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 until it gets the best crust, and then bake it in the oven for just a few minutes until the center juicy and hot pink!
Cooking this steak recipe in herb butter gives it the best flavor! It’s literally melt in your mouth amazing and juicy!
This post was originally written in 2014 an updated in 2021 with new images and additional text. The recipe stayed the same.
We fell in love with beef tenderloin steaks from a local restaurant we love. Don’t get me wrong, I love to eat out. But, it’s so expensive. I can handle it if it’s just Justin and me. But, bringing the kids is another story!
I went to work learning how to make these filet mignon steaks at home and let me tell you…we’ve never looked back! Pan fry the steaks then finish them off in a hot oven.
It’s EASY! And it’s so much LESS EXPENSIVE than eating out. And it tastes AMAZING! It’s our favorite keto or low carb main dish and the easiest romantic Valentine’s Day dinner!
Tenderloin vs. Filet Mignon
This is important so let’s talk about it!
Tenderloin and filet mignons are the same cut of meat found on the loin of a cow. One is cut into steaks and one isn’t.
Some people also ask, “what’s the difference between ribeye and filet?” The ribeye comes from the center of the rib steak. It’s heavily marbled which means it has more fat and more flavor, but it’s not as tender as a filet.
What is a tenderloin?
A tenderloin refers to the whole beef tenderloin. Or the roast. It’s long and skinny and tapered on the end. And, it’s the most tender roast on a beef. It’s a lean cut of meat with little marbling and without a bone.
Prime and Choice are the two grades I recommend. Prime is more expensive and comes from younger animals and has a little more marbling. Choice grade is still a great quality of meat, has a little less marbling, is a little bit cheaper, and is what I usually buy.
What is a filet mignon?
Filet mignon is also called a tenderloin steak. A tenderloin roast is cut into pieces to make tenderloin steaks. Because they are cut from the same piece of meat as a tenderloin roast, they are tender, lean, have little marbling, and don’t have a bone.
Typically the steaks are cut from the tapered, or narrow end of the roast.
I don’t recommend cooking tenderloin steak on the grill. They’re better seared to lock all the juices in.
Why is beef tenderloin expensive?
Well, there isn’t very much quantity of tenderloin on a cow so it’s going to be higher priced. Since it’s the most tender piece of meat it’s makes it more valuable too.
The other day I was in the grocery store and a tenderloin roast was $10.00 per pound, and the tenderloin steaks were $20.00 a pound. I always buy the roast and cut my own steaks. It’s really easy and saves so much money!
How to make filet mignons out of tenderloin roast?
Using a sharp knife, cut roast widthwise. It’s important to make each steak the same width. I measure the steaks with a ruler and cut them into 2-inch pieces. You can cut them thinner, but you’ll need to reduce cooking time.
To freeze steaks, cut them on a cookie sheet and freezer for about 30 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Use the tails and tips to make Beef Tenderloin Tips with Mushroom Sauce!
Equipment needed to bake steak in the oven:
- Heavy skillet – a cast iron skillet is my favorite because it cooks evenly and holds its heat really well. Any heavy skillet will work.
- Tongs – long tongs for flipping the steaks
- Temperature Probe – an oven-safe thermometer is best because you can keep an eye on it while it bakes. This Thermoworks Chef Alarm is the one I have and it’s great. If you don’t have an oven-safe probe you really need an instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients needed to make herb butter tenderloin steaks:
- Tenderloin steaks
- Butter – salted or unsalted
- Olive Oil – it has a lower smoking point than butter keeping the butter from burning.
- Salt and pepper – I like Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- Herb Butter – Make this Garlic Herb Butter recipe, or make the one in this recipe using butter, garlic, thyme
Tenderloin Steak Recipe
Little Dairy on the Prairie Pro Tip: It’s really important to make sure your steaks are at room temperature before cooking them. Remove them from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for up to an hour before cooking.
STEP 1: Pat steaks dry. Season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Be generous! They’re thick and need lots of seasoning. You can use steak seasoning if you’d like, but Kosher salt and pepper really are the BEST. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
STEP 2: Heat skillet over medium medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil.
STEP 3: Add steaks. Cook for 2 minutes on each side spooning butter over steaks while they cook.
STEP 4: Flip steaks. Cook for 2 more minutes spooning butter over steaks.
STEP 5: Bake steaks in the oven for 6-10 minutes. You’ll want to cook them to temperature, see the chart below. The temperature will rise about 5 degrees after taking it out of the oven. Take it out 5 degrees less than the desired temperature. Also, I’d suggest cooking them one doneness less than you typically like. So if you’re usually a medium-medium well person, go with medium.
STEP 6: Rest steaks for 5-10 minutes.
Steak Tenderloin Doneness Temperature Chart:
- 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). My personal favorite for tenderloins.
- Medium Well: 150-155° (about 8-9 minutes in the oven)
- Well Done: 160° (about 10 minutes in the oven)
What to serve with beef tenderloin steak:
To make a classic restaurant style dinner serve with baked potatoes and a salad! Here’s some other options:
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Green Beans
- Slow Cooker Creamy Corn
- Smashed Potatoes
- Parmesan Garlic Dinner Rolls
- Maple Glazed Carrots
- Steakhouse Shrimp Salad
- Parmesan Orzo
Tenderloin Steak Recipe with Herb Butter
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)
Gerlinde says
Sounds great can wait to try this now what goes with this delicious steak
Amy Engberson says
Hi Gerlinde! Hmmm! I’m a steak and potatoes kind of girl so I would say Three Cheese Mashed Potatoes (https://pitchforkfoodie.com/three-cheese-mashed-potatoes/), Loaded Smashed Potatoes (https://pitchforkfoodie.com/loaded-crash-potatoes/), Butter Dips for a bread (https://pitchforkfoodie.com/butter-dips/), and my Steakhouse Shrimp Salad (https://pitchforkfoodie.com/steak-house-shrimp-salad-with-creamy-dressing/) would be fantastic as well!
Brenda says
I don’t have a pan that is oven safe or at least I don’t think it is. Is there a way I can still do this recipe.
Amy Engberson says
Unfortunately you will need an oven safe pan because the steaks need to go straight into the oven in that sizzling hot pan to finish searing them just right!
Jessica - The Novice Chef says
I will have to try this when it gets too hot here in Florida this Summer to grill!
Amy Engberson says
Summers are made for grilling but on those not so nice days we this is an excellent option!
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
Steak is a favorite in my house, that herbed butter must take it over the top!
Amy Engberson says
Butter makes everything, even steak, better!
Cathy Trochelman says
What a perfect steak recipe! I need to make it for a date night…my husband would LOVE it!
Amy Engberson says
Most of the time I want to go out on date night just so I don’t have to do dishes. But, when we stay home for date night this definitely makes my hubby happy!
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
Your pictures of this luscious steak have me SO hungry! Thanks for sharing your method for the times when we can’t fire up the grill. Looks incredible!
Amy Engberson says
I love grilling lots of different kinds of meat, but there is just something about making a tenderloin this way!
Amy Stafford says
This looks like the perfect weeknight steak dinner.
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! It is definitely easy enough for weeknights and fancy enough for company!
Julie | This Gal Cooks says
We usually grill our steaks and they turn out excellent but I’m definitely going to give your recipe a try one day! Sometimes we can’t grill (like when it’s raining) so this is a life saver when that happens! 🙂
Amy Engberson says
I’m a fair weather griller too!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
This is one gorgeous steak! I always add herb butter on mine too!
Amy Engberson says
Thanks! Since we own a dairy farm we add butter to pretty much everything!
Becky says
I made this recipe last valentine’s day and it was amazing! I was out grocery shopping and decided we will cook this for Christmas day this year. I went from memory and thought it was for sirloin steaks, so that is what I bought. Do you think it will still work well? Might just not be as tender?
Amy Engberson says
These steaks are perfect for an “at home” Valentines Day menu! I haven’t ever tried using this method for cooking sirloin steaks but can’t imagine it wouldn’t work. Most sirloin steaks aren’t quite as tender as tenderloins and they are typically thinner. So you might want to decrease your baking time. The flavor would still be outstanding though!
Belinda Wurn says
Just a FYI… It is “sear…” Good recipe though! Thanks!
Amy Engberson says
Oops! I have to admit I’m much better at cooking and yard work than I am at spelling. I have to pat myself on the back though because I did manage to spell the word “sear” correctly in the body of the post. It looks like I misspelled it in the recipe. Regardless, this steak is divine!
Jody says
As a confirmed grilled steak eater, I have to say, OMG I was freaking impressed with this way of cooking steak. It was so juicy, so tender, so delicious, I am now a convert to baked steak. Thanks so much for sharing!
Amy Engberson says
Jody, I agree with you! I always thought baking steak was disgusting! Seriously though, this is the best!
Courtnie says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My mom and step dad are coming for Christmas this year (we’ve been in the military for a long time and this is the first Christmas we will be hosting guests) and said he wanted a home cooked meal. I didn’t want to do the traditional ham/turkey Christmas dinner so I am doing this recipe. I love trying new things and I am sure they will love it!
Amy Engberson says
Courtnie, first of all, thanks for the service and sacrifice for our country! Families like your are in our families prayers! Home cooked meals are the best and we always have beef for Christmas dinner! These tenderloins are a cinch to make and sure to please everyone! Merry Christmas!
Jennifer says
Could this be used for a rib-eye steak? I usually let my boyfriend deal with steaks, so they scare me just a bit!
Amy Engberson says
I have used this recipe successfully for filet’s and tenderloins. Since my hubby is never home I have to do the steak making myself. It’s worth it though! Good luck!
Tami says
I am relativly new to the whole broiling steaks thing. I started doing it because we are building a house on our other property and that is where our BBQ had been for several months now. We moved it up there to cook lunches for our friends who come up to help out from time to time. Needless to say when I saw this recipe I knew I needed to try it! I have quickly learned how yummy a broiled steak can be! We had this last night for dinner and it literally melts in your mouth! I made slight changes to the herbed butter though, I can’t eat raw garlic (makes me sick to my stomach) so I used 1/2 tsp garlic powder. And I didn’t have fresh thyme, and we are nowhere near a grocery store that would have it, the closest one is about 40 minutes away. Well, all I had was ground thyme so I used a 1/4 tsp of that. I was bummed that I didn’t have it fresh, but thought I would be adventurous and give it a go. Then I didn’t have tenderloin. We buy our beef from a butcher a half cow at a time and well, we didn’t order tenderloin cuts apparently lol. So I just pulled out sirloin. All that aside, this is amazing. My husband loved it! I also made up your BBQ sauce recipe last week so he had to pull that out for the steak. He said the steak didn’t need it, he just really loves the BBQ sauce and wanted to try it with the steak. I also made up the three cheese mashed potatoes to go with this, those too are about of this world fantastic! I probably about burned up my printer the day I found your blog and started looking at your recipes 🙂 we are a meat and potatoes kind of family so all of your recipes are right in line with the things we love to eat. I have come back several times to find more recipes and last week most of our dinners consisted of recipes from here. I am always looking for something new and fun to try. I love cooking and baking things from scratch as much as possible, and over the last few years have taken up canning and freezing the things we grow from our garden. Needless to say, I am a huge fan of your blog 🙂 thank you for taking the time to share so many wonderful recipes and stories!
Amy Engberson says
This method makes the BEST steaks! They are perfect every time. I live an hour from a “big” grocery store and so I have also learned to alter recipes according to what I have in my pantry. That’s what we have to do when we live so far away from fresh food! Since we raise our own beef we typically only eat what we produce and we never order tenderloins. Once in awhile I splurge and get the good stuff! If you are a meat and potatoes family you would fit right in at my house. Thanks for stopping by! I love happy comments!
Andi @ The Weary Chef says
I LOVE steak too! This looks delicious. Cooking steak in an iron skillet is my standard method since we don’t have a grill, and it always turns out well 🙂
Shannon {Cozy Country Living} says
This sounds and looks delicious! I can’t wait to give it a try:) Yum!
Amy Engberson says
I can’t wait for you to try it! I was surprised how much better I like it than grilling steak on a grill! And the butter is like icing on the cake!
Elaine Duckett says
I love how this recipe is tried and true. It is so much fun to serve steak made this way, it only takes a few minutes and it turns out the same every time. The herb butter is so good and give the steak such a fresh taste.
Mom
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad we got you hooked on this method! It’s the BEST!
Chris at Hye Thyme Cafe says
I have a fear of grills, so I have been hooked on this method for a while now. I love your addition of thyme to the butter. I always joked about being afraid of trying to light a grill and having it blow up on me … then that actually happened to my mother! Fortunately, it blew away from her, so there were no injuries/damage, but that did nothing to get me over my fear lol. [#PinItThurs]
Amy Engberson says
Oh my goodness! I’m sorry that happened to your Mom! Glad she was okay! We cook with our grill almost daily in the summer time, love it! I must admit this is a better way to cook steaks though. I could add fresh thyme to about everything. It adds a wonderful addition of flavor to these steaks. After all, I can’t think of anything that is not better with butter!
Rach @ EazyPeazyMealz says
Looks yummy! I rarely cook steak because my hubby runs a steak house, but I may have to make an exception! Thanks for sharing. Found you on Time to Sparkle Link Party! So glad I did.
Amy Engberson says
Thanks for stopping by! I know if my husband had anything to do with a steak house, I would eat steak everyday! This recipe is worth the little bit of effort required! I’m headed to your blog right now. I know I will love it since I’m all about easy meals!