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This filet mignon is absolutely perfect: medium rare and totally tender. This recipe is smothered in a rich, buttery bearnaise sauce. The techniques to make both the steak and bearnaise are so simple. These recipes make date night or Valentine’s Day super lovely and will knock your guest off their feet!

medium rare filet mignon with bearnaise sauce on white plate with kale Caesar salad

Why This Recipe Is So Good

  • This filet mignon is cooked to be a perfect medium rare and is incredibly tender and juicy.
  • The homemade bearnaise sauce has an indulgent richness that complements the savory steak.
  • It’s great for date night, Valentine’s Day, or any time you want to impress! To really put your special dinner over the top, serve your filet mignon with a side of my perfect risotto or lobster mashed potatoes and your favorite veggies. I like to use asparagus, personally!

Chef’s Tips

  • If your bearnaise becomes broken or separated, add in a teaspoon or two of the red wine vinegar or dry white wine and whisk vigorously. If the sauce is not thick enough after adding liquid, add one teaspoon of butter at a time until sauce is at the desired thickness.
  • Bearnaise is best when freshly made, so make right before the steaks instead of ahead of time.
four filet mignons in cast iron skillet

More Date Night Recipes Guaranteed to Impress

Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
4.50 from 2 votes

Perfect Filet Mignon With Bearnaise Sauce


Prep 10 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Perfectly medium rare steaks with buttery bearnaise sauce that are perfect for date night.
4 people

Equipment

  • standard blender
  • cast-iron skillet
  • wire baking rack
  • large sheet pan

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup dry white wine
  • teaspoon pepper plus extra
  • 1 tablespoon shallots minced
  • 3 tablespoons tarragon fresh, minced, divided
  • ¾ cup butter melted
  • 3 egg yolks whisked
  • 4 tablespoons butter cold
  • 4 filet mignon steaks
  • salt

Instructions

  • Make the steaks: Liberally season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. If letting stand for more than 1 hour, keep in refrigerator, then remove and let stand for 30 minutes.
  • For the bearnaise: Boil vinegar, wine, and shallots, with 1/3 of the fresh tarragon, pepper, and salt over medium heat until liquid is about 2 tablespoons or 1/4 cup including shallots and herbs. Strain mixture and let cool.
  • Whisk the egg yolks in the same saucepan over very low heat until thickened. Add 1 tablespoon of cold butter and thicken the egg yolks. Beat in 1 additional tablespoon of cold butter and add the rest of the tarragon.
  • Blend everything in a blender. Add in the 3/4 cups of melt butter drop by drop until the bearnaise sauce is thickened.
  • Preheat the oven to 250º F. Insert an internal thermometer with probe and place steaks on pan in oven. Cook until internal temperature reaches between 125º and 127º, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven.
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes while steaks rest. Pat steaks dry. Carefully place steaks in skillet and sear on one side for 30 seconds. Add remaining butter and flip steak, searing other side for 30 seconds. Remove from skillet and serve with bearnaise sauce.

Approximate Information for One Serving

Calories: 947calProtein: 35gFat: 87gSaturated Fat: 46gCholesterol: 387mgSodium: 499mgPotassium: 711mgTotal Carbs: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gNet Carbs: 3gVitamin A: 1829IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 6mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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6 Comments

  1. Don’t know what I did wrong but my béarnaise sauce did not have the nice creamy color that is in the picture but very purplish4 stars

    1. Oh, no! I’m so sorry you had that result, Patrick. That’s never happened to us before!

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