How to Cook Filet Mignon on the Stove
Updated Dec 28, 2025
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Filet mignon is prized for its tenderness, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. This guide shows you how to cook filet mignon simply and confidently, using a hot pan and the right timing to achieve a beautiful sear and a juicy, evenly cooked interior.
If you’ve ever wondered how to cook filet mignon without overthinking it, this is your go-to guide. With a hot skillet, proper seasoning, and a short finish in the oven, you can get a tender, juicy steak with a golden crust — no grill, fancy equipment, or stress required.
You will also want to try cooking filet mignon on the grill in the summer. Another perfect cooking method for the perfect luxe steak.
Serve this steak with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Frisee, Radicchio, and Escarole Salad with Citrus Dressing, or Tomato, Red Onion, Watercress, Feta, and Olive Salad.
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How to Choose the Best Filet Mignon
Filet mignon is from the tenderloin part of the cow, a muscle that gets very little use and, therefore, remains, as the name suggests, tender. It’s actually pretty lean, with little fat, but that doesn’t affect its softness.
Pick filets that are fairly thick, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches. Thinner filets run the risk of overcooking on the inside before the outer crusts have a chance to caramelize properly. Again, if you end up with thinner filets, just pan-sear them and skip the roasting.
If you are making a number of steaks, it’s worth buying a whole tenderloin and cutting it yourself to achieve steaks that are even in thickness, and possibly save some money. If you are buying the meat at a butcher, they will usually do this for you. Again, about 1 1/2 inches is a good thickness to get a nice sear on the outside and achieve pinkness in the middle.
Your Perfect Stovetop Filet Mignon
People who love filet mignon love filet mignon. That includes my guys. It’s probably the top of the line in terms of tenderness, and pricy enough to earn it special occasion status. Luckily for all of us, it’s so easy to cook at home, and quite a bit cheaper than ordering it out. I just did a little web rabbit-hole dive, and an 8-ounce filet mignon is priced at $65 at a popular high-end New York City restaurant. Wowsers.
Seasoning Filet Mignon
Pat the filets super dry before searing them in the hot pan. Moisture is not your friend when it comes to getting a nicely caramelized crust on your steak. A sprinkle of kosher salt and a grind of pepper on both sides, and make sure you don’t season them until just before they are ready to be cooked, or the salt will start to cause moisture to release from the meat.
How to Cook Perfect Filet Mignon
- Sear the steak: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Melt a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Once the oil is hot, sear the steak on both sides for 3 minutes each, forming a nice crust.
- Move steaks to the oven: Place a teaspoon of butter on top of each steak and transfer the seared steaks to a preheated oven to finish cooking to your liking.
- Rest, slice, and serve: Let the steaks rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Best Internal Temperature for Filet Mignon
Make sure your thermometer is positioned directly in the center of the steaks for the most accurate reading. Rare is 120°F, and medium-rare is 125°F. Make sure not to go over the desired temperature, as the steaks will continue cooking once they have been moved to a cutting board, and you want to account for that carryover cooking.
| Desired Doneness | Temp Before Resting | Temp After Resting |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120°F | 125°F |
| Medium-rare | 125°F | 130°F |
Kitchen Smarts
If you are thinking about cooking your steaks past medium-rare, this might not be where you want to spend your cash, as tenderness will start to be compromised, and no one wants to see that in a pricy cut of meat.
Tips for Perfectly Cooked Filet Mignon
- You want to have some oil in the pan, either a thin coat in the pan, or if you prefer, you can rub the oil directly onto both sides of the filet.
- Use a heavy pan, such as a cast-iron skillet. This is necessary for conducting high heat evenly, without allowing the oil and browned bits to burn in the pan.
- Use a pan that fits the steaks comfortably without crowding them, but not one that it too big, as the excess space will allow for more opportunity for the oil to burn.
- If your filets are on the thinner side (around 1-inch thick), you might be able to skip the oven part and still end up with perfectly cooked filets.
- For thicker filets, if you like a serious outer crust and want to let it to in the pan for about 5 minutes per side, you can also get to medium-rare without using the oven.
Filet Mignon Pan Sauce
If you want to make a pan sauce, you might consider transferring the steaks to a rimmed baking sheet to finish cooking in the oven. Allow the pan to heat in the preheating oven.
There are two reasons to consider this: First, any of the browned bits on the bottom of the searing pan (the “fond”) will not overbrown and burn when the pan goes into the oven. Two, you can start on your pan sauce while the steaks finish cooking in the oven and rest afterwards.
What to Serve With Filet Mignon
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Perfect Filet Mignon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (8-ounce) filet mignons (or more as desired; about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches thick
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Heat a large heavy skillet, such as cast iron, over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, sear the steak for 3 minutes on each side, until a nice crust has formed.
- Put a tablespoon of butter on each steak. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and roast for about 6 to 9 minutes, until the steaks are done to your liking. The inside will read 120°F on an internal thermometer for rare, 125°F for medium-rare.
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
