Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Red Wine Shallot Reduction

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Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Red Wine Shallot Reduction

This is a great way to prepare filet mignon for an elegant at home dinner. It’s best to have all of the ingredients prepped, measured, and set aside – it makes the recipe much easier to follow. Use a nice Cabernet, they’ll be plenty leftover to enjoy with your dinner. The sauce has incredible flavor, is so easy to throw together, and can be used with any favorite steak – rib-eye, porterhouse etc.

Pan Seared Filet Mignon

4 center-cut filets mignons, 1 1/2 inches thick, 7 to 8 ounces each, dried thoroughly with paper towels

4 teaspoons olive oil

Kosher salt and pepper

Red Wine Shallot Reduction

2medium shallots, minced (about 1/4 cup)

2teaspoons brown sugar

½ cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1teaspoon Dijon mustard

3tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

1teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Ground black pepper

For the steaks:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on oven rack, and heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven reaches 450 degrees, heat 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet (do NOT use nonstick) over high heat on stovetop until very hot, about 3 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rub each side of steaks with 1/2 teaspoon oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper. Place the filets in skillet and cook, without moving steaks, until well-browned and a nice crust has formed, about 3 minutes. Turn steaks with tongs and cook until well-browned and a nice crust has formed on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat, and use tongs to transfer steaks to hot baking sheet in oven.

3. Roast 2 to 4 minutes for very rare (center of steaks will appear cherry red and feel very soft and loose when cut with tip of paring knife), 4 to 6 minutes for rare (centers will appear red and soft), 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare (centers will appear pink and feel firm but juicy), or 8 to 10 minutes for medium (centers will appear light pink and feel firm and compact). (After transferring steaks to oven, proceed with the Red Wine Shallot Sauce choice.) Transfer steaks to large plate; loosely tent with foil, and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.

For the Red Wine Sauce:

1.To same skillet used to cook steaks (do not clean skillet or discard accumulated fat), add shallots and sugar off heat; using pan’s residual heat, cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are slightly softened and browned and sugar is melted, about 45 seconds.

2. Return skillet to high heat, add wine, broth, and bay leaf; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits on pan bottom with wooden spoon. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 4-5 minutes.

3. Stir in vinegar and mustard; cook at medium heat to blend flavors, about 1 minute longer. Off heat, whisk in butter until melted and sauce is thickened and glossy. Add thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf, spoon sauce over steaks and serve immediately.