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)
McBride says
Soooo…the recipe originally posted was spot-on for me. All the times and temperatures created the perfect steak. The grocery store where I shop must have cut the steaks right to that recipe. Now, I have to determine the times and get a meat thermometer. And herb butter? It wasn’t needed with the original recipe. Why not post the OG and this new one?
Amy Engberson says
I’m sorry that you found the old post more helpful. I’ve learned a few things since I first created this recipe. I always cook meat to temperature now because it’s more accurate than trying to guess by timing the cooking time. I know it’s never fun to have to buy a new kitchen tool, but my instant-read thermometer is one of the most used tools in my kitchen! I think that once you have one you’ll find that it’s totally worth it! As far as the herb butter goes, you can use regular butter, this herb butter, or just leave it off if you want. I can’t tell you how amazing it is with butter though! It’s a game-changer and I’m pretty sure you’ll love it!
Lydia says
The steaks turned out delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Amy Engberson says
Aren’t they the best! I absolutely love how flavorful, and easy they are to make!
Kathy Rogers says
Delicious. Will be doing this again- but can I just say that the toenail fungus photos in the ads are really off-putting!
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you liked the steak! And, thanks for letting me know about the ad. That’s not very appetizing!
Chris David says
Its really a nice recipe try this one also https://www.beckandbulow.com/valentines-day-dinner-meats/
Amy Engberson says
My boys would love these!
Janie says
OMG! This recipe is amazing, it was better then even the best restaurant!!!! Thank you so much for sharing
Amy Engberson says
Sometimes staying home is better than going out, especially when it’s this easy!
Christine says
Incredibly delicious, perfectly executed recipe! I also used an in oven meat thermometer along with a cast iron pan. I achieved the perfect medium rare thanks to your directions. Thank you.
Amy Engberson says
Using a meat thermometer is a game changer! I’m glad you love this recipe as much as we do!
Cindi says
Used your recipe with tenderloin steaks…wonderful…perfection!
Amy Engberson says
Tenderloin steaks are the best! They turn out perfectly every single time! I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Bill says
I’m glad I found this recipe. My son gifted us these steaks and I wanted to cook them perfectly. I followed this recipe and found success. These were the best steaks that I’ve ever had at home. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Amy Engberson says
What a fun gift idea! I’m thrilled that these were the best steaks you’ve ever made at home! I can’t wait until you make them for dinner again!
Kathy says
Followed the recipe with tenderloins from Meijer. They were fantabulous! Very tender and buttery.
Thanks you for this technique!
Amy Engberson says
Tenderloin steaks are definitely a favorite! I’m glad you enjoyed them too!
DD McMurray says
Cooked this steak for Father’s Day. Bought 2 huge steaks and followed the recipe to a T. Steaks were bigger than they looked…he at half of one, l finished the other half. They were so delicious that they were gone before the we went to bed!
Amy Engberson says
I love it! This steak recipe turns out perfectly every time! I think it’s great that you ate the rest before going to bed! Good for you!
Heidi says
Oops. 1 g protein is listed. I’m sure there’s a missing number there. Found some meat on sale tonight and I’m making this for lunch tomorrow. 🙂
Amy Engberson says
I’ll have to go check out why its listing protein is 1 gram. Thanks for pointing that out! Lunch is going to be amazing!
Todd says
This is my favorite steak of all time! Perfect way to cook them. And it’s so easy.
Amy Engberson says
It really is easy! Especially in the winter when I don’t want to go outside in the snow!
Susie Welch says
Fabulous recipe!! The Herbed Butter Tenderloin Steak was tender, so flavorful, and simple!! And the herbed butter can be used for about anything. I just put mine in a short jar to use the left over later. I’m not one to spend too much time fussing over a dinner, so this simple recipe was perfect for me! Thank you, Amy, for sharing this delicious recipe!
Amy Engberson says
Oh my goodness! Steak is the best and this recipe makes it so easy and is so flavorful! I love that you are using the butter later on in so many fun ways! It’s scrumptious on baked potatoes!
Nichole says
I have never been good at cooking steak. I made this tonight for our 15th anniversary and they were AMAZING. I loved them and the recipe was easy to follow. Thanks for all the tips and the wonderful recipe.
Amy Engberson says
Happy Anniversary! Steak is the perfect choice for celebrating and I’m thrilled it turned out for you! You’re a rock star in the kitchen!
Dawn Wolf says
Hi! I found your recipe when I searched for how to cook beef tenderloin. I bought some cut steaks as a treat when they went on sale and froze them. I was so surprised by the ease of making these and with such a great flavor! The salt and pepper seasoned the liquid left in the pan, I had to pour it all over the steaks. The seasoned butter was very flavorful as well. I couldn’t believe after our meal, my husband asked incredulously “these were frozen? This was about the best steak I’ve had.” Wow, that was indeed a great compliment, coming from him. I ate it all as well, really yummy, and I’m not a huge steak eater, but do appreciate a good one. Thank you! We will have this again!
Amy Engberson says
Hi Dawn! Yay! I always feel like freezing steak dries it out a bit, but since I live an hour from the grocery store using fresh steak isn’t always an option. We’ve made this recipe using frozen steak many times and it always turns out! I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe!
Nancy Day says
My language is like your language that is LOVE; mine is CARE. Always care. My first book was Pierre, Maurice Sendak. The moral of the story was to care.
So thank you for caring enough to publish and maintain your site. ..and your family, and your dairy, and your cattle.
You take care of you and get a big slurp of cream off the top from that giant diary vat, the really good stuff, for me.
Signed, a farm girl from Washington state
Amy Engberson says
Hi Nancy! Caring is such a powerful tool and one of those things that makes relationships worthwhile and life happy! Thanks for reminding me of that! Isn’t the cream off the top the best part! I’ll be sure to grab a little extra for you! Have a fantastic day!
nancy says
Wink! I envision all those boots and all the assorted gear in the mud room of a working farm. You lucky dog you…and I think you have worked pretty hard for what you have.
Keep on doing your gift. ( search for an Asher Roth quote about never stop doing your thing) Inspiration feeder
Nancy
Amy Engberson says
Hi Nancy! My mud room is always full of boots, coats, hats, and all the other “stuff” the boys need for working on the farm! Sometimes I get tired of sweeping and mopping up mud, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Thanks for stopping by!
Erin McMahon says
This recipe is my go-to for beef tenderloin!! I’ve used an enameled cast iron pan/lid each time & is DIVINE!!! Many thanks for sharing!
Amy Engberson says
Cast iron pans are the best! I’m glad you are enjoying this steak! It’s my favorite!
luba says
Thank you for sharing. The recipe sounded so yummy I was drooling, but my steaks came out too salty. I think the problem was my steaks didnt sear they more like boiled. I’m not real good at cooking steaks so I don’t know if I used the wrong pan or what, but I think I will try frying in a cast iron pan next time. Any thoughts on what I did wrong or tips would be welcomed. BTW, the garlic butter soooooooo yummy
Amy Engberson says
Hmmmm! I heavily salt and pepper steaks before cooking them, maybe you were a bit more generous with the salt than I typically am. You could try holding back just a bit on the salt next time. Patting steaks dry with paper towels before searing it helps to develop a nice crust on the outside of the meat. It’s also important to heat the pan to hot temperature because that helps get that golden brown, locked in sear. A cast iron pan should work beautifully! Best of luck!
Christina Burtrum says
Typically not a fillet fan- Love rib eye or chuck eye. Need that marble! Also, own a BGE and would kill my hubs to do steak any other way!
Got a deal on fillet- and wow! This recipe was amazing!! Turned out perfect, so easy and tender! Props to you!
Amy Engberson says
I’m a huge ribeye fan too! They have the best flavor thanks to all the marbling! These filets though…pretty amazing! The first time I used this method to cook them I was a little skeptical but they turned out great and I’m hooked now! Glad you enjoyed them!
Arlene says
Hi. This looks like a nice recipe and i want to try it. I’m not really into cooking so i have some questions please. I didn’t quite understand, do you need to cover the pan when you put it in the oven? Can i also transfer it to a different pan because i don’t think i can put my frying pans in the oven.
Amy Engberson says
Hi Arlene! Yes, I do cover the pan when I put it in the oven. I wouldn’t recommend transfering it to a different pan because the pan you sear the meat in will already be sizzling hot and have all those yummy juices in the bottom of the pan. Hope that helps!
Arlene says
Yes it’s a lot of help. Thank you very much!