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Cooked and sliced beef tenderloin steaks cut into slices.
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Tenderloin Steak Recipe with Herb Butter

Tenderloin Steak, also called a Filet Mignon, is the most tender cut of beef! I’ll show you how to cook a tenderloin steak to get PERFECT results every single time! We’re going to sear it in a cast iron skillet, and bake it in the oven for just a few minutes!
Cooking this steak recipe in herb butter gives it the best flavor! It’s literally melt in your mouth amazing and juicy!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 188kcal
Author Amy

Ingredients

Ingredients for cooking steaks

  • 4 6 ounce beef tenderloin steaks
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil

Thyme Herb Butter

  • 1/4 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme

Instructions

To make Herb Butter:

  • Mix room temperature butter, garlic, and thyme together. Spread a strip about the diameter of a quarter on a piece of wax paper. Roll up and twist ends. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before using.

How to Cook Tenderloin Steaks:

  • Remove steaks from the refrigerator at about an hour before you're ready to cook thme. The steaks need to be room temperature to cook through perfectly.
  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Pat steaks dry (this helps the steaks to get a nice crust on them). Season both sides very generously with salt and pepper. Press salt and pepper if needed to help it stick to the meat.
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet, or heavy skillet, over medium-high to high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Add steaks and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Spoon butter over steaks as they cook.
  • Insert an oven-safe thermometer and set an alarm for desired temperature (remember the temperature will rise about 3-5 degrees as the steaks rest). Put steaks in the oven and bake until they reach the desired temperature. This will take between 6-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the steaks and how hot you want them. I don't recommend going over medium for these steaks.
    See cooking chart in the notes below.
  • Top with slices of herb butter. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Steaks:

  • Size of Steaks - Use steaks that are close to the same size in thickness and diameter so they cook the same. I like steaks that are about 6 ounces. That's usually about 4 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick.
  • Room temperature steaks: Be sure to let the steaks come to room temperature before cooking. Otherwise, the outside of the steak will be overcooked before the inside reaches the correct internal temperature.
 

Equipment needed:

  • Heavy Skillet: Cast iron skillets are my favorite and work great. You can use an aluminum skillet as long as it's heavy. To get a nice crust on the steak the skillet needs to be really hot. A heavy skillet ensures even cooking.
  • Oven safe thermometer: Cooking these steaks to the exact temperature is important (remember to take them out 3-5 degrees before the desired temp). It's hard to guess how done a steak is without using a thermometer. Having a thermometer that is oven-safe is best so you don't have to take it out of the oven to check the temperature. If you don't have an oven-safe thermometer I'd suggest at least using an instant-read thermometer. 

The temperature of steaks:

  • Resting steaks: I take the steaks out of the oven before they reach the desired temperature. However, some steaks might cook faster than others. If one is cooked a little more done, I  remove the steak from the skillet and allow it to rest on a plate so it will slow the cooking.
  • Cooking Chart: This is a basic guideline to help you get the perfect temperature steak! It helps to know steak temperature before putting them in the oven to gauge how long they'll need to cook.
  • Rare: 120-125°  (about 4 minutes in the oven)
  • Medium Rare: 130-135° (about 5-6 minutes in the oven)
  • Medium: 140-145° (about 6-7  minutes in the oven)
  • Medium Well: 150-155° (about 8-9 minutes in the oven)
  • Well Done: 160° (about 10 minutes in the oven)

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 1024mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 591IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg