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Filet Mignon…even the name sounds intimidating. Most captains of the grill panic at the shear mention of this great piece of meat. Nightmares of burning, drying and otherwise screwing up this fine cut of beef can make even the most seasoned grill chef break out in hives! Why the stress? Because this is an expensive cut of meat. The filet is cut from the tenderloin and the average cow only contains 4 – 6 pounds of it, hence the cost. Not to fear though, we will show you how easy it can be with step by step directions. The key is to keep it simple and let the tenderness and flavor of this awesome cut of beef shine through.
Less IS More…
When grilling filet mignon (and almost anyother grilled steakfor that matter), less is definitely more. Less seasoning, less grilling time, less flipping, less poking and prodding…you get the point. So there is no need to panic, filet mignon is such a prime cut of meat that it is very easy to grill a masterpiece, especially if youpurchase high quality and all-natural filets. Before you even touch that steak, let’s look at what you should never, ever do to that poor juicy steak.
- NEVER puncture your steak! We will talk about how to tell if it is done later.
- NEVER close the lid! My Dad used to say “if you are looking, you are not cooking”. Sorry Dad, that’s not true for steak…
- NEVER cook it too long. The best way to upset your steak is to cook it too long. There is nothing worst than a $15 piece of beef jerky. Remember, you can always throw it back on for a few more minutes.
Grilling Filet Mignon, Step by Step…
Let’s break this thing down so you can see how easy this is going to be.
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4.37 from 38 votes
How to Grill Filet Mignon
Filet Mignon...even the name sounds intimidating. Not to fear though, we will show you how easy it can be with step by step directions.
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Filet mignon, steak
Servings: 1
Calories: 621kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Beef filet mignon steaks at least 1.5 inches thick
- Kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
Seasoning.
You paid a lot for this filet, give it some credit that it is going to hold it's own in the taste department. The only seasoning I recommend to help this steak out is some fresh ground black pepper. Save the course salt for the end, some say it draws out juices. I doubt it does, but why take the chance?
Leave it alone!
In order to reduce grilling time and ensure consistent cooking throughout the steak, we must bring the filet to room temperature. This is your easiest step, once it's seasoned just leave it on the kitchen counter. Your patience will be rewarded, trust me…just let it get into the "zone" by itself and move onto these next steps. Let it sit for at least 45 minutes. Go on, leave it alone, move on to the next step!
Fire it up!
We are going to use direct heat to grill this delicious steak, so fire up your grill and set it and leave it at the highest temperature setting. You will know she is ready when you can't hold your hand 2 inches above the grates for more than 5 seconds (don't try and be tough, you know it hurts…). If you are a charcoal griller, follow this guide for lighting a charcoal grilland set up your grill for hot, direct grilling by creating a pile 2 coals high.
Sear in those juices!
See AlsoEasy Philly Cheesesteak Recipe (The Ultimate Guide)36 Rhubarb Recipes That Will Inspire You to Use This Springtime VegetableTop Round Roast Beef RecipeBest Southern Green Beans Recipe {Keto Friendly/Low Carb}Ok, the moment of truth, your steak has been getting itself ready on the counter and now it's game time! Using TONGS (remember, don't EVER puncture that beautiful steak's flesh!) place your steaks on the grill and do NOTHING for at least 2 minutes. The only exception to this rule is if you have to play firefighter and splash a little water on a pesky flame. A little flare up is fine, but if a flame burns for more than 30 seconds, splash a tiny bit of water on it to put it out.
Grill marks!
All we are doing here is creating those cool looking grill marks. After about 2 minutes (for medium-rare, a little more for Medium), lift, turn your steak 90 degrees and then set it back down for another 3 minutes (again, for medium-rare, a little more if you have to have it more done).
Flip once!
After a total of about 5 minutes, it's time to flip that steak for the one and only time. Gently lift, flip and set it back down in the same spot and leave it alone again for about 2 more minutes.
Rotate again
This is getting easy, you know what is next. Repeat Step 5 on this side now!
Check it
Now it is time to check your steak for the perfect doneness. The very best way to ensure proper doneness is by using an instant-read meat thermometer. TheThermapenis by far the best meat thermometer on the market. A favorite of TV and restaurant chefs, it is highly accurate, instant, automatically turns on and off (no buttons to mess with) and never needs calibration. Highly recommended if you cook a lot,get it here. Insert the thermometer into the side of the steak to measure the very center and thencheck out ourgrilling tipsfor a temperature chart to determine your preferred doneness. Better yet for you iPhone owners,download our FREE MeatTemps iPhone appfor an easy to use meat doneness reference.
Remove and rest.
Take it off the grill now, you are done with the heat section! Remove it and set it on a plate or platter and leave it alone.
Your beautiful filet has been through atraumaticexperience. It went from refrigerated to room temperature to a HOT grill. This plays havoc on the juices inside so we need to give it some time to collect itself. Now that it is on the platter, let it rest again for 2 - 3 minutes (which will now seem like 2 hours!). This allows the juices to re-distribute, so they don't all run out when you slice into that beautiful hunk of beef.
Enjoy! Go ahead, enjoy it!
Nutrition
Calories: 621kcal | Protein: 41g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 159mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 689mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 5mg
See? I told you that was easy! LessISmore when grilling filet mignon. Try a less expensive cut of meat next time. You don’t have to pay a lot of money or get real fancy whengrilling steak, just focus ontechnique. Also remember to throw in somegrilled chickenfor those guests or family members that don’t eat red meat. Check out some of our othergrilling recipesto get more ideas for your next cookout, including chicken.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
- Jamie says
Simple - Lorrie says
Oh my goodness!!! That was spot on and it was the absolute best and easiest steak I’ve ever had!! Thank you! - Beth says
Thanks for the tips! Last night I cooked the best filet mignon ever! - sid says
$8 filet mignons cooked like this vs. $32 in a restaurant…omg, this was SO MUCH BETTER!!!!Simple, fast…i even got the cool grill marks…
- Sandi says
Wonderful instructions. Perfect Filets tonight. Tried to download Free meat temp, but it is not Free. - Kelly says
Perfect. Thank you! - Nikol Price says
Great! Perfect filet and simple! - Nikol Price says
Great! Simply delicious! - Michael sapienza says
I loved it so much and it tasted like i was eating it at a restaraunt - Michael sapienza says
Tasted like i was eating at a reasuraunt - Jeff Miller says
Thanks! Worked “perfectly” according to my wife. - Alonzo says
Great. Thanks for the simple easy to follow directions - Rcass says
Excellent! Simple, fast and easy with quality results…? - laangela says
First time cooking fillet on the grill followed the receip to the tee Lola came out perfect. Thanks so much really enjoyed the steaks - David Cornelson says
My grill is on a balcony where it’s a little windy…I did remove the drip plate and finally git it to work properly, but I had to close the grill for 6 minutes to get it to heat up. Even so, guidelines are excellent. 12oz steak cooked perfectly. Thanks! - Michele says
I have used these instructions numerous times, and my filet is ALWAYS perfect!! Thank you so much for sharing this. - jeff v says
Awesome simple delicious way to cook your steaks!!! - Vince Carbone says
Momma Mia! She’s a cooked to the perfection! - John says
Step 4 should read “180 degrees” - Lyle says
Tried your recipie for the first time last week. They were perfect! Thanks!! - Mark Balas says
Worked like a charm, thank you - Jeff says
Started as a standard sunday cracking open a cold one with the boys. I threw these babies on the grill and within a minute all of the boys were enthralled- I believe I even saw one of them forget to respect women for a brief moment. I heard ‘great flip chief’ and ‘that’s a fine cut of meat’ so many times I literally couldn’t even respond the boys with a classic ‘that’s right sport.’ Best night of my life would rate a 74/52. - Sandra Roarty says
Thank you SO much! I followed your instructions almost to the letter….I didn’t let the meat sit at room temp. for 45 min, so I added a minute to the grilling times. WELL, the filets tasted like they were done in a restaurant….SO tender and delicious! I never grilled filets before and was afraid I would ruin them. Nope. I am now a grilled filet queen thanks to you! - Karen says
Always my go to grilling companion. This method Never fails me! Many thanks. And PS, I don’t do reviews…. ! - Valarie Bell says
Made this last night. Only put fresh ground pepper on them. My fillets were 2”, never fails you ask for 1.5” and get 2.
Anyway I cooked them 3 min per each move of the steak ( 6 min per side) since the outsides were still rare I then tipped them on their sides and rolled them on the grill til outside was browned about 2 more minutes .
Let rest (very important!) served with some bernaise sauce. Everyone raved! It melted in your mouth! Very easy to make don’t be afraid just follow the directions 😃 - Wayne says
Very good. I add a small dollop of butter to the top after the flip.
- ricky says
good recipe however the picture shows a filet wrapped in bacon
- Rita says
I haven’t tried this yet, but it makes sense to keep it simple. I was wondering however why there so many people who raved, yet gave one flame. Flames are like stars? In that light, why would someone rave then give only one flame? 🤔
