How to Treat a USDA Prime Filet Mignon
Every month or so, I see my dad’s friend (and my honorary uncle), Big John. And every time I see Big John, he asks me the same question: “Is Jeff still treating you right?” Next time he asks, I’m going to show him this photo of a USDA Prime Filet Mignon (aka Tenderloin Steak) wrapped in a slice of slab bacon. Hot off the grill.
Jeff only asked for one specific thing for his birthday: prime beef. The highest grade. And I am not one to stand between a man and his dream. We drove directly to the butcher shop and waited while the butcher cut our two steaks (a bone-in ribeye for Jeff and the filet for me) and pointed out some of the signs of prime beef: the light cherry-red color of the meat and the cobweb-like marbling. And there was the price.
But would the grade make a real difference in the flavor? And was the price justified?
Before he grilled my filet mignon, I had to solemnly swear to try it without the sauce.
I am a convert.
I ate every single bite of this steak. It was so buttery, I thought Jeff had melted a pat of butter on top of the meat when he took it off the grill, but I was wrong. Prime beef is buttery. And tender. And full of flavor. The fat practically melts into the meat, which is incredibly lean. I ate every meaty morsel, and then I ground the toothpicks into dust and snorted them off the plate.
The grade makes a difference.
As for the price, it was pricey. My steak was $40 per pound. We bought an 8 oz. steak for me, but we could have easily cut it into two 4 oz. steaks, paired them with sides and been perfectly satisfied for less than the cost of the same meal at a restaurant serving a lower grade of beef. For two people who eat only chicken and fish at home, a prime steak splurge every once in a while fits into our budget.
The next time you are planning a special dinner or holiday meal, consider investing in prime beef, even if you only use it as a “side dish”, as Thomas Jefferson suggested. It’s satisfying in smaller amounts and delicious to the last bite. No steak sauce required.
Is Jeff still treating me right? Oh, yeah.
Grilled Filet Mignon Wrapped in Slab Bacon
- 1 (8 oz.) filet mignon
- 1 slice slab bacon
- Kosher salt, to taste
Let the steak come to room temperature. Wrap slice of slab bacon around the outer perimeter of the steak, and secure with toothpicks.
While the steak is resting, prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Lightly coat the grill rack with a no-stick cooking spray, like Weber® Grill ‘N Spray™. The coals should be medium-high, around 400 degrees F.
Rub Kosher salt on both sides of the steak.
For perfect grill marks: Place the steak directly on the grill, and close the lid. Let it cook for about 3 minutes. Open the lid, and use tongs to give the steak a quarter turn. Close the lid, and let it cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Open the lid. Turn the steak over. Continue to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for a medium steak with a pink center. (Note: Filet mignon has very little fat, so try not to cook it past medium. Otherwise, your steak could become tough and lose flavor.)
Take the steak off the grill. Let it rest under a tent of aluminum foil (or a clean towel) for 5-10 minutes before serving.
I’m with your hubbie.
Only salt and pepper….and make it rare.
Who needs cake, anyway?
Make mine bloody where you can still see the original brand! moo moo means it’s tastes good, tastes good. You need no stinkin’ sauce when the blood is still dripping! sorry. i had a carnitarian moment. If i was a dinosaur i’d be a T-Rex.
Isn’t it funny that Big John worries about men treating us right when he was the first man besides our Daddy I can remember and he always called us “Fred” said we were cute little boys and threatened to cut our heads off with his pocketknife?
You are growing up! The only thing I’d add is a bit of veggie oil to help the s&p stick.
Oh no you didn’t.
That photo … just … oh my.
Yum.
Although I’m taken aback to see the words “Heinz 57 Sauce” on your blog. I never imagined.
In our house the rolls are reversed. Hubby likes the sauce and I am the purist…. This is so important for people to know…..the success of a good steak meal, begins with the grade…no sauce can fix this. Tell your hubby is he a super-star!!!
Okay, it’s 7:00 a.m. I haven’t had breakfast yet and now I’m craving steak. Hmm. Maybe for dinner tonight. That looks delicious!
Last Christmas I sent my husband to the store to get a beef tenderloin — I was thinking a little 2 or 3 pound number. Well, there was some confusion between hubs and the butcher, and hubs came home with approximately 10 pounds of gorgeous beef (and a second mortgage). I agree with you wholeheartedly that the grade makes ALL the difference. I get nervous working with such fine beef though — the opportunities for me to screw it up are endless. I’ll have to print your tutorial to take some of the guesswork out of it next time. This looks amazing.
Instead of spraying your grill with an aerosol lubricant (like Grill n’ Spray), which can cause flare-ups, try moistening a paper towel with vegetable oil and using tongs to apply it to the grill. This way you can grease only the area that you plan to grill on.
Um, so that looks AMAZING. Too bad the economy is terrible and filet mignon seems even more out of reach. But I love your recipe and photos!
Whoa, that is pretty expensive, but looking at your pictures, I think I’d gladly hand over the money!
Looks delish! Love the blog in general- just wanted to let you know I linked you!
http://ovenlove.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-favorites-food-blogs-and-websites.html
This is my favorite steak ever! Great photo!
Oh wow. My husband would eat any grade of beef and be perfectly happy, but I think this might send him into a blissful carnivorous experience. We’re doing Thanksgiving on our own this year, so maybe we’ll skip the turkey and go for bacon-wrapped $40/lb. steak. I’m in.
OMG I am absolutely DROOLING over my keyboard for this steak. I just need a little bit of potato on the side please. . . :)
This is totally my kind of meal. I adore filet. Soooooo enticing. I can practically smell it. And NO sauce… unless it is Bernaise! Then I am all over the sauce.
Man, sometimes it sucks being a vegetarian!
I’m only able to eat meat now if:
A.) I’m mad as heck at my husband, like REALLY mad
B.) It’s a really prime piece (so my regret in the morning is a little lessened)
C.) If I am distracted (which relates to A.- which means I am usually majorly venting about husband) and eat it really quickly before I realize what I am actually doing)
Gorgeous steak and a beautiful tribute to meat, Rebecca. Mostly I agree with your husband on sauce, but I do love to pan sear steaks in butter and olive oil and deglaze the pan with some red wine for a simple sauce. Oh, and my other steak-related sauce weakness is Argentine chimichurri sauce, made with garlic, parsley and red pepper flakes.