When it comes to fork-tender, perfectly cooked medium-rare steaks, this sous vide filet mignon recipe is flawless every single time. Finished with a perfect cast iron sear and topped with a rich steak sauce, this is restaurant-quality fine dining at home. But why is sous vide the perfect method for cooking this cut?

The Cut: Filet Mignon

When it comes to the king of tender steaks, the filet mignon is it. This cut is famous for its fork-tender cut at steakhouses and fine dining establishments worldwide. Cut from the whole tenderloin, an underworked muscle on the back of the cow; it’s a lean cut with minimal marbling that is begging to be the center of the plate for romantic dinners and amazing date nights.

However, due to its minimal marbling, this cut suffers when cooked past medium and can dry out quickly. It also has a mild beef flavor, so pairing it with an amazing steak sauce recipe or rich compound butter to serve is always a great idea.

Why sous vide steaks?

Although we love a pan-seared filet mignon on busy nights, it’s the best steak for the sous vide method because the precise temperature-controlled water bath guarantees the steak cooks to the perfect temperature. This cooking method is the only way to get the exact temperature from edge to edge for the best results—mitigating the risk altogether of drying out the meat. It’s science!

This sous vide steak is finished with a quick sear in a piping hot cast iron skillet to add a nice crust and help the overall appearance of the beef.

And, yes, it seems fancy, and yes, it is fun to sound like a French chef; the sous vide cooking method is easy, even easier than grilled filet mignon. Once you set the sous vide bath with the immersion circulator and drop the vacuum-sealed steaks in, you can work on the sides. This method is perfect for thicker steaks and prime rib roasts. It also works great for sous vide beef tenderloin if you’re feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

• Filet mignon steaks, look for even-sized at about 6 to 8 oz and 1 1/2″ thick filets. Want to save a few pennies? Check out how to trim a whole beef tenderloin into your own filet steaks.
• Salt – we always use kosher salt
• Unsalted butter
• Rosemary
• Garlic Cloves

How to sous vide filet mingon

• Start by patting the steaks dry with paper towels and secure the edges with butcher’s twine. This helps to retain their shape as they cook. Then place the steaks in a vacuum seal bag. We seal each individually with a vacuum sealer to ensure a good seal.
• Set up your sous vide cooker and the water bath for 120 degrees F. Let the water come up to temperature before adding the steaks in the vacuum bag.
• When the water is at 120F, place the steaks in the water bath, slowly to make sure no leaks appear. Cover them with a mesh weight to keep them submerged. Let the filets cook in the sous vide for 2 hours.

• Carefully remove the steaks from the sous vide water bath and bags. Discard the bags and pat the steaks dry again.

• Next, Season the sous vide filet mignon steaks liberally with salt (and if you feel like really going wild, add some of my umami powder to beef things up). Preheat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
• As soon as the pan just begins to smoke, add the butter and swirl to coat. Lay the rosemary and garlic in the pan. Gently place the steaks into the hot pan and sear.
• Without moving the steaks, baste them in the melted butter. And when a good crust forms, about 2 minutes, flip the steaks and repeat on the other side.

• Immediately transfer the steaks from heat to rest, remove the butchers twice, and add a pat of compound butter to each steak while it rests for 5 minutes. Then finally, serve it hot with your favorite steakhouse side dishes and a steak sauce.

What to serve with Sous Vide Filet Mignon

Pair filet mignon steaks with your favorite side dishes like smoked mushrooms, creamed spinach or smoked baked potato. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, Valentine’s day, or just a fun date night, make this a surf and turf dinner by pairing it with butter-poached lobster tails, bacon-wrapped scallops or top the steaks with our favorite smoked crab imperial recipe for an amazing dinner.