How to Cook Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon
Have you ever wondered how restaurants prepare Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon Steaks, like our Crown Filet Mignon®? Preparing and cooking this cut of meat is surprisingly simple and extremely effective. You can use a cast iron skillet or a heavy-bottomed skillet and an oven. There are also several specialty methods you can use to cook your Crown Filet Mignon® to perfection. By following our cooking instructions, watching our video, and using a meat thermometer, you will have a delicious cut of steak that is cooked to your liking. Choose any of our cooking methods below and enjoy the best Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon for your next meal.
How to Cook Extra-Thick Filet Mignon on the Grill
Cooking Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon low and slow will ensure that the steak is as tender and juicy as it is intended to be. There are two main approaches for grilling 2½ inch thick Filet Mignon:
- Charcoal Grilling
- Gas Grilling
Regardless of which method you choose, be sure your steaks are completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. Lastly, season your steak as desired. The best Filet Mignon steaks cooked on the grill are seasoned to taste with Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning.
Extra-Thick Filet Mignon Steak on a Charcoal Grill
If using a charcoal grill: move your briquettes to one side of the grill.
Extra-Thick Filet Mignon Steak on a Gas Grill
If using a gas grill: turn on half of the burners.
- Preheat your grill to 350°F and aim for the overall surface temperature of your grill to be around that temperature.
- Place your steaks on the indirect heat side of the grill. For this first cook, you will want your steaks to be within 10°F of your final desired degree of doneness temperature, based on the Measuring Doneness Chart and Cooking Times Chart below.
- We recommend cooking Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon to medium-rare. This first step should take approximately 35–40 minutes.
- Flip your steaks halfway through this first cook.
- Pull your steaks off the indirect heat and place them on the direct heat side of the grill for the final sear. You can also complete this step in a cast iron skillet.
- Sear the steaks for 1–2 minutes on each side or until they reach 5°F below your final target temperature; for a medium-rare steak, a meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F for a medium-rare steak.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
- Prior to serving, add a Kansas City Steaks Finishing Butter for an additional flavor boost.
How to Cook Extra-Thick Filet Mignon in the Oven
Cooking Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon in the oven is a tried and true method of preparation to trust if you are contemplating how to cook thick steak. Just as in the grilling method, be sure your steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. Lastly, season your steak as desired. We recommend using our Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning.
Set your oven to “broil” and preheat for 10 minutes.
Once you have seasoned your steaks to taste, begin baking to your desired Extra-Thick Filet Mignon cook time:
- Place your steaks on the rack of a broiler pan and position the broiler pan in oven so that the surface of the steak is 3–4 inches from the heat. Broil to desired doneness, according to the Measuring Doneness and Cooking Times Chart listed below.
- Flip your steak about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.
- Remove steaks from the oven when a meat thermometer reads 5°F below your desired degree of doneness temperature; for a medium-rare steak, a meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F for a medium-rare steak.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
How to Cook Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon on the Stove
Cooking Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon on the stove is a method that many love to use and the process is simple, yet effective. Follow the directions below for the perfect steak.
Be sure your steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature. Season your steak as desired; we recommend a generous serving of our Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning.
For a medium-rare, Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon, follow these steps for best results:
- Heat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, for about 5 minutes. A very hot pan will deliver the best sear.
- Place steaks on the hot skillet, without overcrowding. Do not add oil or butter. Do not cover.
- Remove steaks from the stove when a meat thermometer reads 5°F below your desired degree of doneness temperature; for a medium-rare steak, a meat thermometer should read 130°F. View our Measuring Doneness Chart and Cooking Times Chart for further instructions.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F for a medium-rare steak.
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon to ensure it is cooked to the perfect level of doneness, from rare to medium-well.
Similar to using a non-stick skillet, Extra-Thick Filet Mignon steak in a cast iron skillet can provide mouth-watering flavor and the deep brown crust and remarkable finish we all crave. Follow the same set of directions as you would if cooking Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon on the stove in a non-stick skillet.
Specialty Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon Cooking Methods
Regardless of which you choose, these specialty cooking methods are sure to provide you with a unique, flavor-filled, and perfectly tender Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon. With each method, your steak should be completely thawed in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Remove the Filet Mignon from the refrigerator 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature. Prior to cooking, you should also season your steaks as desired using Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning.
You can reverse sear a 2½ inch, Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon steak with a professional method that provides for an excellent meal.
- Preheat oven to 275°F.
- Place steaks in the oven on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven.
- Allow the steaks to cook in the oven until the internal temperature reached 10°F lower than the desired final temperature. This usually takes around 1 hour. View our Measuring Doneness and Cooking Times Chart below.
- After removing steaks, let them rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil.
- Preheat a heavy skillet or cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
- Add some butter or a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil and sear steaks for 1–2 minutes on each side. The final internal temperature of your steak should be 135°F for medium-rare and 145°F for medium.
- The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
- Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat of the oven used in reverse searing does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
Sous vide Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon is the perfect choice as many may fear of over or undercooking the steak. With this method, all the guesswork is taken out of the process and steaks are cooked to the perfect temperature and doneness. Sous vide uses a low-heat, long-time cooking process which allows for evenly cooked steaks from end to end and guarantees every bite is as tender and juicy as the first.
Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.
Follow these steps to sous vide Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon:
Prepare It
- Preheat your water bath: Fill your sous vide container up with warm water and set the sous vide device to the appropriate temperature for the desired doneness. The sous vide device should be set as follows:
- Rare: 122°F
- Medium-Rare: 129°F
- Medium: 135°F
- Medium-Well: 145°F
- All our products arrive vacuum-sealed in sous-vide-ready, heat-stable packaging, allowing you to simply add them to the water bath and cook to your desired degree of doneness. However, if you have the means to repackage your steaks into sous vide heat-stable bags at home, we recommend seasoning your steaks with Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning for an enhanced flavor, prior to cooking in the sous vide. Another option is to add fresh herbs and a Kansas City Steaks Finishing Butter, along with your raw steak, into the heat-stable vacuum seal bag before sealing.
- After thawing, bringing to room temperature, seasoning, and preheating the sous vide; you're ready to start cooking.
Cook It
- Make sure the water bath has fully reached the desired temperature for cooking before adding in the steak.
- Place the packaged steak in the water bath and allow it to cook for the recommended amount of time, based on your desired degree of doneness.
- Rare: 1–2½ hours
- Medium-Rare: 1–4 hours
- Medium: 1–2½ hours
- Medium-Well: 1–3½ hours
- Once your steaks are finished cooking, remove them from the sous vide and take the steaks out of the packaging.
- Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
- Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Place your steaks on the skillet and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Sear until the steaks reach the final desired internal temperature, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart below.
- The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
- Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low-heat and long-time cooking technique used in sous vide does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
- We recommend adding an additional savory flavor by topping your steak with a Kansas City Steaks Finishing Butter (even if you added butter during the sous vide).
Cooking an Extra-Thick Filet Mignon steak in an air fryer is a great choice when weather restrictions move you indoors or if you don't have a grill. Thaw your steak overnight and bring it to room temperature, applying seasoning to your desired taste. Our Kansas City Steaks Original Steak Seasoning provides full flavor.
Follow these directions for cooking Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon in an air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer. Set temperature to 375°F. Allow your air fryer to preheat for approximately 2–3 minutes.
- Place your steak in the center of the air flyer and begin frying. We recommend using the grill rack option if available.
- Flip your steak halfway through your cooking time, listed in the Cooking Times Chart below.
- Remove the steak from the air fryer and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
- Prior to serving, apply Kansas City Steaks Finishing Butter for an additional flavor-filled experience.
A Crown Filet Mignon® cooked in a smoker provides a unique, flavor-boosted centerpiece for any meal. Smoking time varies greatly depending on the cut of meat, thickness of the cut, quality of smoker, smoke and smoke retention, wind, etc. It is best to use a meat thermometer and base doneness off of internal temperature.
Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.
To begin, fire up your smoker and preheat it to 225°F.
- Place your well-seasoned steak onto the grates of your smoker, close the lid, and smoke the meat until the steaks reach about 10°F below the desired internal doneness temperature (see recommendations, on our Measuring Doneness Chart below.)
- You can check for smoking doneness by internal temperature. Temperatures are as follows:
- Rare: 115°F
- Medium-Rare: 125°F
- Medium: 135°F
- Medium-Well: 145°F
- Next, preheat a skillet over high heat (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). Once hot, lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Place the steaks in the skillet and sear them for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook until the steaks reach approximately 5°F less than your final desired internal temperature.
- Remove steaks from the skillet and allow them to rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
- Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- To check the final degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
- Prior to serving, expand upon the delicious taste by topping with Kansas City Steaks Finishing Butters for full flavor.
Cooking Times for Extra-Thick Cut Filet Mignon
Cooking Extra-Thick Filet Mignon steak over 2 inches thick makes for a perfect meal with whichever cooking method you choose. For perfect doneness, we recommend you use a meat thermometer and use the Measuring Doneness Chart below.