Pan Seared Filet Mignon

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read full disclosure here.

Updated: February 23, 2026

Pan seared filet mignon is one of those dishes that feels luxurious, but when you understand the technique, it’s surprisingly simple to master at home. After years of refining classic methods and studying proper heat control, I’ve learned that the secret isn’t complicated ingredients, it’s high-quality beef, a properly preheated pan, and disciplined timing. In this recipe, I’ll walk you through exactly how to achieve that rich, caramelized crust and buttery, tender center every single time, whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or elevating a quiet dinner at home.

Cooking Tips:

• Steak Grade: Try to pick out a good grade of filet for this dish. The grade of the steak is typically determined in the US by a cow’s diet. So when you’re shopping, look for the highest grade of steak, which is U.S. Prime followed by U.S. Choice. Avoid the lowest grade of steak, which is U.S. Select.

• Cooking Pan: I would highly recommend cooking this steak in a stainless steel pan. Cast iron works great too as a close runner up, but sometimes the “seasoning” on the cast iron pan can affect the taste of the red wine reduction sauce. Stainless steel is a great heat conductor, it ensures a neutral palate for cooking your steak or sauce, and it can go into the oven if you need to cook your steak a bit more. Please avoid nonstick pans at all costs. The coating of nonstick pans contain “Teflon”, which release toxic chemicals when cooked at high temperatures.

• Before You Cook: If you take nothing else from this blogpost, please, please, please for the love of god, DO NOT put a cold steak into a cooking pan! Your steak will not cook evenly, wasting all of the money you invested in this beautiful cut of meat. Allow the steak to sit out at room temperature, perhaps 30 minutes before cooking.

• Dry Off Your Steak: Before seasoning your steak, I recommend taking a paper towel and blotting the steak dry. Too much moisture in the steak will work against you and prevent a brown crispy crust from forming.

• Seasoning: The seasoning for this dish is very simple – Kosher salt or sea salt and FRESH cracked black pepper. The goal here is to achieve a flavorful, savory crust, with a tender interior. To achieve the optimal flavor, I recommend using fresh cracked black pepper. Fresh cracked ground pepper is rich in flavor, whereas pre-ground pepper is bland since it has been overly exposed to air overtime. So just say to no pre-ground black pepper. Additionally, don’t be shy with your seasoning! Season the steak generously with salt and pepper, especially on a filet since it is a thicker cut of meat.

• Cooking Oil: To sear your steak, I recommend using a neutral flavor oil with a “high smoke point”. This basically means select an oil that will not burn. Sometimes we have the habit of reaching for a bottle of extra virgin olive oil when we cook food in the pan. However, olive oil will burn at high temperature points. Therefore, try using oils that have a high smoke point such as: Grapeseed oil, canola oil, sunflower seed oil, or light olive oil (not extra virgin olive oil).

• When to Add Ingredients to Pan: I recommend preheating your pan prior to adding the cooking oil. After adding the cooking oil, you will know when to add the steak to the pan when you notice light vapors of smoke coming from the pan. This means your pan is ready. After adding the first filet of meat, you should hear a searing sound. If you do not hear a searing sound, that means your pan is not hot enough.

• Don’t Touch It: Once your steak is in the pan, you want to sear it and not overcook it. Searing allows the juices to stay within the steak, and the outside seasoning forms a crispy crust. Searing the steak also means you do not touch it for 3-4 minutes once it is in the pan. This is a very debatable topic, but I believe in not touching the meat when you’re searing it. I do this with scallops, fish, lamb, and I believe the same applies to steak. Allowing it to cook for 3-4 minutes without flipping it will allow the filet to form a beautiful crispy crust. So add your steak to the pan, sear for 3-4 minutes, do not touch it during that time, flip it, sear it on the other side, base it, and cook it until the desired temperature is reached.

• Baste Your Steak: Basting the steak should happen at the end of the searing process. Adding butter too soon could cause the butter to burn and not allow the second side of the steak to form a crispy crust. To baste a steak, you simply add butter, allow it to melt, crushed garlic, an herb (rosemary or thyme), tilt the pan so the sauce is easy to scoop up with a spoon, and drizzle the rosemary garlic butter sauce on top of the steak. Continue basting the steak until you reach the desired level of doneness. Feel free to flip your steak in this process too to ensure an even level of doneness. Be sure to keep an eye on the internal temperature of your steak at this juncture so you do not overcook the steak. This may sound complicated, but it is not. Basting the steak is an old school technique that will take the flavor of your steak to the next level!

• Temperatures: So how do you know when your steak is done? I recommend using a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the steak. Meat thermometers are not cheat codes! If you’re going to invest money into a quality piece of meat, why not make sure you’re cooking it to the correct temperature? For a filet, I recommend medium-rare. However, if this is not cooked enough for you, continue to cook the steak inside of the oven after searing it to achieve the desired temperature. I also recommend pulling your steak about 5 degrees shy of the temperature you want. When the steak is removed from the heat, it will continue to cook. So to ensure you do not overcook the steak, remove it a few degrees “cooler” than what you want. I suggest using this steak temperature guide from Food Network.

• Let it Rest: I’m sure you’ve heard many cooks use the phrase “let the meat rest”. This basically means you do not want to cut into the meat right after cooking. When you remove your filet from the pan, the residual heat will continue to cook the steak. Cutting the steak too soon will not allow the heat and juices to settle, causing all of the juices to escape from the steak. So to preserve the flavor and to ensure you present a tender steak, let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

What to Serve with Pan Seared Filet Mignon

• Easy Pan Seared Shrimp
• Leek Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Asparagus
• Oven Roasted Vegetables
• Grilled Lobster Tails

Recipe Card:

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Rosemary Garlic Filet Mignon with Red Wine Reduction Sauce

Ebony Robinson

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Filet Mignon

• 2 Filet Steaks
• Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
• Kosher to Sea Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 3 Cloves of Garlic crushed in skin
• 2 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
• 1 tbsp High Smoke Point Cooking Oil (Canola, Grapeseed, or Sunflower Oil)

Red Wine Reduction Sauce

• 1-2 Shallots minced
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 3/4 cup Good Quality Dry Red Wine or more if you like 🙂
• 1/4 cup Beef Stock
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• Salt to taste

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

Filet Mignon

• Take filet steaks and allow these to come up to room temperature (around 30 minutes). Use a paper towel to blot and dry any moisture that is on the steak. Season steaks generously with salt and pepper (seriously, don't be shy!). Set steaks aside.
• Preheat a stainless steel pan until hot. Once hot, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. The oil should begin to lightly smoke. This means the pan is hot enough. Carefully add both seasoned filets in the pan. Searing 3-4 minutes on each side.
• Once steaks have seared, add butter, crushed garlic, and rosemary to the pan. Once butter has melted, carefully tilt the pan and use a spoon to scoop up the rosemary garlic butter sauce and drizzle this on top of the cooking steak. Continue to baste the steak until the desired temperature is reached. Lower the heat, and transfer steaks from the pan to a cutting board. Allow steaks to rest.

Creamy Red Wine Reduction Sauce

• Carefully discard oil from steak pan, however leave any crust renderings in the pan. This is called the "fond" and it is packed with flavor for the perfect red wine sauce! Bring the heat up to medium heat and melt 2 tbsp of butter.
• When the butter starts to foam, add minced shallots, and sauté until softened. Add red wine and use a spoon to stir and scrape up any bits that are stuck at the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until alcohol evaporates. When the wine cooks down, add beef stock and heavy cream. Continue to cook until slightly thickened. Add salt to taste when the sauce is almost done. If you're looking for a richer flavor, add more butter or heavy cream. Remove from heat and drizzle this lovely sauce on top of your filet mignon! Enjoy!

Did you love this recipe?Let us know how it was below or tag @elicitfolio on IG!

Instagram TV Cooking Tutorial:

My Favorite Kitchen Tools From This Recipe:

All-Clad Stainless Steel 12 inch Fry Pan – Order Here.

OXO Good Grips Wooden Spoon & Scraper – Order Here.

La Tourangelle, Grapeseed Oil – Order Here.

KULUNER Waterproof Instant Read Meat Thermometer – Order Here.