by itself would give great pleasure. It's variety, and it's using the best to celebrate and make something special. The point isn't to disguise or overpower the flavor of the meat, but to compliment it, give it something to play with on your palette. Salt and pepper, maybe a seasoned pepper, are all that most foods (beef, chicken, fish, eggs, even vegetables) would require, but we certainly enjoy doing a lot more with them.

[Ed]

Hi Lanie,

Yes I do like the Grill Pan I have. And I use it quite a bit. In fact I used it earlier tonight to cook 3 Chicken Breasts for our supper.

Yup it's a heavy pan, Cast Iron. It's a Lodge Brand, nothing fancy just a good old Cast Iron pan like the others I use. Sharon Likes the pan too, but she says it's too heavy.

I use the Grill Pan to cook all the Steaks, Burgers, & other Meats like Chicken Breasts that I don't want to use the REAL Grill for. I cook at a fairly low temp and the steaks etc. all come out real good.

There are a lot of Grill Pans out there at many different prices. I bought this one at Williams Sanoma on sale for $15. The ones at the discount places were about the same price, but made lighter too. And some upscale kitchen shops had the same item for more money, one kitchen shop had some Cast Iron Grill Pans that were enamled on the outside in decorator colors for over $100. They were heavy Cast Iron, but I wanted something less expensive.

I need to tell you that I do prefer to use Cast Iron Frying Pans & Dutch Ovens so I'm kind of prejudice, Cast Iron may not be pretty, (However, I do think a nice black well used cast iron pan is beautiful) but they do a fine job. In fact if they are taken care of the Cast Iron will last many lifetimes, (some of the pans I use were used by my Dad & Mom, and with any luck some of my pans will be passed on to my kids & grands)

Ed

[Lchiles]

Ed, I have been toying with the idea of using more cast iron, but can you cook with it and still save calories and fat. How do you grease the pan, can you use cooking spray on cast iron, and does it work as well.? My mom used cast iron all the time, but always had a ton of lard or oil in it. Thanks for your input. LaurieC

[lanie]

Ed - just made the port-wine mushroom sauce and does it EVER taste good - hope I didn't make it too early - ever made ahead? It is fantastic! I doubled as you mentioned - 6 for dinner and used crimini mushrooms. Thanks for a great recipe....lanie http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Ohioan]

Darn it, Ed, Lanie got in just ahead of me. I wanted to tell you that I, too, tried the mushroom sauce last night (with a couple of minor variations), and it was so good that it made my toes curl! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Instead of pouring it over broiled tofu as I'd planned, though, I just cubed the tofu, stirred it into the sauce, and simmered the mixture for a few minutes so the tofu would absorb the flavors. Then I poured the whole thing over rigatoni. Oh, yummmmmmmmm... (oops, my toes just curled again).

Cheers and thanks,
Phoebe

[lanie]

Sorry Pheobs! I'm gonna do that too - is that the 'firm' tofu? Have never cooked with it before - and you just put it right in the 'wonderful' sauce? I can just imagine what that would taste like - toes curling here too - hahahah http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif lanie

[This message has been edited by lanie (edited 10-28-2000).]

[Ohioan]

Lanie, I use Nasoya extra-firm tofu, and I drain it by pressing it between layers of paper towels before I cube it. (I usually use about three or four changes of toweling, pressing down with my hands each time I change the towels and then leaving the last batch to drain by itself while I fix other things.)

With this sauce, after I cut the tofu into 1/2" - 3/4" cubes (who really measures these things, anyway?), I dropped the cubes into the sauce and stirred the mixture to coat everything. During the simmering, I stirred gently every now and then.

I hope the tofu version works out for you -- but I have a feeling this sauce would taste good on anything. (Well, okay, maybe not ice cream. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif)

Cheers, Phoebe

[Ed]

Hi Laurie,

Can you still save Calories and Fat Cooking with Cast Iron? You bet you can!

You need to put something in the pan to fry with, but then you need to do that with any metal pan, and I would guess it's the same with a Glass Pan too. (I don't know about Teflon and the like because I've never used one. Years ago Sharon had a teflon coated Cake pan, and I cut a piece of cake out of it and wrecked the coating--that was the last coated pan she would buy. At that time I didn't know there was such a thing as a plastic knife and trowel.) We have an all clad Omlet pan and some Reverware sautee pans and if you don't put in some oil, or spray, or butter, they will stick. Same with Cast iron, but I think I actually use less of that stuff on my Cast Iron than on the reverware.

To grease the pan I just put in what the recipe calls for. For instance Olive oil or Butter etc. or you can use Lecethin and Butter combined, or just Lecethin, or as my wife prefers some mixed together butter & oil, or just spray it with something like Pam. However you want to grease any pan, it will work in Cast Iron too. I will say that I need to use more heat to get the Cast Iron hot, than with for instance the All Clad, but once it's heated up I can lower the heat and cook with it as good or better than the fancy pans.

On my Cast Iron Grill Pan I just spray it with Pam. All I need to coat with a non stick spray is the raised ridges in the bottom of the pan. That style pan is really good for reducing the fat when you're cooking meat. (The meat is up and away from the grease that comes out during the cooking process.)

Ed

[Ed]

Hi Lanie & Phoebe,

I'm glad you like the recipe, I think it's a real good one too. And I want to thank Cooking Light for giving it to us.

Yes I have made it ahead of time and it worked out O.K. but having said that, I think we can all agree that stuff tastes better when it's fresh made, so even though this recipe we're talking about can be made ahead of time, after doing that once, I've decided that I only want to make it fresh just before it's time to serve.

When I made it ahead I don't think our guests could tell if there was any difference, since they never had it before, but Sharon and I could tell the difference and after the day was over, and we talked about the menu, this was one of the changes we wanted to make. And besides I didn't think the time saved was worth making it ahead of time, my Friend was visiting with me in the kitchen area anyway, so I might just as well have made it fresh so he could have learned how if he was interested, which he was because he later wanted the recipe.

Phoebe, I'm Glad it worked out so well with your Tofu. I think I'll keep that bit of news just between you and me, I don't believe I'll share that information with Sharon. But I will pass on to her that it goes well with Rigatoni and suggest we brown some Hamburger and make it up with Rigatone and Hamburger, or small bite sized peices of steak.

Just in case you're wondering. Yup, the Women were in the living room visiting while I was finishing up preparing the dinner I just referred to.

Sharon thinks that after all the years I just sat in the Lazy Boy while she was in the kitchen, cooking, that she should do that every once in a while now. I think it's a good idea too, it sure puts a smile on her face when she gets to do that.

Ed

[This message has been edited by Ed (edited 10-29-2000).]

[Karen from VA]

I have a question for Ed and for the rest of you who have made the Port Mushroom Sauce. I made it last night to serve over charcoal grilled ribeye steaks. I followed directions precisely, but I was just a "tish" disappointed in the sauce. I expected a deeper flavor. Although it was tasty, it seemed to lack a little "gusto". My only thought was that when I reduced the port/vinegar/shallot mixture, it seemed to cook away before it became syrupy and I was left only with moist, tender shallots. I used a medium non-stick saute pan (7-8 inch), cooked for no more than 3 minutes. Maybe I used too high heat? Should have used a smaller pan? Or maybe my expectations were just different from reality. To me it just tasted like gravy made from beef broth with a hint of rosemary flavoring. Would love your comments before I try it again because it's obvious that my opinion is in a definite minority which makes me think that I must have done something wrong--after 40+ years of cooking I'm always still learning.
Karen

[Ohioan]

Karen, aside from the fact that everyone has different taste preferences http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif, do you suppose the problem might have been in the beef broth, since you say the sauce tasted so strongly of it? Being a vegetarian, I used plain water instead of the broth, and I tasted a lovely medley (or should I say "meld"?) of flavors in the sauce.

What do you think, Ed?

Phoebe

[Margie]

The recipe sounds great.

We were daring a couple years ago and actually cooked a whole filet on the grill. We covered it with coarsely graond black pepper and grilled on medium heat with the grill cover closed. It was amazing.

[Karen from VA]

Hi Phoebe: Thanks for your take on my post. Actually, what I meant was that I thought it was lacking a more robust flavor whether it comes from the broth, port, vinegar or otherwise. I really think it must have been my expectations because the flavor was pleasant enough but to steal a phrase from Emeril, I just would have liked to kick it up a notch--I was looking for a little more BAM. I may have been eating too much deep, rich beef gravy made from the pan scrapings of a good browned roast, which I guess defeats the Cooking Light feature of the Port Sauce. I don't mean to criticise the sauce. It was good, just not what I expected and I thought maybe I did something wrong in that my toes didn't curl. Eddddddddd, where are you for your opinion?
Karen

[JJ40]

I have a question about this recipe...I've heard so many good reviews of it...do you think you could substitute regular mushrooms for the shiitake?

Thanks,
Julie http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Ed]

Hi Karen & Phoebe,

Sorry for the delay in posting on your questions but I was away from the computer for a couple of days here.

Sorry you were disappointed in the sauce Karen. You ask some good questions as to why, and that you were looking for a little Gusto. Boy, I don't know what that means exactly. And you and Phoebe are much better cooks than I am so I am reluctant to give either of you any advise on how to cook something.

I will however tell you a bit of how I make this sauce.

I use a pretty big Cast Iron pan, I don't know the size off hand but it's got to be a 12 incher for sure maybe 14 inches and I tend to use a lower heat instead of a higher heat. ( I need a big pan because I usually double the recipe and that means 3 cups of Mushrooms, and those Mushrooms take up a lot of room in a frying pan.)

When I make this sauce I use medium heat and I crank it up a little to make it boil if I need to, but most of the time it boils just fine when I use medium heat.

I like to use my own home made Beef Broth, but if I'm out I will use the store bought kind. (Swanson's low sodium)

I also use Red Grape Juice instead of Red Wine. (Paul Mason if I can get it otherwise Welches, from the exoctic to the common.)I prefer to not use any alchohol in my cooking and I find that Red Grape Juice works just fine in this recipe.

Also I use whatever kind of fresh Mushrooms I have on hand. And I usually go a little heavy on the Mustard but I try to measure accuratly on the Rosemary and the Balsamic Vinagar.

One other change I use is that I will use finely sliced & minced Green Onions instead of Shallots, because I hardly ever have Shallots on hand here at the house and I usually have plenty of Green Onions.

So other than above I make it, pretty much, exactly the way the recipe is written.

I don't know why your pan cooked away all the juice, I've never had that happen. And I've never had it turn out like a gravy either.

All I can say is that where it says in the recipe about the wine, shallots & vinagar to cook until thick, about 3 minutes. I cook it until it is thick enough for me, if it's 3 minutes O.K. if it's less O.K. if it's longer O.K. I just want it thickend a bit. Then I add the Broth, Worchestershire, And Rosemary, (Oh yah, I many times will skip the tomato paste, I just don't feel like opening a can of the stuff for just 1 teaspoon of tomato paste.) & cook for about 1 minute and Add the Mushrooms coated with the flour & then stir in the mustard & cook it until it's as thick as I want it. There again the recipe says 3 minutes, but while I watch the time O,K, I let the consistency and the smell and the taste tell me if I want to stop cooking the sauce.

One thing I like about this Sauce recipe is that everything in it can be eaten raw, with out cooking. So the cooking is only necessary to heat it up and blend all the flavors etc. Because of this I think we could toss out the clock and just see how it's looking when we cook it.

When it looks right and smells right and tastes right to the cook, it's time to serve it. But that's just my opinion. (My opinion and about a dollar will get you a cup of coffee at the local resturaunt.)

I hope I didn't run on too long here, and I hope what I wrote is a help to you. Thanks for asking for my input.

Ed

[Ed]

Hi Susann,

That's great, and you're welcome.

I'm glad it was such a hit for you and your Husband.

That sauce really makes a difference with Steak all right.

Please pass on my best birthday wishes to your Husband from me.

Ed

[Susann]

Ed-a big thank you for sharing your port mushroom sauce. Last night, I made it to go with steak and it was absolutely delicious. We were celebrating my husband's birthday and both agreed that the sauce was a hit!